Alchemy Acquires ANConnect and Anderson Digital

With the intention of increasing its output of independent content, television and film distributor Alchemy has acquired ANconnect and Anderson Digital and will form a strategic alliance with ARC Entertainment.

As part of the deal, in the works since May,  the company has acquired ANconnect's distribution assets and the entire distribution arm of Anderson Media Corporation. Formerly owned by Freyr Thor and former Sony Pictures Home Entertainment exec, Steve Lyons, ARC Entertainment is a global digital distributor of feature films and television series.  Under their new partnership, Alchemy will optimize and distribute ARC's media assets, provide financial support for the Bentonville Film Festival and allow for distribution of titles associated with the festival, both physically and digitally. In exchange, Alchemy is gaining about fifty new content partners, including Badasarian Productions, DreamWorks Animation's non-theatrical and classics divisions and Microsoft.

These multiple transactions make Alchemy the largest, non-studio aggregator for Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Sam’s Club. The deals also expand Alchemy's annual content flow to over 1,300 films and more than 3,000 television episodes.


"We are alchemists with the vision of uniting storytellers and audiences into one dynamic community," said Alchemy's CEO Bill Lee. "These transactions allow us to close the gaps in our direct relationships with dominant retailers and exponentially grow our digital distribution capabilities globally. Alchemy is now the industry's leading champion of independent content."
Some of Alchemy's recent films include "Welcome to Me," "What Maisie Knew" and "Bernie." The distributor will also handle upcoming films including Geeta and Ravi Patel's new documentary, "Meet the Patels," and Gaspar Noe's erotic film, "Love."

Baker & Taylor looks forward to a growing relationship with the expanded Alchemy.