Transforming Runamok’s bespoke studio plan into reality

About Runamok Studios

Runamok is a London-based audio post-production studio founded in 2025 by Lucy Spong, Jon Clarke, Harry Butcher and Jonny Platt. It specialises in high-end sound design, audio finishing and mixing for broadcast advertising, film and branded content.

The four founders bring decades of experience working together across established post-production studios, with credits on campaigns recognised by Cannes Lions, the BAFTAs and British Arrows.

Within months of launch, Runamok was delivering major national campaigns, including Waitrose’s The Perfect Gift Christmas advert and a new Paddy Power campaign featuring Danny Dyer, Coleen Rooney and Gemma Collins.

The challenge

had plenty of experience and full contact books, they didn’t have a trading record or balance sheet, and were entering the market at a time when well-known post-production studios were shutting their doors.

For the business to succeed, the founders knew they needed a studio that matched the high calibre of broadcast work they hoped to be trusted with. Rather than compromising with dry hire equipment, they wanted to build a bespoke modular studio – a high-spec, specialist environment designed for professional audio post-production.

They just didn’t know how to realise this vision.

The studio would need to be funded before the business was generating steady revenue and Runamok was keen to do so without giving up equity. With traditional lenders likely to be cautious of a new studio in a sector deemed ‘high risk’, the team began looking for a broker who understood the creative industry and could structure finance around their needs.

The solution

After being introduced to Catalyst by their chosen studio supplier, the Runamok founders started with one question: is it possible to get funding for this build?

After reviewing the business’s plans and the realities of the build, we presented various likely options to the Runamok team, explained what lenders would look for, any potential hiccups and timings. This gave the founders the clarity they needed to move forward.

Using our long-standing industry relationships, we secured an agreement in principle from a lender, supported by the government-backed Growth Guarantee Scheme. The modular studio build, however, introduced further complexity, with the specialist supplier based in Ireland and payments required throughout construction.

We knew the lender was a good fit for the project, but like some others, it is unable to pay overseas suppliers directly.

As an established broker, we were able to fund the stage build payments using our own capital, paying the supplier directly and receiving funding from the lender at a later stage. This meant the studio could be delivered as planned without forcing Runamok to seek external investment and surrender ownership.

The results

As a result of the funding structure we arranged, Runamok was able to:

• Complete and commission a bespoke modular studio within months, instead of relying on extensive dry hire space and kit
• Welcome clients into a bespoke, purpose-built space they are proud of
• Protect working capital during the build, avoiding the need to divert cash into stage payments before the studio was operational
• Launch the business without external investors, retaining full ownership at a critical early stage.