Silent Partners Studio propels its growth with support from the Creative Export Strategy

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Sector: Music and interactive digital media
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Creative Export Strategy support: Creative Export Canada funding

About the company

Silent Partners Studio is a group of creative directors, designers and producers who specialize in visual storytelling, creating innovative imagery for the entertainment industry, including concerts, theatre, exhibitions, and world-class cultural and television events for the past 10 years. They have provided their creative services to music superstars like Céline Dion, P!nk, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Usher, Harry Styles, Shakira and Justin Timberlake, among others.

The export challenge

Before applying to the program, Silent Partners handled international contracts from its Montreal office. However, with nearly 70% of the company’s revenues coming from the U.S., the company knew it needed a physical presence in the country to capitalize on opportunities there.

The export project

In 2020, Silent Partners received funding over 2 fiscal years from the Creative Export Canada program to establish a permanent office in Los Angeles and pursue further growth in the U.S. market. The office would be equipped with the technology to deliver the final content on-site, while the content creation and production work would remain in Montreal.

The outcome

The company more than doubled its export revenues and employment over the two years it received funding. Besides expanding its activities within the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York and Texas, Silent Partners was approached by companies in Europe and the United Kingdom on the strength of their success in the U.S.

The new American office also allowed Silent Partners to launch their virtual reality technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, employing 57 creative workers during a period which devastated the industry. In fact, they were the first company to use virtual reality technology in a music video – Katy Perry’s appearance on American Idol in 2020.

Advice for potential exporters

“For all those who have similar dreams but can’t make them happen because they don’t know where to get the funding, this is a golden opportunity to go explore new countries and accelerate the growth of your company.”