All articles by Adam Minns – Page 45
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Artificial Eye, Metro Tartan unite for UK video
Artificial Eye Film Distribution and Metro Tartan Films - two of the leading independent distributors of non-English language films in the notoriously tough UK market - are banding together to set up a jointly owned video company.The operation will be headed by Mike Flello, currently head of Fox World Cinema, ...
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Granada comes in at lower end of expected profits
The UK's Granada Media reported on Wednesday full-year operating profit at the lower end of expectations.Operating profit rose to $360m, down on analysts' forecasts setting the expected sum as high as $386m. Pre-tax earnings were up 11% to $395m, while advertising turnover rose 8.4%.Granada, which floated out of Granada Group ...
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BBC in talks to launch $280m film fund with MCP
The BBC is discussing partnering with US and UK-based financing house MM Media Capital Partners (MCP) to create a film fund, worth $280m (£200m) plus.The proposed investment will kick in over three years and be used to bankroll the BBC's drive into bigger budget productions. MCP would oversee international sales ...
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IAC set to strike with Hammer Force
The UK's IAC Film & Television has acquired TV and film rights to Hammer Force, a series of best-selling thriller novels about a covert team of crack United Nations agents.The UK and US-based sales and financing house is kicking off the books' exploitation by arranging the finance for a $25m, ...
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Contagious catches Chocolat writer's next project
Chocolat writer Joanne Harris is adapting her upcoming novel for the big screen through David Barron and Paul Weiland's UK production outfit Contagious Films.Contagious has bought the film rights to the book at first draft manuscript form ahead of its planned publication in 2003. Harris is writing the first draft ...
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Intermedia in talks to board Salles' Virgin
In what is turning out to be a busy week for the London, LA and Munich-based company, indie powerhouse Intermedia is finalising a deal to board Walter Salles' $20m-$30m period drama The Assumption Of The Virgin, which is set to star Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche.The project is expected to be the ...
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What Lies Beneath won't lie down
Spookily, 20th Century Fox's What Lies Beneath resurfaced at the top of the UK box office chart for the second time in its five-week run this weekend, clawing back the lead it lost last weekend to another Fox release, Bedazzled. The Harrison Ford-Michelle Pfeiffer picture took $1,156,243 (£811,997) from 365 ...
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Intermedia turns on Box for TV entry
Indie film giant Intermedia is launching into TV with the acquisition of a 24.9% stake in Box TV, the start-up production house run by former Channel 4 executive Gub Neal.Intermedia will provide Box with working capital and development funds and has an option to increase its shareholding. The sales, financing ...
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Caine to star in Beresford's Boswell
Michael Caine has boarded 18th century legal drama Boswell For The Defence, which Bruce Beresford is to direct from a script by Patrick Edgeworth. The $13m project is being set up by German fund MBP, Australian-based sales house Beyond Films and the UK's Scala Productions. Set in 18th century London, ...
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Intermedia shifts operations to LA
Intermedia is stepping up its drive to build a US presence by shifting business and legal affairs from London to Los Angeles.The move is expected to mean about 15 redundancies or re-locations at Intermedia's London office, although the Los Angeles arm will be expanded commensurately. It is understood that Intermedia's ...
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Khan-Din revs up adaptation for DNA
East Is East writer Ayub Khan-Din is writing an adaptation of Harland Miller's acclaimed novel Slow Down Arthur, Stick To Thirty for Andrew Macdonald and Duncan Kenworthy's UK National Lottery studio franchise DNA Films.The novel, hailed by anyone from national newspapers to pop star Jarvis Cocker as a masterful debut, ...
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Second Generation gets UK digital release
With One Life Stand impressing festival-goers at Edinburgh this year, independent digital film-making is making further inroads into the UK with a London theatrical release for Second Generation using digital projection. Made by newcomer Shane O'Sullivan, the £20,000 digital feature follows a Chinese girl who escapes an arranged marriage and ...
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FilmFour to give Croupier second UK outing
Despite being barred from competing for the Academy Awards, FilmFour's 1997 title Croupier is to get a UK re-release following its success in North America this year.Mike Hodges' revitalised tale of an aspiring writer drawn into London's gambling world will go out early next year. FilmFour originally offloaded Croupier through ...
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Winchester plots Millennium gem heist
The UK's Winchester Films is readying a feature about this month's audacious diamond raid on the Millennium Dome in London - only this time the robbers get away with it.Producer Mark Thomas, Winchester's point person for UK films, has copyrighted a six-page treatment he wrote on the day of the ...
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Bedazzled lights up UK box office
20th Century Fox's Bedazzled found room to shine in the UK over the weekend, snagging the number one spot with $1.6m (£1.1m) including previews. Starring Brendan Fraser and local starlet Elizabeth Hurley, the comedy took a site average of $4,862 (£3,380). The result meant a one-two for Fox, with number ...
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AtomFilms, Schibsted sign wireless pact
AtomFilms has partnered with Scandinavian media company Schibsted to distribute almost 100 short films and animation titles on mobile and wireless devices.The content syndicated to Schibsted will be available for download to pocket PC's and Palm devices, as well as viewable on the internet. Distribution will take place over the ...
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Downtown buys Pandaemonium, Circle
UK indie distributor Downtown Pictures has finalised its acquisition of Julien Temple's Pandaemonium.Downtown struck the deal with BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the UK broadcaster which funded the film alongside features department BBC Films. Pandaemonium is scheduled for release spring next year.The film, which stars John Hannah, Linus Roache, ...
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MacLachlan, Styler join Me Without You cast
Kyle MacLachlan, Trudie Styler, Oliver Milburn and Allan Corduner have joined Anna Friel and Michelle Williams in the cast of Sandra Goldbacher's Me Without You.The story of two women's relationship is being bankrolled by Alliance Atlantis and Kinowelt's UK joint venture Momentum Pictures, erstwhile funding body British Screen and the ...
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Insanally joins FilmFour-Whitaker joint venture
Forest Whitaker's recently-launched producing partnership with the UK's FilmFour has appointed Johann Insanally to spearhead development and production activities.Insanally, who has produced or executive produced shorts including 1997 Palme d'Or winner Is It The Design On The Wrapper', has a brief to focus on black and Asian film talent. Insanally ...
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Senator extends deal with FilmFour
Germany's Senator Entertainment has extended its co-production and distribution pact with the UK's FilmFour.The restructured arrangement covers an additional seven titles. Senator originally came on board for 14 FilmFour projects including Lucky Break, which marks director Peter Cattaneo's follow-up to The Full Monty, and Charlotte Gray, starring Cate Blanchett.A statement ...