All articles by Adam Minns – Page 53
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Pearson completes TalkBack acquisition
Pearson Television, the TV production arm of the UK's Pearson Group, has finalised its acquisition of London-based TV production outfit TalkBack Productions for $94m (£62m), Pearson announced today (June 14).The Pearson group is to finance the widely-anticipated move through existing bank facilities. The debt incurred is transferring to Pearson Television ...
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Edinburgh Festival to expose Cineworks shorts
Cineworks, the short film scheme funded by support agency Scottish Screen, is showcasing its inaugural year's work at August's Edinburgh International Film Festival.Films screening include: Exidore, by Richard Weeks, whose credits include the shorts Running Man and The Arrangement; experimental documentary I Am Boy; Cat McKiernan's Sex And Death; The ...
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Tiger Aspect adds Kemp, Blatt to Dog Eat Dog cast
Pop stars Gary Kemp and Melanie Blatt have joined TV actor Alan Davies in UK comedy Dog Eat Dog.The FilmFour-backed production has just started shooting for Tiger Aspect Pictures and Shona Productions for six weeks in and around London. Kemp and Blatt have starred in The Krays and Honest respectively, ...
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Hodgson appointed chief executive of ITC
Patricia Hodgson, currently BBC director of public policy, has been appointed chief executive of UK commercial broadcasting body the Independent Television Commission (ITC).Hodgson takes up the post in September. She succeeds Peter Rogers, who is retiring.Hodgson’s move to the ITC comes just a few months after BBC director general Greg ...
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Davenport joins Wiest in cast of Not Afraid
Jack Davenport, Elsa Zylberstein, Miriam Margolyes and Michael Weir have joined double Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest in the cast of Not Afraid, Not Afraid.The story of the burgeoning relationship between a handicapped boy and his hostile grandmother has just started shooting in Dublin. Annette Carducci is directing from a ...
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Ecosse makes US move with Kerr, Chaplin projects
Ecosse Films, the production outfit behind Mrs Brown and FilmFour and Warner Bros' upcoming $20m Charlotte Gray, is heading for the US.Launching full-scale into developing large-budget projects, the UK company is funding development on two US-set projects: $30m-plus Stick Shaker and $25m Helen's Boy.Ecosse has commissioned popular thriller novelist Philip ...
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Suitors circle filmgroup following cancelled IPO
Filmgroup, the parent of UK theatrical distributor Redbus Film Distribution, is expected to spark interest from several companies in the cable and telecommunications sector following the cancellation of the video-on-demand company's flotation this week.Acquisitive UK cable company NTL is seen as a potential suitor for filmgroup but other companies may ...
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UIP's Pilowsky seals pact with Axiom
In Marion Pilowsky's first move as head of international acquisitions and development at United International Pictures (UIP), the distribution powerhouse and UK and Australian-based production company Axiom are partnering to release a slate of indie pictures in the UK.The partners will initially release four titles over two to three years. ...
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Filmgroup cancels flotation plans
UK video-on-demand operation filmgroup, the parent of theatrical distributor Redbus Film Distribution, has cancelled its float, the company confirmed on Wednesday.CEO Simon Franks cited market conditions for pulling the planned flotation on the London Stock Exchange on June 14.Filmgroup had already slashed how much it aimed to raise from the ...
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FilmFour strikes first-look deal with Calderwood
The UK's FilmFour has struck a first-look deal with Andrea Calderwood, formerly head of production at National Lottery franchise Pathe Pictures.The deal was announced Wednesday by Paul Webster, FilmFour's chief executive. Calderwood steps down at the end of July from her current position to form her own production company."I have ...
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Hamburg fest launches debut feature competition
The founder of Myriad Pictures tells Patrick Frater why bigger is better in the changing film sales sector.Your company prides itself on selling films from a myriad of genres. What are you looking for when you pick up a title'Although I hate to make comparisons with other companies, we are ...
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Euro distribution forum launches at Locarno
European Film Promotion (EFP), the umbrella organisation for European promotional organisations, is holding a meeting of European distribution and sales companies during August's Locarno International Film Festival.The two-day forum joins the programme of EFP-run events held at leading festivals such as the Shooting Stars initiative in Berlin, Producers On The ...
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UK's Rank agrees theme park sale to US' Blackstone
UK leisure group Rank Group Plc has reached an initial agreement to sell its 50% stake in Florida's Universal Studios Escape to US private equity firm Blackstone Capital for $275 million, Rank said on Friday.Under the pact, Rank will also receive up to $75 million if Blackstone achieves a target ...
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UK, Italy strike new co-production pact
Producers can qualify as international co-production partners just by financial contributions instead of having to have a creative and technical input under a revised Anglo-Italian production pact, the UK government announced on Thursday.The move comes hard on the heels of a major shake-up in UK support for local productions and ...
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West 175 negotiates Natural Nylon investment
New Zealand-based media company West 175 Enterprises is in talks to invest in the UK's Natural Nylon, a spokesperson for the Britpack production outfit confirmed on Thursday.The talks could lead to West 175 taking a stake in the production venture founded by actors such as Ewan McGregor and Jude Law ...
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Parker renews first-look deal with Universal
UK film-maker Alan Parker may not have as much time as he would like to make films since taking up the chairmanship of the government's film super body the Film Council - but at least he can take his time.The director of Angela's Ashes, Evita and The Commitments has renewed ...
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Metro Tartan bags Mood For Love, Faithless
UK distributor Metro Tartan has picked up Cannes competitors In The Mood For Love and Faithless, plus Miike Takashi's extremist psycho-thriller Audition.The move follows USA Films' acquisition for North America of Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood from Fortissimo Film Sales at Cannes. Tony Leung, who stars in the Hong Kong ...
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Scott Thomas indulges in Original Bliss
UK actress Kristin Scott Thomas has optioned film rights to Original Bliss, A L Kennedy's acclaimed book about the complexities of sex or the lack of it.Eclipse Management, the production and management company recently launched by former William Morris Agency executives Charles Finch and Luc Roeg, confirmed the move, made ...
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United Artists notches up sales on hot trio
United Artists has sold Girlfight, Kingdom Come and Songcatcher to a raft of territories following the trio's sale to Shochiku for Japan at Cannes.Girlfight went to Australia (REP); South Africa (Ster-Kinekor); Portugal (Atalanta); Israel (Shani); Benelux (Cinelibre); and the Middle East (Almassa). The Sundance and Cannes title previously went to ...
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Grade takes up TV production chair at NFTS
Entertainment impresario Michael Grade has taken up the first Lew Grade chair of TV production at the UK's National Film And Television School (NFTS).Grade will take up the post, created in honour of his late uncle, in the autumn at the school's Beaconsfield site. He will work with students as ...