Silver Reel eyes up investment opportunities in UK TV arena
Details
Editor
| 21 August 2017

Swiss investment and production company Silver Reel, the financial muscle behind a series of hit films, is now turning its attention to the booming British TV drama market with a €50 million fund.

According to reports in the Guardian newspaper, Silver Reel is taking advantage of the weakening of the pound since the Brexit vote. The company has invested more than £500 million making 35 films in the last decade, frequently working with UK producers and talent in films such as The Wife and Scarlett Johansson-led cult sci-fi drama Under The Skin.

Silver Reel managing partner Claudia Bluemhuber was quoted as saying that the firm plans to significantly expand its presence in London with the launch of a TV production operation. “We believe – despite Brexit – the time is now,” she said in the article. “The weakening pound is making this strategic move more cost effective. There is a great deal of creative talent in the UK, and given our expertise in high-end [film] drama, we can easily transfer this to the world of television with a European focus. Between series that Silver Reel is developing and series that other partners are bringing to us, we are looking into deploying about €50 million, and our target is a minimum of two shows per year, starting 2018.”

The Swiss firm’s action comes three months after France Télévisions-owned TV production and distribution subsidiary Newen Group launched its own €50 million investment fund focused on acquiring UK drama after claiming success with drama Versailles on BBC1.