Kino Industries, the company behind the interactive movie platform CtrlMovie, has reached a financing deal with BasePoint Capital, a private asset-based lender, to accelerate the expansion of its interactive theatrical and at-home entertainment technology.
CtrlMovie is a choose-your-own-adventure platform that allows audiences to vote on the path of the narrative. The platform has found success in Japan with the anime film “Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle,” in which moviegoers could vote on which characters won rap battle and would go on to face a champion rap group in the film’s climax. The technology was demonstrated to American anime fans with an exclusive screening of “Hypnosis Mic” at Anime Expo in Los Angeles this past July.
Kino says that 51% of the “Hypnosis Mic” audience returned for repeat viewings, encouraged by an app that allowed fans to see if their favorite group was winning in screenings across all theaters showing the film. BasePoint’s financing includes an injection of growth capital in Kino Industries, empowering Kino to boost its technology capabilities by expanding production. BasePoint is also providing capital for feature film development and production.
“When we first launched CtrlMovie, many in the industry viewed interactive cinema as a novelty. Today, we’ve proven it’s a powerful new format with global commercial appeal,” said Scott C. Silver, President and Co-Founder of Kino Industries. “This new relationship with BasePoint Capital validates that vision. Together, we’re reinventing the theatrical experience and building the future of entertainment—where audiences don’t just watch movies, they live them.”
Eric Schinder, CEO of BasePoint, added: “We are excited to partner with Kino Industries, who we believe is Hollywood’s clear leader in interactive film technology. We are very much looking forward to working with Scott and his team as they continue to bring their vision to life.”
With BasePoint’s backing, Kino is preparing multiple interactive films for 2026/2027 that will extend CtrlMovie into both theaters and at-home platforms. The deal was negotiated for BasePoint by Ian Brereton and Jerome “Jerry” Ku of Davis, Wright, Tremaine LLP; Silver and Josh Pleitz of Dorsey & Whitney LLP represented Kino.
