UK financing outfit Factor 8 Films raised $167m (£111m) for investing in features through its tax vehicle, the Voyager Film Partners, over the 12 months to April 5.

The funding, raised through a combination of equity (22%) and debt (78%), returned $19.5m (£13m) in net cash benefit to producers. Factor 8 has re-launched the scheme for the current financial year and expects to complete up to $300m (£200m) in investments

Amongst the 34 films that Factor 8 has been involved in are Capitol Films' Beautiful Joe, Renaissance Films' The Luzhin Defense, and Shadow Of The Vampire, a co-production between Lions Gate Films, Saturn Films and the BBC.

Factor 8 owner Tim Levy this year launched Future Film Group with Stephen Margolis and Jeff Abberley, armed with $40m in risk money to invest in British movies.

Future has secured an advance funding deal with an undisclosed UK bank which will issue a letter of credit to a film's principal financier subject to the film qualifying as British and delivery. Future, which has also formed a UK distribution pact with Metrodome, expects producers to receive about 10% of the budget.