TORONTO – Content owner and distributor Entertainment One said today the company will acquire three leading television content suppliers: Blueprint, Barna-Alper and Oasis International.
Concurrently, an agreement has been reached to acquire Maximum Films’ Canadian and International Distribution operations and combine it with E1’s Seville Pictures. “These agreements mark a major milestone in the company’s aggressive strategy to become a leading global distributor of entertainment content,” says the press release.
"Combining these three television companies creates an unrivalled cross-border force in television in North America supplying programs to most major broadcasters on both sides of the border," said Darren Throop, Entertainment One’s CEO.
"Furthermore, the consolidation of Maximum Films together with E1’s Seville Pictures will result in an enhanced theatrical market-share in Canada and a company which is enviably well positioned for international sales and distribution. We are now able to create television programs at a unique risk-return profile and direct this content as well as our increased film content to our multiple territory distribution companies and realize all of the synergies of this direct access,” he added.
These acquisitions establish E1 as a fully integrated film, television, music, sales, marketing and distribution company, with on the ground distribution operations and libraries in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Holland and Belgium. In addition, the company will control an important and growing library of world-wide rights consisting of over 9,300 hours of programming which will be licensed to both international and domestic distributors and broadcasters by its tandem international sales operations – Oasis for television product and Seville for theatrical films.
Headed by former Alliance Atlantis distribution head, president Patrice Theroux, E1’s Filmed Entertainment Division will now include Blueprint (Kenny vs. Spenny, Two Kings, etc.), Barna-Alper (Da Vinci’s Inquest, G-Spot), Oasis International (ReGenesis, Keys to the VIP), the newly-combined Seville Pictures/Maximum Films – along with the previously acquired Contender Entertainment Group in the UK and RCV Entertainment in Holland and Belgium.
"With these acquisitions E1’s Filmed Entertainment Division is well-positioned strategically to take advantage of a wide-range of commercial opportunities which are now available to the company," said Theroux, in the release. "The principals of each of these companies are universally recognized as among the most talented producers of film and television content in the industry, and it is a privilege to welcome this exceptional group of executives to E1.”
The company and the senior management of each of these companies have agreed to enter into long-term employment agreements. John Morayniss is appointed CEO, Television Group, reporting to Theroux. Laszlo Barna will serve as President, Television Production and Peter Emerson will serve as President, International Television Distribution, each reporting to Morayniss. Noreen Halpern is assuming the title of President, Television Production, US, reporting to Barna. Margaret O’Brien will be appointed COO of the Television Group, and will report to Morayniss. Both Gliserman and Mickie have also agreed to new long-term employment agreements.
Robert Lantos, an investor in all four companies being acquired, will join the E1 Board of Directors. Lantos, producer of Golden Globe Winning and Academy Award Nominated films "Eastern Promises", "Being Julia", and "Sunshine", has signed a non-competition agreement with E1 which will distribute his past and future films.
www.entertainmentone.ca
www.blueprint-corp.com
www.oasisinternational.com
www.barnaalper.ca
www.maximumfilms.ca
