Raycom Media Invests In Swirl Films

Raycom Media has invested in Swirl Films, an independent urban film production company based in Atlanta. Founded by Eric Tomosunas, Swirl Films provides services and content from script to screen, including movies, biopics, scripted series, award shows and documentaries. Terms were not disclosed.

For more than 15 years, Swirl Films has been a provider of urban content production and programming, delivering more than 60 original productions in the last six years. Swirl Films has created feature films and multi-camera productions for clients like Bounce TV, UPTV, BET, TVOne, Aspire, Think Factory and Lifetime.

Raycom said Swirl Films’ TVOne production When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story “premiered as the No. 1 original movie on the network among all key demographics.

“Original series Uncensored is now one of TVOne’s most-watched series. Bounce TV’s Saints and Sinners, the only original scripted drama series on multicast television, shined in its third season reaching over 7.5 million total viewers. One of the many season highlights occurred on May 6 when Saints & Sinners was the No. 1 most-watched program in all of television, beating CBS, FOX and NBC and all ad-supported cable and pay networks in the delivery of African Americans (25-54) in its time period.”

In addition, Swirl Films has an extensive library of films that Raycom Media and its partners will distribute in the future on multiple platforms.

“This investment made sense for Raycom Media on several levels, as [Swirl founder Eric Tomosunas] has produced high-quality and incredibly entertaining content with a very creative budget strategy,” stated Pat LaPlatney, president-CEO of Raycom Media. “Swirl Films and their content is a perfect match for our multi-platform consumer base.”

Tomosunas said: “Partnering with Raycom Media and leveraging their internal assets, talented management team, and reputation will allow Swirl Films to grow in the future. This will enable us to continue with strong content development and production services for our partners. I am also looking forward to creating original linear and digital programming with their entertainment and sports division, Tupelo Raycom.”

Cary Glotzer, CEO of Tupelo Raycom added: “We are excited and look forward to working together with the Swirl Films team over the next few years on joint development and production services for multiple platforms, audiences and partners.”

Since its relocation to Atlanta in 2013, Swirl Films said it has produced more than 100 hours of television in Georgia and “works with its partners to maximize the efficiencies of the Georgia film tax incentives.”

Swirl Films’ 15,000 square foot offices and post-production facility will remain in downtown Atlanta, which includes multiple editing suites, audio sweetening, mixing rooms, color correction rooms, remote production, and talent trailers for movie shoots. This partnership with Raycom Media will allow Swirl Films to expand and have additional production offices in New York City and Nashville.

Swirl Films’ current projects include the forthcoming holiday film Coins for Christmas and a crime drama Sins of the Father for TVOne, pre-production for Season 2 of Tales by Irv Gotti on BET, Season four of Saints & Sinners on Bounce TV, and BET pilot Secrets of the Salon.

Swirl Films has multiple NAACP Image award nominations and is an American Black Film Festival award-winner for its feature film The Undershepherd.