The Walking Dead star David Morrissey has partnered with a trio of established TV and film producers to launch his own drama and documentary indie.
The actor – who has also starred in British dramas such as State Of Play and The Driver – has set up On The Corner with Complicit producer Jolyon Symonds, Senna director Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees, who produced Banksy doc Exit Through The Gift Shop.
The company has been established to produce high-end British drama, comedy, feature docs and factual series. It has also struck a development and distribution deal with BBC Worldwide, which will have first look at the indie’s slate.
Morrissey, who is speaking at Broadcast’s Production & Post Forum, said he wanted to have more creative control over the projects in which he stars. He would also like to develop projects in which he doesn’t appear.
“As an actor, I was frustrated when I came in too late on a show when everything was set in stone,” he told Screen sister publication, Broadcast.
On The Corner is aiming to work with writers who want to “push the envelope”, and has around eight projects in development, with a number already in with broadcasters. It is working with Calendar Girls and Blackball writer Tim Firth on a six-part series.
Morrissey and Symonds coproduced Danny Brocklehurst’s BBC1 drama The Driver with Happy Valley indie Red Production Company and also previously produced Sky 1 crime drama Thorne.
On the factual side, Gay-Rees and Kapadia are hoping to work with more independent filmmakers to develop feature documentaries.
This will build on existing productions including Amy, a doc about deceased pop singer Amy Winehouse, and Italian horse race film Palio. They are also developing a documentary about indie band Oasis and traditional TV series.
On The Corner is also looking at the international market, in particular the US. Morrissey said the indie’s leadership can “cover more ground” by working together.
“It’s not a vanity project at all,” he added.
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