Nicely Does It: The Mini-Studio Playing It Smart and Staying Ahead

Since launching five years ago, Nicely Entertainment has been weathering the storm of a rapidly changing industry and tumultuous economic conditions by staying nimble and proactive when curating its slate. This strategy has paid off thus far, with the company now boasting a catalog of over 125 films. And no matter how large the catalog grows or how the company expands, it remains steadfastly focused on “delivering quality content to audiences around the world,” says CEO Vanessa Shapiro.

During a year when commissioning has been down, “we’ve stayed agile by continuing to produce films on spec,” Shapiro explains. “Through our mini-studio setup, Nicely Productions, we’re developing and producing first, then licensing strategically to our broadcast and streaming partners. It’s efficient, it scales and it gives us the flexibility we need to move fast.”

“The key is staying proactive,” she stresses. “We’re not waiting around to see where the market lands—we’re anticipating, adjusting and building a production pipeline that supports constant delivery. That, paired with our growing global AVOD footprint, keeps us competitive—and ready for what’s next.”

Among the recent titles produced by the company are Love at Lookout Lake, a perfect summer romance set in a beautiful lakeside small town, and Saving the Christmas Ranch, a holiday film following the unexpected romance between a woman facing foreclosure and a real estate developer. Both movies star Jonathan Stoddard and were shot in the U.S.

“What’s exciting about originals is the control they give us: the ability to build our own IP, reduce churn for buyers and create more predictable long-term revenue,” Shapiro says.

Original productions also provide the opportunity for co-productions, and “international partnerships can bring together local incentives, strong talent and global appeal all in one package,” she notes. Nicely has already co-produced numerous films in Australia, including When Love Springs (Hallmark) and This Little Love of Mine (Netflix), and is currently in post on two new co-productions—the upcoming 2025 releases Once Upon a Christmas Crown and The Christmas Bookshop, both shot in Canada. In addition, Nicely has expanded its partnerships throughout Europe; the company recently co-produced A Scottish Christmas Secret in the U.K. and is already looking at projects to shoot in France, Spain and Ireland.

With all that said, “maintaining a healthy balance between originals and acquisitions keeps us agile,” Shapiro says. “It lets us pivot quickly, respond to trends and continue delivering high-performing, platform-targeted content.”

Having a portfolio that includes a healthy number of third-party acquisitions also allows the company to “stretch a bit and explore,” she continues. “We’re always on the lookout for strong thrillers, premium action or drama, and even YA, when the audience and platform alignment is right. Titles like My Country Heart or Exile bring a darker edge and theatrical potential to the catalog, broadening our offering without straying too far from our core values.”

Whether looking to produce or acquire, though, the company’s core focus remains the same. “We’re laser-focused on the categories we know perform for us: Christmas and destination romance, inspirational and feel-good, family-safe storytelling,” Shapiro states. “These are the titles that anchor our catalog. They consistently deliver across AVOD, linear and FAST platforms, providing our partners with reliable, evergreen content.”

The launch of the Darkly Entertainment label near the end of 2023 has allowed the company to stretch the extent of its offering beyond feel-good programming, providing a “focused vertical for thrillers and suspense-driven storytelling that [won’t] dilute the Nicely brand,” Shapiro says.

The label has given the company the opportunity to add films such as Bad Connection, Super Icyclone and Exile to its offering. In marked contrast to the family-friendly and romance titles Nicely is known for, these movies provide heart-racing, suspense-filled entertainment.

Aside from just expanding the offering, “from a business perspective, Darkly also supports our economies of scale,” Shapiro notes. “We’re able to share crews, co-locate productions and run multiple genres through a unified production pipeline. That kind of operational efficiency is a big advantage in today’s evolving market.”

Building up its originals pipeline and opening the Darkly label are just some of the strategic moves that have allowed Nicely to find and maintain success throughout its first five years in business.

Over these past few years, “one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is the value of staying focused,” Shapiro says. Even with the moves toward expansion, “we’ve made a deliberate choice to double down on what we know works: Christmas, romance and uplifting, family-friendly storytelling.”

“When we talk about diversifying, we’re not referring to genre sprawl—we’re talking about refining our identity as a brand,” she continues. “Every title we produce or acquire needs to have a clear place and purpose,” whether that’s as a feel-good title under the Nicely brand or an adrenaline-inducing thriller under the Darkly label.

With this lesson in mind, throughout the rest of 2025, “we’re tightening our slate and streamlining development to support those high-performing, highly coveted content categories,” she says.

Nicely is also looking to bolster its position in the AVOD space, as ad-driven platforms are the biggest area of opportunity right now, Shapiro observes. “AVOD isn’t just some passing trend—it’s become the norm. With the way viewer habits are shifting and with all the churn we’re seeing on traditional SVOD platforms, there’s a huge demand for content that’s accessible, rewatchable, and safe for a wide audience. And when it’s free to the viewer? That’s even better.”

As such, Nicely is focused on growing its AVOD footprint in the U.S. and internationally. In pursuit of this goal, it launched its YouTube channel under the company name to offer a slate of films in English, Spanish and French for free, from romance titles such as Love in Bloom and A Royal in Paradise to thrillers like In Her Likeness and Super Icyclone.

Ultimately, though, “as we continue building out our catalog—with both our in-house originals and smart third-party acquisitions, plus new verticals like Darkly—it’s all about staying relevant and resilient in a market that’s changing fast,” Shapiro says. “It’s competitive out there, but if you stay focused and nimble, there are still a lot of opportunities to keep on growing.”