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Magna Studios launches
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Pulse Films co-founder Marisa Clifford and former Global President Davud Karbassioun launch Magna Studios, a new, multi-format studio backed by marquee talent, flagship projects, and strategic capital from Lumina, the global media venture founded by Pulse’s co-founder Thomas Benski.
Creative executives Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun officially unveil Magna, a new kind of studio built to lead in a dynamic, platform-agnostic era.
Magna emerges from the collision of culture, commerce, and craft, producing standout work across film, documentary, branded and music storytelling backed by a scalable and forward-facing studio infrastructure.
The fully scaled studio, which has been quietly operational for over a year, has already delivered global campaigns for brands including Apple, Nike, Beats and Spotify, produced and co-financed its first scripted feature Straight Circle, and announced the production of the much-anticipated official Oasis reunion tour documentary.
Backed by Thomas Benski’s venture Lumina, Magna is well capitalised and operates from its hubs in London, New York and Los Angeles, embodying a bold new vision for multi-format storytelling. At the helm is a powerhouse leadership, reuniting longtime partner James Sorton (Managing Director, Commercials), and joined by an exceptional senior team: Olly Calleja (SVP, Non-Fiction), Louis Mole (Creative Director, Non-Fiction), Sam Bridger (Head of Music Documentaries), and Tim O’Shea (Group Director of Commercial & Business Affairs).
Talent-First Studio Model
Magna answers a clear market need: a studio that empowers cross-disciplinary creators and aligns creative ambition with market intelligence. The company’s integrated model spans development, financing, production, and distribution, supporting a globally curated roster of auteur filmmakers and rising voices. Joined recently by award-winning filmmaker and Brutalist director Brady Corbet, its talent roster also includes filmmakers Oscar Hudson, James Marsh, Sam Pilling, Goldstein & Daley, Julien & Quentin, Haley Anderson, Jeff Tremaine, Asif Kapadia and Ariel Fisher.
By combining editorial freedom with smart financing and strategic execution, Magna is not just a studio, but a long-term creative partner.
Corbet, said: “Magna shares my diverse tastes and values. They are helping me connect with forward thinking brands and collaborators who understand my work, and together we look to create stories that can resonate meaningfully with their audiences.”
Branded Entertainment That Audiences Choose to Watch From campaigns for leading brands like Apple, Google, Amazon, Adidas, and Spotify to a global collaboration between Bloomberg and Corbet, Magna’s branded division creates original, culturally resonant work, not just as advertising, but as entertainment.
Karbassioun, said: “Branded storytelling is moving way beyond interruption - it’s becoming cinema, narrative, and cultural contribution. At Magna we are working with brands that embrace an entertainment mindset: commissioning original work, investing in IP, collaborating closely with our filmmakers and creating deeper relationships that are much more meaningful and rewarding over time.”
Scripted and Non-Fiction, Powered by a Creator-First Model Magna supports talent through every stage - development, financing, production, and global distribution - empowering directors to scale their vision across formats and platforms.
In scripted, Magna fosters long-term partnerships that evolve with the artist. Its first feature, Straight Circle by Oscar Hudson, emerged from a multi-year creative journey that began in music videos and culminated in cinema.
In non-fiction, Magna is developing a new wave of talent-led IP and original formats crafted with cinematic scale. From the official Oasis reunion documentary to genre-defining series and specials, the studio is focused on premium documentaries, innovative formats, bold perspectives, and culturally resonant narratives that elevate how non-fiction connects with global audiences.
Clifford adds: “The industry is undergoing seismic change, driven by AI, shifting rights models, funding pressures, and evolving audiences. Creators need strategic partners who can help them navigate this complexity, build long-term value, and diversify their output across mediums. We’ve designed a studio that’s both future-ready and creatively grounded, where trust, infrastructure, and ambition come together to build lasting homes for talent and IP.”
Thomas Benski, Chairman, said: “Magna is what the future of storytelling infrastructure looks like. What Marisa and Davud have built combines editorial integrity, creative excellence and operational agility - backed by a business model designed for scale in today’s fragmented, global content economy.”
