Left Bank Pictures

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Left Bank Pictures Ltd.
Formerly
  • Tonto Film And Television Ltd (Nov–Dec 2006)
    Parent
Sony Pictures Television (2012–present)
Websiteleftbankpictures.co.uk

Left Bank Pictures Ltd.[1] (stylized as LEFT BANK Pictures) is a British film and television production company owned by Sony Pictures Television. It was formed in 2007[2] and was the first British media company to receive investment from BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC.

Left Bank Pictures' productions include the television series Wallander, Strike Back, DCI Banks and Outlander. Their production, The Crown, is the first British-American television series produced exclusively for Netflix. The series' first season was released on 4 November 2016.

History

Left Bank founders Marigo Kehoe (centre) and Andy Harries (right) with Wallander star Kenneth Branagh (left) in July 2009

Left Bank Pictures was founded in 2007 by

Granada Productions, Francis Hopkinson and Marigo Kehoe.[2] The company was the first British media company to receive equity investment from BBC Worldwide, the commercial venture of the BBC. BBC Worldwide took a 25% stake, worth £1 million, in Left Bank in exchange for first-look distribution rights on all television productions,[3] in a five-year deal.[4]

In December 2008, Left Bank Pictures was one of many independent production companies to receive the production vision award from the UK Film Council.[5] The award part-funded Left Bank's film development slate. In February 2009, Suzanne Mackie, formerly head of development at Harbour Pictures, joined the company as head of film.[6]

Hopkinson announced his departure in 2011 to take up a new position with ITV Studios. Michael Casey joined the company, taking on the development slate, and Simon Lupton joined the comedy department.[7] The company was put up for sale for £40 million on 6 April 2012.[4][8] On 5 July 2012, Sony Pictures Television made a deal to acquire Left Bank for £40 million.[9] The sale was completed on 23 August 2012, with SPT becoming the majority shareholder, and BBC Worldwide, Harries and Kehoe reducing their stake in the company. BBC Worldwide reduced its stake from 25% to 12.2%.[10]

Productions

Left Bank Pictures' first television commission was

Wallander, a television adaptation of Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander novels. The first series was filmed on location in Skåne, Sweden in the summer of 2008, and broadcast in November and December 2008.[11] The series won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series.[12] The BBC announced the commissioning of a second series in May 2009.[13]
Filming ran over the summer again and the series was broadcast in January 2010. The final series as broadcast in 2016.

In March 2008, it was announced that Left Bank would be producing

Tom Hooper from a script adapted by Peter Morgan from David Peace's novel The Damned Utd
.

2008 also saw Left Bank's first commission for

Irish Film and Television Award for Best Single Drama/Drama Serial category.[19] It was broadcast on ITV1
in June 2010.

In 2009, Left Bank produced the six-part romantic comedy series

Optimum Releasing distributed the feature film All in Good Time.[26][27]

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards

  • Broadcast Award for Best Independent Production Company (2011) — Won[28]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Left Bank Pictures Ltd. overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Announcing LEFT BANK PICTURES a unique collaboration of film & television talent (10 May 2007) Press release. URL retrieved on 17 May 2008.
  3. ^ Harries, Andy (October 2008). "Memorandum submitted by Left Bank Pictures". Parliament of the United Kingdom. URL retrieved on 27 November 2008.
  4. ^ a b Rushton, Katherine (6 April 2012). "Left Bank Pictures put up for sale at £40m". The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). URL retrieved on 6 April 2012.
  5. ^ [Staff] (11 December 2008). "Over £2 million Lottery funding awarded to UK production companies to make new British films Archived 29 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine". UK Film Council. URL retrieved on 24 March 2009.
  6. ^ Clarke, Steve (25 February 2009) "Mackie moves to Left Bank". Variety (Reed Business Information). URL retrieved on 25 February 2009.
  7. ^ Pickard, Michael (13 May 2011). "Left Bank makes comedy, drama hires". C21media.com. URL retrieved on 13 May 2011.
  8. ^ "The Telegraph" Left Bank Pictures put up for sale at £40m telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2012
  9. ^ Jake Kanter "Screen Daily" SPT poised to snap up £40m Left Bank Screen Daily, retrieved on 17 December 2013
  10. ^ "The Telegraph" Sony takes stake in Left Bank telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2012
  11. ^ Martin, Philip (26 November 2008). "On location: Wallander". Broadcast (Emap Media). URL retrieved on 26 November 2008.
  12. ^ "Television Awards Winners in 2009 Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. URL retrieved on 24 March 2009.
  13. ^ BBC Press Office (5 May 2009). "Shooting begins on three new feature-length adaptations of BAFTA Award-winning drama Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh". Press release. URL retrieved on 5 May 2009.
  14. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (19 March 2008). "Sky ploughs £10m into HD dramas". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News & Media). URL retrieved on 12 September 2008.
  15. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (24 August 2009). "This Life's Andrew Lincoln to star in Sky1 adaptation of Strike Back". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News & Media). URL retrieved on 24 March 2010.
  16. ^ Parker, Robin (12 September 2008). "E4 opens School of Comedy". Broadcastnow (Emap Media). URL retrieved on 12 September 2008.
  17. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (7 October 2008). "Queen producer Andy Harries to make drama for former employer ITV". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News & Media). URL retrieved on 24 March 2010.
  18. ^ Canning, Fiona (25 June 2009). "'Father & Son' Drama Premieres on RTÉ". Irish Film & Television Network. URL retrieved on 16 July 2009.
  19. ^ "Winners of the 7th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards". Irish Film & Television Awards. URL retrieved on 21 February 2010.
  20. ^ McMahon, Kate (25 February 2009). "Mackie reunites the Cold Feet team for rom-com". Broadcast (Emap Media). URL retrieved on 25 February 2009.
  21. ^ "Married Single Other Archived 26 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine". Screen Yorkshire. URL retrieved on 24 March 2010.
  22. ^ [Staff] (12 February 2010). "Married Single Other: Leeds landmarks feature on TV show". Yorkshire Evening Post (Johnston Publishing). URL Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  23. ^ Allen, Katie (20 July 2009). "Bank on it[permanent dead link]". The Bookseller. URL retrieved on 24 March 2010.
  24. ^ Webb, Sam (31 March 2010). "Stephen Tompkinson to star in ITV drama". Digital Spy. URL retrieved on 31 March 2010.
  25. ^ BBC Press Office (18 February 2010). "Rufus Sewell confirmed to play Aurelio Zen for BBC One". Press release. URL retrieved on 23 February 2010.
  26. ^ Deans, Jason (5 May 2010). "John Simm and Philip Glenister to star in Sky1's Mad Dogs". guardian.co.uk (Guardian News & Media). URL retrieved on 6 May 2010.
  27. ^ Cooper, Sarah (16 September 2010). "Rafta Rafta". ScreenDaily.com (Emap Media). URL retrieved on 3 January 2011.
  28. ^ "Winners 2011[permanent dead link]". Emap Awards. URL retrieved on 5 February 2011.

External links