Hollywood is a mighty machine that can be somewhat reluctant to change. Its approach to content creation, for example, has remained largely the same for decades. Findlay Brown of Authentic Studios has embraced a unique approach that differs from the traditional Hollywood script.
Brown’s career in the entertainment world started in the independent film scene in Canada. He now produces big-budget, premium content across numerous distribution platforms and genres with the Authentic Studios team, which is revolutionizing the Hollywood content machine with its new approach to creating programming.
For decades, Hollywood has relied on content based on existing intellectual property, but the trend has taken over the box office in recent years. The process is generally the same: IP holders have to license their intellectual property, like books, comics, video games, life stories, or fictional characters, to studios or production companies for adaptation into films and television shows. Bucking this trend, in 2023, Authentic, the world’s largest sports and entertainment licensing company, launched Authentic Studios, an in-house production company led by top-level industry professionals like Brown. Since then, the studio has been rolling out premium content based on its extensive IP portfolio.
“As a former college athlete and an award-winning producer, I have been told I have a rare combination of skills that really back up what Authentic Studios is trying to do,” Brown says. “We are taking the incredible amount of IP Authentic controls and transforming it into great stories that we think will connect with audiences.
Some of Authentic Studios releases are already making waves, including the PGA-award-winning and chart-topping Netflix docuseries Beckham, the live NBC special Christmas at Graceland, and the Netflix animated series Agent Elvis. Upcoming projects such as The Iverson Way on Amazon Prime Video, The Greatest, a scripted drama series based on the life and career of Muhammad Ali for Amazon Prime Video, and the college sports docuseries The Money Game, also for the streamer, will continue this momentum.
Authentic Studios comprises four labels: Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, David Beckham’s Studio 99, Sports Illustrated Studios, and Authentic Productions. Despite being part of a $30 billion giant with a global presence, its team is surprisingly small, with only seven members, including Brown. In its first year of business, during a historically bad period for the industry, as it struggled in the face of the first double WGA/SAG strike in six decades, the studio sold nine productions, a wild success by any production company’s standards.
As a graduate of the American Film Institute’s prestigious producing program, Brown has achieved several milestones in his career. From producing The Flexed Arm Hang on a shoestring budget to having his film, Caroline, nominated for a BAFTA Award (which Brown hopes they will win), his passion for filmmaking is evident in these landmark projects. He also has been handed the reins on a new format project for Authentic Studios, one that he created.
“Brown’s unique blend of production savvy, business acumen, and deep knowledge of sports make him a valuable member of the Studios team,” says Matthew Gross, SVP of Authentic Studios. “We were really lucky to land him when we did.”