Thomas Benski, the former Pulse Films co-founder, has announced the launch of a talent- and IP-led media group and venture capital firm named Lumina.

Experience Draws Investment

Lumina is based in London, New York, and LA. The company’s goal is to enable creatives to own more of their work. Lumina will also act as a financial investment platform. The company claims to be well-capitalized and states that it has the resources of a global studio. Lumina has secured funding in the “mid-eight figures,” and investors include Magnus Rausing’s BFK, Charles Dorfman’s Dorfman Media Holdings, and SVS Holdings.

Magnus Rausing is enthusiastic about BFK’s investment. “Lumina’s collective knowledge in investing and operating businesses makes them the ideal platform for pioneering a new approach that both supports talent to create and own valuable IP while driving innovation across its companies—creatively, strategically, and technologically. I was looking for a vehicle to build a media and entertainment footprint and Lumina is absolutely the right platform given its inventive model, so I’m excited to help it become a defining player in the ecosystem.”

Lumina is focused on four verticals: talent-driven studios, production, kids and family, and consumers. With an emphasis on premium IP, the company’s portfolio will encompass all major content types, genres, and formats. It will also embrace technology and new financial models.

Additionally, the company is investing in consumer brands, including Metier, DAACI, and an activewear brand that has yet to be announced. Lumina has also launched Magna Studios. With Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun at the helm, the studio will develop scripted, factual, and branded projects.

Artists First Company

In 2005, Gangs of London producer Benski co-founded Pulse Films with Marisa Clifford. Six years after selling a controlling interest in the London-based company to Vice Media Group, they both stepped down in March of 2022.

Earlier this year, in March, Benski, along with French actor Omar Sy (Lupin) and Hollywood director Louis Leterrier, launched Carrousel Studios. The European “artists-first” company is producing scripted TV series and movies.

Investing in Creators Corp

Lumina has also backed gaming studio Creators Corp to fill the kids and family space on their slate. Lumina invested $2 million in the Fortnite UGC studio. Benski and fellow fund co-creator Marisa Clifford are both enthusiastic about Creator Corp’s mission to expand its portfolio of UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) games made in collaboration with influencers.

In a statement, Anne-Margot Rodde, Creator Corp CEO said, “Thomas (Benski) and his team understand the inherent synergies between entertainment and gaming and our vision for the studio’s future aligns perfectly. The investment from Lumina will unlock new opportunities to build upon our portfolio of fan-driven games in UEFN and lay the groundwork for user-generated games on new platforms in the future.”

Benski also chimed in on the announcement with his thoughts on the investment. “User-generated games are the next wave of entertainment, and Creators Corp. is leading that movement. Margot has demonstrated a true talent for understanding both the creator economy and the UGG space, identifying key growth opportunities. Over the past year, she has surrounded herself with top talent in the industry, from developers to advisors, and has forged many meaningful partnerships with influencers and brands alike.”

2025 Launches First Content

Lumina will start to deliver its first content in the first part of 2025. The company claims to have generated $55M in revenue in its first year. Additionally, an “IP war chest” will fund film and TV projects heading into the future.

Benski says, “The current media landscape is in flux and we believe this is the ideal time to build future-facing companies. Drawing from our rich past experience, we are building in the present to shape the future. Our thesis is that there is a big opportunity to decouple the IP creation process by building studios and production companies around major talent. This will help them own more of their work and build long-lasting companies that remove unnecessary and expensive layers in the process of creating IP.”