 The Film Council's Lottery-backed Development Fund announced its first round of slate deals on Friday with UKP1.26m of funding to support six UK companies working on a range of film projects. In addition to creatively developing film projects, this funding will help to build the pool of film development executives in the UK.
All of the producers involved in these companies have established track records in film production and are using development and overhead funding to build fast-growing businesses that can compete in the international marketplace. They are:
Archer Street Tiger Lily producers Andy Paterson, Anand Tucker and Frank Cottrell Boyce (Hilary & Jackie) are merging with new producers Natasha Dack and Nikki Parrott. - UKP160,000
Autonomous is a new company which brings together producers Cat Villiers and Chiara Menage whose credits include such award-winning independent films as Love is the Devil and Saving Grace. - UKP140,000
Dragon Pictures - producers Graham Broadbent and Damian Jones (Welcome to Sarajevo) are expanding their development slate and production activities and will shortly be announcing additional executives. - UKP250,000
Fragile Films - producer Barnaby Thompson is part of the consortium that has bought Ealing Studios and recently produced Lucky Break, High Heels & Low Lifes and is currently making The Importance of Being Earnest. - UKP200,000
The Jim Henson Company - the Camden-based producers of The Muppets & The Hoobs will create a new development post in London to focus on family entertainment films and fantasy films. - UKP150,000
Kuhn & Co - producer Michael Kuhn has recently sealed a production and distribution deal with 20th Century Fox and is bringing development executive Colleen Woodcock into a new commercially driven company for international filmmakers focusing on larger budget productions. - UKP350,000 Separately, the Development Fund has also set up an innovative slate deal with the National Film and Television School to support producing students specifically to acquire and adapt properties during their course and for them to further develop as they move into the industry. Jenny Borgars, Head of the Development Fund says: "Film Council investment may be split between creative development and contributing to company overheads and costs and wherever possible we're linking new development executive positions with the hiring of a trainee who can learn on the job. These first alliances have been made with producers who have demonstrated their ability to work equally with the creative and business sides of the industry here in the UK, Europe and Hollywood." "They have high ambitions for developing their companies and projects and well-considered business plans which have identified their own specific needs and gaps in their business. In structuring these deals we have been able to collaborate in a truly creative process that fits the development of their organisations and the strategic objectives of the Film Council." "The slate deals provide support for the companies in year one of their relationship with the Development Fund but will likely extend beyond to two and three years. Overall the fund is looking to support a range of companies and a wide range of projects. "We are talking to other companies about setting up more slate deals which we shall announce shortly, plus we're also working on a large number of single film projects," concludes Borgars. | 
