Image: BenStillman (left) & Steven Beckman (right) in New York
Credit: Lalo Torres

Steven Beckman, former YouTube content executive, and Ben Stillman, producer of “The Imitation Game” and “I Care A Lot,” have announced the launch of a new studio, Further Adventures, designed to support emerging storytellers across multiple formats.

The studio is on a mission to identify talent “at the moment momentum begins” and provide development resources, production support, capital investment, and go-to-market strategies. Beckman and Stillman will work with storytellers who have already proven their voice through digital series, short films, or festival appearances.

“Our goal is to amplify bold voices and back original ideas that deserve to be seen,” Beckman and Stillman state in a press release. “We identify talent at the moment momentum begins—when a story is proven but not yet scaled—and help storytellers make the leap into the next chapter of their creative journey.”

Sharing Studio Slate

The company’s initial slate includes projects from award-winning filmmakers alongside YouTube creators expanding into new formats:

• Walter Thompson-Hernández, whose Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning short “If I Go Will They Miss Me” is being adapted into a feature film
• Ramzi Bashour, a Sundance Labs participant whose feature debut “Tomahawk Springs” recently wrapped production
• Andrew Rea, creator of the 10.4-million-subscriber YouTube channel “Binging with Babish,” who is producing “Old Soul,” a metaphysical action-thriller he wrote

Beyond direct production partnerships, Further Adventures will provide strategic investment to creators, having recently participated in a $45 million funding round for YouTube golf brand Good Good Golf as part of its expansion into longer-form content.

Development Pipeline

The studio reports that it has more than 10 feature films in active development, including three “Black List” scripts, a viral video game adaptation, and projects with filmmakers Max and Sam Eggers, Beth de Araujo, and Shatara Michelle Ford.

The launch comes as traditional paths for original storytelling narrow, with fewer studios backing original IP or first-time feature directors. Simultaneously, digital creators with established audiences seek new creative formats to engage their communities.

“We believe the definition of IP shouldn’t be limited to bestselling books, comics, or legacy franchises,” the founders add. “In a world where storytellers are building global audiences on their own terms, we believe proven audience interest is the new IP.”