Intandem, Spice Factory set up FearFactory [ 07/11/2005 ]

UK-based financing, sales and distribution company Intandem Films, production company Spice Factory UK, and producers Colin Pons of Studio of the North and Mark Thomas of Ballpark Productions have set up a new venture, FearFactory, to produce horror films and psychological thrillers.

Intandem CEO Gary Smith told Screen that FearFactory, which will be set up under the Enterprise Investment Scheme in the UK, initially aims to raise $10 million from private investors in the UK. The genre label's projects will be budgeted at $3 to $6 million per film.

"We want to work on good quality commercial projects," Smith said. "Over the next two to three years, we want to have hit films."

The initial slate of projects hasn't been announced, but Smith said that Spice Factory's Michael Cowan and Jason Piette were looking at a number of exciting scripts. "We've got a lot to choose from," Smith said.

FearFactory is also working with Italian production and post-production house Lumiq Studios. The company will work with various partners for home video distribution deals.

Separately, Intandem is working on four horror titles that will not be financed by FearFactory but will be marketed under the FearFactory banner once completed. Those are Primal Scream directed by Albert Magnoli and produced by Steve Gagnon; The Lodge directed by Michael Lee Baron and produced by Michel Shane and Anthony Romano; Run directed by Warren Sonoda and produced by Mihkel Harilaid; and Worst Nightmares directed by Mark Roper and produced by Alan Robinson.

Meanwhile Intandem has cemented its US distribution plans for Stephen Woolley's Stoned, the biopic of Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones which played at the Edinburgh, Toronto and San Sebastian film festivals among others.

The film will open theatrically in March 2006 through Joe Kovacs' Screen Media Ventures and will go through that company's home entertainment deal with Universal. Intandem will work closely with Screen Media Ventures on the film's release, just as it is working alongside Vertigo Films for the UK release on Nov 18.

Meanwhile Intandem has closed deals for the film with Presidio in Japan, Lumiere in Brazil, Lusomundo in Portugal, Non-Stop in Scandinavia, Village Roadshow in Greece, Bridge in Benelux, Noah in Israel and Fivia in Croatia.

On Ann Turner's stalker drama Irresistible starring Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill and Emily Blunt, Intandem has closed deals with Icon for the UK, Blue Star for Italy, Square One in Germany, Palace in Australia, Village Roadshow in Greece, Bridge in Benelux, New World in Bulgaria and Romania, Vision Africa for South Africa, Lusomundo for Portugal, Noah for Israel, and Hunter for Turkey.

Wendy Mitchell in Santa Monica 07 November 2005 04:00

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