Creativity Capital finances Tina Romero’s drag queen zombie debut “Queens of the Dead”
Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw The TV Glow) and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) are among those set to star in Queens of the Dead, a new horror comedy directed by Tina Romero, daughter of legendary director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead).
Co-written by Erin Judge & Tina Romero, the film pays tribute to the zombies from the elder Romero’s classic zombie films with a fresh, contemporary, and queer twist, promising to offer a genre-smashing, glam-gore thrill ride through the zombie apocalypse. The story follows an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies who must put aside their personal dramas and use their unique skills to combat the brain-thirsty undead when a zombie apocalypse breaks out during their drag show in Brooklyn.
Vanishing Angle’s Matthew Lee Miller and Natalie Metzger will serve as the film’s producers. The film is financed by Creativity Capital.
In a statement on the project, Tina Romero said, “This is the cast of my wildest dreams. In a movie about survival, you gotta love and root for the survival crew. Every single person in this ensemble brings such a special and specific flavor -both on and off screen. The result is truly a magic sauce.”
Read the full article on Deadline.com
Creativity Capital expands team with Philippa Nicholl
Philippa Nicholl is joining Creativity Capital from Great Point Media where she spent the past two years as an associate in their investments team.
At Great Point Media, she worked in project management, tax credit administration, and creative financing solutions including on film and TV projects such as Channel 5’s Finder’s Keepers, Mikko Mäkelä’s Sebastian (pictured above) which premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, Peter Glanz’s upcoming Savage House starring Claire Foy and Richard E Grant, Prime Video UK’s Deep Cover, and Netflix’s true crime series When Missing Turns to Murder.
Nicholl said: “I am thrilled to be joining the growing team at Creativity Capital. Patrick and Richard have an inspiring dedication to supporting filmmakers and producing quality films. I look forward to bringing my experience to the table and collaborating on some truly great projects.”
Read the full announcement on Deadline
Creativity Capital is looking for a Business Development Executive to join our team
Job Vacancy: Business Development Executive
Location: London, United Kingdom
Type: Full-Time
Application Deadline: 14th of April 2024
About Us
Creativity Capital is a leading player in film and television financing, dedicated to supporting and nurturing creative projects across the world. We are a part of a network of companies with a sales agency (Architect), co-production (Big Safari) and VFX (Koala FX) as well as post-production (Creativity Media) and have a strong track record of successful investments. Our team is passionate about discovering and backing a wide range of filmmakers and stories that captivate audiences worldwide.
The Role
We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Business Development Executive to join our team. This individual will play a pivotal role in identifying and developing new business opportunities, fostering relationships with filmmakers, producers, and our associated companies. The successful candidate will have a keen understanding of the film and television production landscape, financing mechanisms, and market eco-system.
Key Responsibilities
• Identify and cultivate relationships with potential clients and partners in the film and television industry, including production companies, directors, and producers.
• Source and manage leads for Creativity Capital and our sister companies, tracking projects across our group of companies.
• Analyze market trends and opportunities in the film industry to guide strategy and investment decisions.
• Develop and present pitches and financing proposals to prospective clients and partners.
• Negotiate and close deals, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals and financial criteria.
• Work closely with our finance and legal teams to structure deals and agreements.
• Represent the company at industry events, film festivals, and conferences to enhance our presence and network.
• Collaborate with our team to assess and manage project risks and ensure successful project execution.
Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Film Studies, or a related field.
• Understanding of film financing, the production, sales and distribution processes, and key market players.
• Proven track record of negotiating and closing deals.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and networking skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Passionate about storytelling and the creative process.
We Offer
• A competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development in a supportive and visionary environment working directly with the Directors of Creativity Capital
• A chance to work on exciting projects, earn meaningful credits and make a significant impact in the entertainment industry.
• A collaborative and creative work culture in a small and highly competent team.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV and cover letter detailing their experience, achievements, and why they are the perfect fit for this role to jobs@creativitycapital.co.uk . Please include “Business Development Executive Application” in the subject line.
Creativity Capital is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Creativity Capital principals Richard Kondal and Patrick Fischer in conversation with Deadline
Deadline’s Diana Lodderhose sat down with Creativity Capital’s Patrick Fischer and Richard Kondal with the pair explaining the strategy behind their multi-company expansion over the past two years.
Staying alive in the UK independent film world is no easy feat these days but Richard Kondal and Patrick Fischer are two execs who have been quietly thriving in the space for a number of years. The two veterans, who first founded post-production outfit Creativity Media in 2010 before selling it to UK production house Fulwell 73 in 2019, are the co-founders of London-based financier Creativity Capital, which has invested in titles such as BAFTA winner Under the Shadow, Alexander McQueen documentary McQueen and horror 47 Meters Down.
Additionally, they have entered the international sales arena with UK outfit Architect, which they launched before Berlin last year and, more recently, the VFX sector after taking a minority investment in UK company Koala FX in 2023. They recently announced their entry into the UK co-production space with the launch of its newest outfit Big Safari.
Creativity Capital Founders Launch UK-Based Co-Production Outfit Big Safari
Industry veterans Richard Kondal and Patrick Fischer announce their new co-production company Big Safari. The company marks the latest addition to the duo’s entrepreneurial activities which also compromise shareholdings in sales agent Architect, financier Creativity Capital and VFX house Koala FX.
Big Safari was born out of the success of the 2022 Simon West directed television series “Boundless”, which Patrick and Richard co-produced whilst at Fulwell 73 together with Mono Films and Amazon.
The company’s strategy is setting up co-productions that help close finance for international producers. This can mean placing a US project in the UK to maximise soft money through a European co-production (“Svalta”) or finding a cost effective co-producer in the Philippines for a British film (“The Bayou”). It also helps European films access UK talent and locations to bring their productions firmly into a global market place (“Stargazer”).
Since it’s launch in early 2023 Big Safari has already gone into production with three projects:
Svalta – the Steffen Haars directed Nick Frost and Aisling Bea Thriller currently in post-production in the UK, having shot in Finland in the summer of 2023. The film is produced by Wayward Entertainment, Resolute Films, Film Service Finland, XYZ Films and Frost, with Big Safari co-producing.
Stargazer – a Psychic Thriller starring Rosalind Halstead and Poppy Delevigne, directed by Christian Neuman and produced by Luxembourg-based Deal Productions in co-production with Caviar and Big Safari.
The Bayou – a Survival Thriller directed by Taneli Mustonen starring Athena Strates and Andonis Anthony, produced by Tea Shop Productions, Cowboy Cosmonaut Films and co-produced by Big Sarai and Epicmedia Productions.
Big Safari’s Managing Director Richard Kondal explains: “We tailor our services to each project. For instance, US producers can come to us to structure European co-productions and access European and UK soft money. Setting this up from the UK ensures a safe home for their IP and we help to find the right shooting locations, co-producers and incentives for their budget and finance plans. We see co-production is a powerful tool of cooperation and believe success is best when it’s shared.”
Patrick Fischer adds: “With a deep understanding of finance and sales embedded in Big Safari, we are very much a partner to producers to help greenlight their films and series. We provide producers with the co-production know-how from where and who to work with, which all stems from our experience having produced/executive produced over 85 projects from arthouse to horror, film to series and everything in between.”
Tea Shop Productions’ James Harris who is producing “The Bayou” with Big Safari explains: “Working with Richard and Patrick has been extremely additive; we would simply not have been able to close finance without setting this up as a co-production with Epicmedia in the Philippines. Not to mention the post and VFX deals we got back in the UK.”
Big Safari is all about empowering producers and kick-starting projects, especially for the UK. It’s not been an easy 2023 for the industry and we believe co-production is the key to reduce risk, raise budgets and grow our production sector.
Link to the Deadline article