M artini Films Studios, the Langley, B.C.-based full-service production facility, has acquired a majority stake in Vancouver prodco Lighthouse Pictures as it looks to expand its service and production operations in film and TV.

The management and production teams at Lighthouse will remain at the company as part of the deal, according to a news release. The financial terms were not disclosed.

Martini Films’ founder Gemma Martini said in a statement that “the opportunity to acquire a majority stake in Lighthouse has come at a time where we are growing our own production activity and the Martini brand.”

Founded in 2012 by producers Shawn Williamson and Jamie Goehring, Lighthouse has produced more than 250 projects in the last 10 years for networks and platforms such as Hallmark Channel, A&E/Lifetime, Marvista Entertainment, Netflix, Disney, Sony, GAF and CBS/Viacom. It specializes in genre film and TV projects.

Those titles include Three Wise Men and a Baby for Hallmark; Bob Nelson’s The Confirmation; and 1922, a film based on Stephen King’s novella, for Netflix.

Williamson and Goehring said in a joint statement that the partnership with Martini “will significantly fuel our growth plans, as we continue producing content with our long-standing partners and attracting more projects to British Columbia. Alongside this deal with the Martini team, we’re also committed to developing and producing our own IP for the international stage.”

Martini Films signed a five-year agreement with Netflix soon after opening its doors, making the streamer the lead tenant of the studios. The agreement has since been extended for five more years. Warner Bros. ITV and CBS also film at the facility.

In 2020, the studio launched the Martini Entertainment Group with George Patterson and David Shepheard and have since built a slate of original and coproduced IP. 

Image courtesy of Martini Films Studios