Toronto’s Chesler/Perlmutter Productions (C/P) has received a strategic investment from L.A.-based distributor Principal Media in a bid to expand their respective production and distribution slates.

The investment will “strengthen their core businesses,” according to a press release, while allowing Principal Media to distribute C/P’s content library, which spans more than 30 years. It also gives C/P additional capital to grow its development and production slate. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The distribution strategy includes format sales from existing C/P content and the launch of free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels with the prodco’s extensive library.

C/P is run by co-chairmen Lewis Chesler and David Perlmutter. It is based in Toronto and operates a production studio in Hamilton, Ont.

The prodco has produced more than 250 films and TV episodes since it was founded in the 1980s, starting with HBO series The Hitchhiker, which ran for six seasons. C/P has developed a specialty in holiday films for broadcast networks and streamers over the last decade, including its most recent title, A Candlelit Christmas (pictured).

Principal Media has operated for nearly two decades, and largely distributes lifestyle, documentary, sports and wildlife content. The deal with C/P brings a range of scripted content to the catalogue, with a focus on holiday, romance, action, sci-fi and suspense films and series moving forward.

Chesler said the partnership allows the companies to “not only help meet marketplace demand for original content, but also pursue related revenue-generating opportunities,” in a statement.

Principal Media CEO Gary Rosenson said C/P’s ability to deliver “movie magic” with “extremely reasonable budgets” is an asset at a time when “platforms old and new are stretching production dollars further while still looking to deliver the same quality to their audiences.”

Image courtesy of Chesler/Perlmutter