Irish film and tv production company goes global

The Irish film and TV production company Screentime Shinawil has announced a major new international partnership.

In a move that will open up fresh opportunities around the world, the company, which has offices in Dublin and Belfast, has linked up with the Banijay Group, a global content creation company for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay comprises a network of leading international production companies and is engaged in building strategic partnerships with innovative creative talent around the world.

The deal is part of a wider link-up, which follows the conclusion by Banijay Group of a deal with the leading Australian production company, Screentime Pty, which will see Banijay acquiring a majority stake in Screentime. That deal gives Banijay a stake also in the company's New Zealand and Ireland affiliates. The deal is Banijay's first entry into all three territories, thereby extending its presence to eleven countries globally, and giving Screentime Shinawil access to Banijay’s distribution arm, Banijay International for the first time.

The Banijay/Screentime ShinAwiL relationship was described as marking an exciting shift in Irish TV production. Ireland is a successful hub for format creation and yet none of the major format distributors have a production presence in Ireland to date.

Larry Bass, CEO and majority shareholder in Screentime ShinAwiL hailed the deal as a major step forward for the operation. "Screentime ShinAwiL is firmly focused on global expansion," he explained, "and the new venture is an alignment of a lot of exciting opportunities for the company in the next year. It backs up our current expansion plans in the UK, focusing on adding to our UK office in Northern Ireland by opening a London office in the next 12 months. We look forward to working with the Banijay team in all key developments in the future."

François de Brugada, Executive Vice President, Banijay Group, was equally enthusiastic. "We have been keen to extend our presence in English speaking territories," he said, "but we knew that we needed to be patient and wait to make the right choice. Screentime's expertise, creativity, impressive IP and attitude excite us and we believe the alignment of both our cultures will ensure a seamless and successful integration."

Screentime ShinAwiL was created in 1998 by Larry Bass. It has offices in Dublin and Belfast and has created and produced a number of popular series’, including You’re A Star, Charity You’re A Star, SoccaStars, Rising Stars, Charity Lords of the Ring, Test The Teachers, Undercover NI, Obesity Clinic, Put ‘Em Under Pressure, and Fame The Musical. Screentime ShinAwiL has also produced localized versions of some of the world's most successful formats, including Popstars, The Apprentice, Dragon's Den, MasterChef and The Voice of Ireland.

Larry Bass will continue his role as Executive Director of Screentime Group and as CEO of Screentime ShinAwiL. Other key members of the Screentime ShinAwiL management team will remain with the Company.

Banijay was created in 2008 and is led by Stephane Courbit, who was previously CEO of Endemol France. Its shareholders include the Agnelli family, the De Agostini family, Jean-Paul Bize (AMS Industries) and Bernard Arnault (LVMH).