BUSINESS

Shopify to open TV and film production house for streaming and network content

The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, January 23, 2019 9:55AM EST

Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke, center wearing hat, is celebrated as he rings the New York Stock Exchange opening bell, marking the Canadian company's IPO, Thursday, May 21, 2015. (AP / Richard Drew)

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OTTAWA -- Shopify Inc. will launch a TV and film content development and production house.

The Ottawa-based e-commerce company says the venture will be called Shopify Studios and will involve developing, producing and financing projects for both streaming platforms and traditional networks.

Among the first wave of content Shopify will release is a series of 20- to 30-minute films on entrepreneurs, examining the relationship between where individuals live and what they choose to create and a podcast exploring secret economies.

The Shopify Studios team is headquartered in Toronto, but will also operate in New York and Los Angeles.

The company has already signed deals with Anonymous Content, Spoke Studios and Saville Productions to develop entrepreneur-focused documentaries.

Anonymous Content is behind hit films and TV shows including "13 Reasons Why," "Spotlight," "Boy Erased" and "Mr. Robot." Spoke Studios was created by former ITV America chief executive Brent Montgomery, while Saville Productions has worked with "Crash" director Paul Haggis and Barry Levinson of "Rain Man" fame.