LA-based independentproducer Frank Doelger and Tracey Scoffield, who is currently head ofdevelopment at BBC Films, are teaming up to create a new US/UK productionoutfit which will make both theatrical feature films and TV programming.

The as-yet-unnamed companyis currently in negotiations with HBO and the BBC for overall deals with thenetworks and their respective film divisions HBO Films and BBC Films.

Doelger told Screendailythat the company hopes to start fully functioning in Sept after he has finishedproduction on the HBO minisieries John Adams which he is producing alongside Tom Hanks and GaryGoetzman's Playtone. By then, Scoffield will have worked out her three months'notice period at BBC Films.

Doelger added that DavidThompson at BBC Films has been "incredibly supportive" of the new venture.

Doelger has worked undervarious producing deals at HBO since 1998 and has produced or executive produced some of thenetwork's most prestigious series - like the upcoming Rome, a co-production with BBC and RAI - and features forHBO Films - like My House In Umbriawith Maggie Smith, The Gathering Storm with Albert Finney and Conspiracy with Kenneth Branagh.

Scoffield worked withDoelger as the BBC executive on Conspiracy and The Gathering Storm, and the two have several further projects in developmenttogether for BBC and HBO.

Scoffield's other executiveproducing credits for BBC Films include Christine Jeffs' Sylvia, Roger Michell's The Mother, Thaddeus O'Sullivan's The Heart Of Me and Stephen Frears' Dirty Pretty Things.

"Tracey's got a greatbackground in films and my background is in TV," explained Doelger, "so wecomplement each other well."

News of the Doelger/Scoffield venture comes the week after HBO Films closed itsLondon theatrical sales company HBO Films London, although HBO's production ties to the UK have always been close.