Vice takes Pulse Films stake

LCD Soundsystem documentary Shut Up and Play the Hits

Vice Media has taken a majority stake in UK- and US-based indie Pulse Films as both companies look to increase their scripted output across film and TV.

The move adds to Vice’s programming capabilities across digital, mobile and linear TV and comes after it launched its Viceland channel in the US and Canada in conjunction with A+E Networks.

Pulse Films will continue to operate as an independent brand following the acquisition, Vice said. Financial details were not disclosed.

Vice added that the two companies share a “creative vision for innovative storytelling and production” and have held a strategic partnership in the US since 2013.

This followed their coproduction on the LCD Soundsystem documentary film, Shut Up and Play the Hits, which was released in 2012.

Pulse employs 130 people and has offices in London, LA, New York, Paris and Berlin. Its output spans scripted and non-scripted film, television, branded entertainment, music and commercial projects. It is best known in linear television for its Pineapple Dance Studios reality series for Sky in the UK.

Last year it hired Patrick Vien as president and added to its TV division by adding Roy Ackerman as MD and Emma Cooper as creative director, focusing on factual programming.

The TV division now has projects in the pipeline for a number of broadcasters across the UK and US, while last year Pulse launched a format company, East Entertainment, led by Nathan Eastwood. The deal is expected to see Pulse escalate its scripted output across film and TV.

“This deal will bolster our respective commitment to create relevant, brave and popular films, TV shows and digital content,” said Thomas Benski, CEO and co-founder of Pulse Films.

Andrew Creighton, Vice Media’s co-president, added: “Pulse are one of the few companies in the world that consistently produces content we admire. Thomas has built an incredible team and company based around making stories that have a point of view and style that actually move audiences.”

Having rolled out in the US and Canada, the 24 hour TV channel Viceland will arrive in the UK and Ireland later this year, featuring a slate of original shows created entirely in-house by Vice.

Vice Media was advised on the transaction by the Paul Weiss law firm and Mathias Gentle Page Hassan LLP. Pulse was advised by Wiggin LLP and Davis & Gilbert LLP.