Dhar Mann Studios

Dhar Mann Studios

Name	Dhar Mann Studios
Type	Private
Industry	Digital media, film and television production
Founded	2018
Founder	Dhar Mann
Hq Location	Burbank, California, U.S.
Key People	Sean Atkins (CEO)
Products	Short films, web series, mobile app, live stage show
Services	Scripted production, branded entertainment

Dhar Mann Studios (often abbreviated DMS) is an American digital media and film production company headquartered in Burbank, California. Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur and content creator Dhar Mann, the studio produces short, scripted dramas and family-oriented series that are distributed primarily on social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and the studio’s own mobile app. As of August 2025, the main Dhar Mann Studios YouTube channel has about 25.8 million subscribers and more than 18.3 billion total views. The company operates a 125,000-square-foot production campus near Burbank Airport and employs roughly 200 people while working with thousands of actors annually.

Industry coverage has characterized Dhar Mann Studios as one of the largest creator-led scripted studios in Los Angeles, with ambitions “to become Disney for the YouTube generation.”

History

Founding and early growth (2018–2020)

Dhar Mann Studios began in 2018 when Dhar Mann shifted from motivational content to scripted, moral-themed short dramas designed for social distribution. Early videos emphasized “life lessons” with twist-ending narratives and rapidly cultivated a multi-platform audience.

Facility build-out and expansion (2021–2023)

By the early 2020s the studio scaled production and centralized operations in Burbank. The campus—featuring multiple standing sets such as a school, cafe, salon, grocery and other interiors/exteriors—was built to enable high-volume scripted output and fast turnarounds. In 2021 the company launched the Dhar Mann mobile app on iOS and Android; the app quickly reached No. 1 on Apple’s App Store rankings shortly after launch.

In February 2023, some actors who had appeared in DMS videos protested outside one of the studio’s Burbank facilities, alleging low pay and unfavorable conditions. Local news coverage and creator-industry outlets reported the demonstrations and the studio’s response, which included a public statement disputing the claims and outlining typical hourly rates for speaking roles.

Leadership, representation, and partnerships (2024–present)

In 2024, DMS entered into an advertising partnership with Studio71 to support monetization and brand sales across the library. Former MTV president Sean Atkins joined the company’s leadership in late 2024 and is referenced in industry materials as CEO in 2025. DMS also works with CAA for representation and partnerships, according to interviews given by Mann and Atkins.

Operations and business model

Production model

Dhar Mann Studios finances and produces its programming in-house and distributes across multiple platforms where audience demographics vary (older on Facebook, younger on YouTube and Snapchat). By mid-2025 the studio reported dropping five new 25-minute scripted episodes weekly, reflecting a high-volume pipeline supported by standing sets and an in-house creative staff.

Facilities

The DMS campus comprises approximately 125,000 square feet with three soundstages and a variety of standing sets. The company has said it employs nearly 200 staffers and collaborates with around 2,000 actors per year. Press photos and reporting have highlighted the studio’s school, cafe, tea shop, salon and grocery builds used across series and one-offs.

Revenue streams and brand integration

Revenue is primarily derived from platform advertising and content syndication; the studio also integrates brand partnerships within scripted content and operates a “Fifth Quarter” service that helps other creators generate passive revenue by repackaging content across platforms. DMS has reported that the majority of its revenue comes through YouTube.

Distribution and audience

DMS maintains a presence across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok in addition to its proprietary mobile app. Trade reporting in 2025 cited a cumulative following of roughly 137 million across 80+ channels under the Dhar Mann Studios umbrella. The flagship YouTube channel launched in May 2018 and, as of August 2025, has ~25.8 million subscribers and 18.3 billion views.

The studio’s programming is positioned as “family-friendly” inspirational drama aimed at teens and parents, with themes that track contemporary social issues and interpersonal ethics.

Programming and content

Formats and themes

DMS videos are typically short-to-mid-form scripted dramas built around moral-oriented storylines and twist endings (e.g., bullying, discrimination, honesty, empathy). Story worlds frequently reuse locations and recurring performers to speed production and build familiarity across episodes.

Series and expansions

In addition to one-off episodes, Dhar Mann Studios has developed recurring storylines and mini-series, and the studio announced family-friendly spinoffs built around popular characters and settings as its library grew. In 2025 the company launched Dhar Mann Studios Live: An Interactive Experience, a touring stage show that brings the DMS storytelling format to theaters and invites audience participation in deciding character choices and outcomes.

App and owned-and-operated platforms

The free Dhar Mann app aggregates the full catalog, offers notifications, inspirational messages and giveaways, and includes some app-exclusive content. It topped Apple’s charts shortly after launch in October 2021 and remains an owned channel for direct distribution.

Reception

Coverage in mainstream and industry press has situated Dhar Mann Studios within the broader “creator economy,” citing its scale of production, reach across platforms, and appeal to parents watching alongside teens. The Los Angeles Times profiled the operation in the context of YouTube’s evolution into a TV-like medium and noted DMS’s 125,000-square-foot campus and hundreds of employees. TheWrap has described the campus as “the largest creator-led studio in Los Angeles” and reported DMS’s push into apps and live events to deepen fan engagement.

Criticism and controversies

In February 2023, a group of actors who had performed in DMS videos protested outside the studio over pay and working conditions. Protesters and supportive creators published social videos and held a press event in Burbank; in response, Dhar Mann Studios released a public statement disputing specific allegations (including that actors could not afford rent) and said speaking-role rates generally ranged in the low-to-mid-$30s per hour during that period. The dispute prompted wider discussion about compensation norms in creator-led scripted production. Coverage appeared on local broadcast news and creator-industry outlets.

Social metrics

• YouTube: 25.8 million subscribers; 18.3 billion views (as of August 14, 2025).
• Cross-platform: ~137 million combined followers across ~83 channels (reported mid-2025).

Key people

• Dhar Mann – Founder; creator and executive producer.
• Sean Atkins – Chief Executive Officer (previously President/COO); former MTV president and Discovery exec.

See also

• Creator economy
• Online video
• YouTube

External links

• https://www.dharmann.com
• Dhar Mann Studios on YouTube
• Dhar Mann app on the App Store