A Scottish television and film company has announced a significant partnership with one of the world’s largest media production and distribution groups.
Glasgow-based production company Create Anything has secured a major development deal with international powerhouse Banijay UK, a subsidiary of the €3.5 billion Banijay Group.
It will see Banijay UK labels Workerbee, the Murdertown and Four Kings firm based in Manchester, and The Comedy Unit, the Glasgow-based outfit behind Still Game, team up with the independent to develop and produce unscripted and scripted content.
With over 120 production companies worldwide, Banijay is known for global hits like Survivor, Big Brother, and Peaky Blinders. The two-year partnership will help propel the company's ambitions in the two genres, with a focus on creating "impactful, diverse, and high-production value storytelling".
The deal provides Create Anything, led by BAFTA-nominated director and filmmaker Stewart Kyasimire, with access to Banijay's vast network of broadcasters and streamers.
The partnership also offers crucial infrastructure and financial support to sustain growth, Create Anything said. This positions the company to scale up its slate and pursue international commissions across both scripted and unscripted formats.
"This is a transformative deal for our company," Mr Kyasimire said. "Banijay's reputation, reach, and their massive catalog of successful programming, along with direct financial investment, gives us the springboard to compete at a much higher level. We're now strongly positioned to take our unique brand of storytelling to the world."
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Mr Kyasimire, who was also the series director on the upcoming Amazon Prime four-part docuseries Four Kings, is recognised for championing diversity both on-screen and behind the camera. His BAFTA nomination for the documentary Black and Scottish highlights this commitment, and he sees the Banijay partnership as furthering this mission.
He cited the work of Workerbee UK, the Banijay label Create Anything is paired with, as a point of inspiration. "Workerbee has established itself as a leader in premium scripted and unscripted content with a strong focus on underrepresented voices. Their global success is the type of trajectory we envision for ourselves," he said.
The Banijay investment injects vital cashflow and back-office support into Create Anything, enabling expansion, development, and focus on pitching ideas across multiple genres. These ideas are now ready for production or in need of pilot funding.
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Mr Kyasimire, who was named a BBC Future Figure in 2021, highlighted the pivotal role of Screen Scotland and BBC Scotland in supporting Create Anything's rise, alongside celebrating the iconic success of Ncuti Gatwa, the groundbreaking Scottish-Rwandan actor now starring as Doctor Who.
In addition to its existing slate, Create Anything plans to leverage the Banijay deal to innovate in both scripted and unscripted genres. Mr Kyasimire acknowledged a desire to mirror Workerbee's ability to tell compelling stories while staying at the cutting edge of diverse content development.
"We're incredibly excited about the future, and thankful to Screen Scotland and the BBC for laying the foundation for this next step. The Banijay partnership is a testament to Scotland's potential as a creative hub, and we're committed to opening more doors for a new generation of diverse talent both on-screen and behind the camera."
Patrick Holland, chief executive and executive chairman of Banijay UK, said: “Stewart is a hugely talented filmmaker and champion of underrepresented voices. Pairing his passion and energy with the brilliant teams at Workerbee and The Comedy Unit is a hugely exciting prospect, and I can’t wait to see the results.”
Rick Murray, chief executive of Workerbee Group, said that "Stewart is a creative visionary, something we discovered while making our upcoming Four Kings project for Amazon," adding: "With this deal Workerbee are excited to develop a slate of unscripted titles with Create Anything that utilise their skills in both feature and drama documentaries."
Rab Christie, managing director of The Comedy Unit, said: "At the Comedy Unit we are big fans of Create Anything and thrilled to be collaborating with Stewart Kyasimire and his team. It’s terrific to be working with top talent in Scotland and we’re very excited about a range of projects in the pipeline."
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