Studio TF1 America
Studio TF1 America is a Canadian television and film production and distribution company specializing in English-language scripted programming, including made-for-television movies, miniseries, and series.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Studio TF1 America is a Canadian production and distribution company created in May 2025 through the consolidation and rebranding of Reel One Entertainment and Johnson Production Group. The business is structured as a joint venture involving France's TF1 Group and A+E Global Media, combining Reel One's established English-language television-movie operation with the Vancouver-based production activities of Johnson Production Group. The company's predecessor Reel One originated in 2001, when producer Tom Berry established the business under the name Première Bobine. It developed a high-volume model focused on producing and distributing made-for-television movies for international broadcasters and platforms. Its programming has been particularly associated with romance, Christmas, and thriller titles, formats that have historically performed strongly on North American specialty networks and in international television sales. Reel One titles were carried by outlets including Lifetime and Hallmark Channel, while the company also expanded into scripted series and broader library distribution. Reel One's corporate development brought it into the TF1 Group ecosystem. In 2019, Newen, the production and distribution subsidiary of TF1 Group, acquired a majority interest in Reel One. A+E Networks subsequently acquired a 35% minority stake in 2021. That same year, Reel One entered into a library-distribution agreement with FilmRise, extending the reach of its existing catalogue. Separately, Newen acquired Johnson Production Group in 2024. JPG was a Vancouver-based production company with experience in television movies and related scripted content. The May 2025 launch of Studio TF1 America brought the two operations under a single identity. The combined company is intended to increase the scale and international reach of English-language production, while retaining the high-volume television-movie expertise associated with its predecessor businesses. Studio TF1 America is headquartered in Montréal and maintains additional offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Its stated production capacity is more than 100 hours of original scripted programming per year, spanning television movies, miniseries, and full series. Its combined library contains more than 3,000 hours of English-language programming. The company serves broadcasters, streaming services, distributors, and other international buyers. Its business encompasses development, production, packaging, licensing, and distribution of scripted content rather than consumer products or theatrical entertainment as a primary focus. The catalogue and production model position it as a supplier of commercially repeatable, genre-led programming for television and digital platforms. The company has also used industry events such as NATPE to pursue new commercial and distribution relationships. As of 2025, Tom Berry is identified as chairman of the board and Timothy O. Johnson as managing director. The rebranding preserves continuity with the leadership and production infrastructure of Reel One and Johnson Production Group while presenting the combined operation as part of TF1 Group's broader international content strategy.
History
Studio TF1 America's history begins with Reel One Entertainment, the Canadian production and distribution company established in 2001 by producer Tom Berry under the name Première Bobine. The business built its identity around the development, production, and international sale of made-for-television movies. Its output was especially concentrated in romance, Christmas, and thriller programming, genres that supplied dependable volume for television networks and later digital platforms. Reel One expanded beyond individual productions by building relationships with broadcasters and distributors. Its films were shown by North American outlets including Lifetime and Hallmark Channel. In 2016, the company signed an agreement with UP TV involving its scripted series. In 2017, Reel One partnered with the United States production and management company The Cartel on a plan to produce as many as 40 movies by 2020. These arrangements reflected the company's emphasis on repeatable genre production and international exploitation rather than a small number of high-budget theatrical films. The company's ownership structure changed significantly during the late 2010s and early 2020s. In 2019, Newen, a subsidiary of France's TF1 Group, acquired a majority stake in Reel One. This gave TF1 a stronger presence in Canadian and English-language scripted production. In 2021, A+E Networks acquired a 35% minority stake in Reel One. Also in 2021, Reel One entered into a distribution agreement with FilmRise covering its title library, adding another route to market for its accumulated programming. A second predecessor operation became relevant in 2024, when Newen acquired Johnson Production Group. Based in Vancouver, JPG was a production company focused on television content and became a complementary part of TF1's North American English-language production activities. The acquisition provided a second production base and expanded the range of assets that could be coordinated with Reel One. In May 2025, Reel One Entertainment and Johnson Production Group were consolidated and relaunched under the Studio TF1 America name. The new identity was designed to unify the businesses and present them as a scaled supplier of English-language content for international buyers. The company operates from Montréal, with additional offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver. It reports annual production of more than 100 hours of original scripted programming and a catalogue exceeding 3,000 hours. Studio TF1 America produces television movies, miniseries, and full series, while also licensing and distributing programming to broadcasters, streaming services, and other media companies. Its operating model retains the genre expertise and production volume of Reel One and JPG, but places those capabilities within a broader TF1 Group and A+E Global Media ownership framework. Following the rebrand, the company pursued commercial relationships through industry events including NATPE. Tom Berry serves as chairman of the board, and Timothy O. Johnson serves as managing director.
- 2025
Studio TF1 America is launched
[1]Reel One Entertainment and Johnson Production Group are consolidated and rebranded as Studio TF1 America.
- 2024
Newen acquires Johnson Production Group
[1]Newen acquires the Vancouver-based production company Johnson Production Group.
- 2021
A+E Networks acquires minority stake
[1]A+E Networks acquires a 35% minority interest in Reel One.
- 2021
FilmRise library distribution agreement
[1]FilmRise signs an agreement to distribute titles from Reel One's catalogue.
- 2019
Newen acquires majority control of Reel One
[1]Newen, part of TF1 Group, acquires a majority stake in Reel One.
- 2017
Production partnership with The Cartel
[1]Reel One partners with The Cartel on a plan to produce up to 40 movies by 2020.
- 2016
UP TV scripted-programming agreement
[1]Reel One signs an agreement with UP TV relating to the airing of its scripted series.
- 2001
Reel One predecessor is founded
[1]Producer Tom Berry establishes Première Bobine, the business that later becomes Reel One Entertainment.
Products and positioning
A large-scale international supplier of English-language scripted television, combining Canadian production infrastructure with the ownership and distribution resources of TF1 Group and A+E Global Media.
Television film production
Made-for-television movies
The company's core output consists of scripted television movies produced for broadcasters, streaming services, and international distributors. Production is organized around commercially repeatable formats and efficient schedules, with a strong historical emphasis on romance, Christmas, and thriller stories. This model derives from Reel One's long-running role as a high-volume supplier of English-language television films.
Television series production
Scripted series and miniseries
Studio TF1 America also develops and produces scripted series and miniseries. These projects extend the business beyond standalone television movies and support relationships with broadcasters and platforms seeking serialized English-language programming. The predecessor Reel One had already pursued scripted-series distribution before the Studio TF1 America consolidation.
Content distribution
English-language content library
The combined company controls and distributes a catalogue reported to exceed 3,000 hours of English-language programming. The library includes television movies and other scripted content accumulated through the Reel One and Johnson Production Group operations. Distribution agreements, including the 2021 arrangement with FilmRise, have helped place predecessor-company titles with additional audiences.
Brand decisions
2025
Consolidation under the Studio TF1 America brandStrategyBackground
TF1 Group and A+E Global Media combined the Reel One Entertainment and Johnson Production Group operations to create a larger North American English-language production and distribution platform.
Action taken
The two predecessor businesses were unified and relaunched as Studio TF1 America in May 2025, with operations in Montréal, Los Angeles, and Vancouver.
Aftermath
The combined company reported annual production capacity of more than 100 hours of original scripted content and a library exceeding 3,000 hours.
2024
Newen acquires Johnson Production GroupM&ABackground
Newen expanded its North American English-language production footprint beyond Reel One.
Action taken
Newen acquired Vancouver-based Johnson Production Group.
Aftermath
JPG was subsequently consolidated with Reel One under the Studio TF1 America identity.
2021
A+E Networks acquires minority stake in Reel OneM&ABackground
Reel One's production and distribution operation attracted investment from A+E Networks, strengthening the relationship between the companies.
Action taken
A+E Networks acquired a 35% minority stake in Reel One.
Aftermath
A+E's minority ownership became part of the ownership background for the later Studio TF1 America joint venture.
2019
Newen takes majority stake in Reel OneM&ABackground
TF1 Group sought to strengthen its international production and distribution capabilities through its subsidiary Newen.
Action taken
Newen acquired a majority interest in Reel One Entertainment.
Aftermath
Reel One became part of the TF1 Group ecosystem and later formed one half of Studio TF1 America.
Recent events
STXtelevision and Reel One partner on Team Chocolate adaptation[2]
Reported:
STXtelevision announced that it had teamed with Reel One Entertainment to develop and produce an English-language adaptation of the Belgian television series “Team Chocolate.” They secured the format rights from Wild Bunch TV.
FilmRise enters distribution agreement with Reel One Entertainment[3]
Reported:
FilmRise entered into a distribution agreement with Reel One Entertainment for rights to more than 100 titles, including original films and television series, for FilmRise's digital partners and streaming network.
Sources3 sources
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