I see that the Irish Film Board has altered or corrected the funding decision of December 14 last offering a production loan of €150,000 to 'Magma Films'. The entry now cites the recipient as 'Magma Productions Ltd'.
Can we conclude therefore that Magma Productions Limited is a going concern and that 'Magma Films', as some people have discovered to their cost, may be a letterhead rather than a specific company?
I have a copy of this letterheading on a letter that says Magma European Scripting House Ltd. at the footer. I wonder is it also found on correspondence that says Magma Productions Ltd. at the footer?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Northern Exposure
Ciarán Hinds in Terry George's short film, The Shore
With Ireland's longest duration film festival kicking off in Belfast on Friday I've been sent a timely release about about film activity in Northern Ireland.
Three features - Jump, Whole Lotta Sole and Good Vibrations - are at various stages of production while the new titles Killing Bono, Behold the Lamb and Terry George's short The Shore will all be screened during the Belfast Film Festival.
Jump is in Belfast in the final stages of its shoot. Lisa McGee's script has been a hot project in Northern Ireland for a number of years and Brendan Byrne at Hotshot Films has shown his persistence in getting it off the ground, together with Katie Holly of Blinder Films in Dublin. The director is Kieron J Walsh, also of Blinder, and the film is backed by NI Screen, the Irish Film Board, Firefly Film Sales, BBC Northern Ireland and Bentico Trading Ltd. AV Films will handle international sales.
Whole Lotta Sole is a comedy heist film from Terry George which will film in Belfast in April and May, produced by Mark Huffam of Generator Entertainment. In it hapless gambler Martin McCann falls foul of mobster Brendan Fraser (yes, that Brendan Fraser) and depends on his hostages to get him out of a tight spot. Other cast includes Colm Meaney, Yaya Dacosta and David O'Hara.
Next up is Good Vibrations, the second feature from Cherrybomb directors Glen Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa. Produced by Chris Martin and exec'd by Andrew Eaton the film is based on the true-life exploits of legendary Belfast punk promoter Terri Hooley. The cast is led by Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham, and David Holmes is music maestro on the project.
Killing Bono, which filmed Belfast last year as 80s Dublin, is the opening night premiere at the Belfast Film Festival and goes on immediate general release from Paramount. Directed by Belfast native Nick Hamm the film is produced by Generator’s Mark Huffam.
Terry George’s short The Shore will have a gala screening during the festival. The film, which sounds somewhat autobiographical, is the story of an Irish exile (Ciarán Hinds) who brings his adult daughter back to Belfast from which he fled 25 years earlier.
Behold the Lamb, a quirky road movie which won Northern Ireland Screen’s Ultra Low-Budget Fiction Fund finance in 2010 will be the closing night film at the festival. It's directed by John McIlduff who has moved home to Belfast from Paris to launch Dumb Productions.
All of the productions were backed by the Northern Ireland Screen fund supported by Invest NI and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Magma - the tangled MESH in Galway
I've been trying to work through the intricacies of the Magma meltdown.
Anyone trying to disentangle the myriad companies will find there's a large number of distinct entities in the knot - connected, affiliated or otherwise in business with each other in Ireland and elsewhere. Some of them dissolved (Magmacharta Ltd), others seemingly disposed of (Ulysses Filmproduktion Gmbh), and numerous production service vehicle companies (Thorsday Films Ltd) most of which are dissolved.
The main players in Ireland appear to be Magma European Scripting House Limited (often trading under the business name 'Magma Films') and Magma Productions Limited. Magma European Scripting House Limited (MESH) is the business that is in trouble but it is not entirely clear if any other associated companies may be going out of business.
The creditors meeting called for 9am on March 18 was over (or adjourned) by 9.02am. There was no liquidator present and the many creditors who attended were left pretty much in the dark about the company's affairs. One might be forgiven for thinking it was a fiasco.
It emerged that there are quite a few individuals and service companies working in the film business that are owed what are, to them at least, significant sums of money on foot of work they did for MESH Ltd/Magma Films.
To these creditors can be added the Revenue, Anglo Irish Bank, Allied Irish Bank and other businesses. It is uncertain whether funding sourced from Forbairt and Enterprise Ireland would be subject to a claw-back provision in the event of the closure of MESH
The Irish Film Board is but one of many entities that hold security, debentures or charges against MESH or other Magma companies' assets and productions. The others include Millimages SA and Anglo Irish Bank. It is hard to see how film assets with projected revenues of €5.8m in MESH's 2007 accounts could be realised to meet the company/ies' liabilities if they are already to some degree mortgaged or assigned.
Magma's introduction to Anglo Irish Bank may have been through the Company Development Initiative (CDI), a scheme established by the Irish Film Board and Anglo in late 2001. It was intended to boost the development and business capacity of five production companies, one of which was Magma Films. The three-year scheme was launched in November 2001 with the IFB contributing €3.175m and Anglo contributing €1.9m.
Millimages (Fr) was a co-producer with Magma and Greenlight (De) on a 26x24" animation series called Simsala Grimm 2, a protracted project which I believe started in 2007 and concluded only late last year. The IFB did not back the project and it is unclear if it accessed Section 481 funding.
Creditors are wondering how a company that has not furnished annual accounts since 2007 has successfully applied for loans from the Irish Film Board. One would have thought that an up to date tax clearance certificate and previous year's annual accounts would be a pre-requisite both for applying for IFB loans and for official co-production validation.
Yet Magma Films, the trading name of MESH Ltd, is credited with an IFB production loan offer of €150,000 in December 2010, a development loan of €10,000 in July 2010, a production loan of €85,000 in April 2010, and a production loan of €450,000 in May 2009. Meanwhile, MESH effectively writes off €873,218 of IFB loans in its 2007 accounts, saying repayment is contingent on film earnings that are unlikely to materialise.
MESH is also a beneficiary of financial support from the MEDIA programme of the EU in respect of Oops, Noah is Gone (€50,000 2009), and The Guards/Jack Taylor (c. €100,000 2009).
As to whether another company - Magma Productions Limited (co-recipient this month of €600,000 from Eurimages) - is a viable business, one notes on the register of submissions to the companies office: B47 NOTICE(LETTER) OF RESIGNATION OF AUDITOR REGISTERED 18/01/2010.
This might lend some credence to the story doing the rounds that auditors to MESH Ltd resigned in Spring 2009. Not long after the set of abridged accounts for 2007 were submitted.
The MESH Ltd creditors' meeting has been rescheduled for April 12.
Anyone trying to disentangle the myriad companies will find there's a large number of distinct entities in the knot - connected, affiliated or otherwise in business with each other in Ireland and elsewhere. Some of them dissolved (Magmacharta Ltd), others seemingly disposed of (Ulysses Filmproduktion Gmbh), and numerous production service vehicle companies (Thorsday Films Ltd) most of which are dissolved.
The main players in Ireland appear to be Magma European Scripting House Limited (often trading under the business name 'Magma Films') and Magma Productions Limited. Magma European Scripting House Limited (MESH) is the business that is in trouble but it is not entirely clear if any other associated companies may be going out of business.
The creditors meeting called for 9am on March 18 was over (or adjourned) by 9.02am. There was no liquidator present and the many creditors who attended were left pretty much in the dark about the company's affairs. One might be forgiven for thinking it was a fiasco.
It emerged that there are quite a few individuals and service companies working in the film business that are owed what are, to them at least, significant sums of money on foot of work they did for MESH Ltd/Magma Films.
To these creditors can be added the Revenue, Anglo Irish Bank, Allied Irish Bank and other businesses. It is uncertain whether funding sourced from Forbairt and Enterprise Ireland would be subject to a claw-back provision in the event of the closure of MESH
The Irish Film Board is but one of many entities that hold security, debentures or charges against MESH or other Magma companies' assets and productions. The others include Millimages SA and Anglo Irish Bank. It is hard to see how film assets with projected revenues of €5.8m in MESH's 2007 accounts could be realised to meet the company/ies' liabilities if they are already to some degree mortgaged or assigned.
Magma's introduction to Anglo Irish Bank may have been through the Company Development Initiative (CDI), a scheme established by the Irish Film Board and Anglo in late 2001. It was intended to boost the development and business capacity of five production companies, one of which was Magma Films. The three-year scheme was launched in November 2001 with the IFB contributing €3.175m and Anglo contributing €1.9m.
Millimages (Fr) was a co-producer with Magma and Greenlight (De) on a 26x24" animation series called Simsala Grimm 2, a protracted project which I believe started in 2007 and concluded only late last year. The IFB did not back the project and it is unclear if it accessed Section 481 funding.
Creditors are wondering how a company that has not furnished annual accounts since 2007 has successfully applied for loans from the Irish Film Board. One would have thought that an up to date tax clearance certificate and previous year's annual accounts would be a pre-requisite both for applying for IFB loans and for official co-production validation.
Yet Magma Films, the trading name of MESH Ltd, is credited with an IFB production loan offer of €150,000 in December 2010, a development loan of €10,000 in July 2010, a production loan of €85,000 in April 2010, and a production loan of €450,000 in May 2009. Meanwhile, MESH effectively writes off €873,218 of IFB loans in its 2007 accounts, saying repayment is contingent on film earnings that are unlikely to materialise.
MESH is also a beneficiary of financial support from the MEDIA programme of the EU in respect of Oops, Noah is Gone (€50,000 2009), and The Guards/Jack Taylor (c. €100,000 2009).
As to whether another company - Magma Productions Limited (co-recipient this month of €600,000 from Eurimages) - is a viable business, one notes on the register of submissions to the companies office: B47 NOTICE(LETTER) OF RESIGNATION OF AUDITOR REGISTERED 18/01/2010.
This might lend some credence to the story doing the rounds that auditors to MESH Ltd resigned in Spring 2009. Not long after the set of abridged accounts for 2007 were submitted.
The MESH Ltd creditors' meeting has been rescheduled for April 12.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Light House of the Oireachtas
While we await the outcome of John Flynn's High Court petition to wind up the Light House Cinema in Dublin here's an interesting Q&A exchange between Joe Costello TD and Minister Jimmy Deenihan in the Dáil last Thursday.
The Minister concludes, I hope the Light House will remain open and will do as much as possible to ensure it does. Obviously, I must await the outcome of the High Court hearing next week. In that regard, the Office of the Chief State Solicitor has been informed and is examining the relevant legal documents. It is important to acknowledge that the State’s investment is protected through a charge on the property. This charge allows that if the Light House ceases to operate from the premises in Smithfield in the first five years of its operation - as it opened in 2008, we are well within the five year window - the Minister can choose either the repayment of the State grants or can agree with the Cultural Cinema Consortium which would occupy the building for the remainder of the lease in order that the premises will remain in use as an arthouse-cultural cinema centre.
This is beginning to play out a little like the untimely demise of the Irish Film Theatre (it used to be in the premises now occupied by the Sugar Club) many moons ago. There is no mention of IFCO's lease/rent of Lighht House facilities. A few questions come to mind:
Who would be responsible for the repayment of the State grants, the property owner or the cinema company? Or both of them, jointly and severally as they say in legalese?
Can the Minister reasonably believe that the Film Board and the Arts Council have the resources to occupy the building for the remainder of the lease and run the cinema?
How long is the lease?
Aside from these points the Dáil debate is worth reading for a few other nuggets of information - that it's an absentee, Florida-based landlord, and that pressure from NAMA may have led to the demand for the May 2010 rent increase provided for in the lease.
Update - the High Court has granted the Light House request for an adjournment on the hearing of the landlord's petition. The adjournment is until April 15 and should allow time for the sides to reach agreement. The matter should never really have come to court and I wonder if either party had proposed or rejected a mediated solution.
The Minister concludes, I hope the Light House will remain open and will do as much as possible to ensure it does. Obviously, I must await the outcome of the High Court hearing next week. In that regard, the Office of the Chief State Solicitor has been informed and is examining the relevant legal documents. It is important to acknowledge that the State’s investment is protected through a charge on the property. This charge allows that if the Light House ceases to operate from the premises in Smithfield in the first five years of its operation - as it opened in 2008, we are well within the five year window - the Minister can choose either the repayment of the State grants or can agree with the Cultural Cinema Consortium which would occupy the building for the remainder of the lease in order that the premises will remain in use as an arthouse-cultural cinema centre.
This is beginning to play out a little like the untimely demise of the Irish Film Theatre (it used to be in the premises now occupied by the Sugar Club) many moons ago. There is no mention of IFCO's lease/rent of Lighht House facilities. A few questions come to mind:
Who would be responsible for the repayment of the State grants, the property owner or the cinema company? Or both of them, jointly and severally as they say in legalese?
Can the Minister reasonably believe that the Film Board and the Arts Council have the resources to occupy the building for the remainder of the lease and run the cinema?
How long is the lease?
Aside from these points the Dáil debate is worth reading for a few other nuggets of information - that it's an absentee, Florida-based landlord, and that pressure from NAMA may have led to the demand for the May 2010 rent increase provided for in the lease.
Update - the High Court has granted the Light House request for an adjournment on the hearing of the landlord's petition. The adjournment is until April 15 and should allow time for the sides to reach agreement. The matter should never really have come to court and I wonder if either party had proposed or rejected a mediated solution.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Rent Hike Threatens Light House
There's a worrying report in yesterday's Irish Times about a landlord and tenant dispute which is threatening the Light House Cinema with closure. The report does not refer to the potentially serious consequences for IFCO were the Light House forced to close.
In 2009 IFCO moved to Smithfield from its own premises in Harcourt Terrace which it had occupied for 64 years. Those premises and the adjacent Garda Station were the subject of a property exchange by the State for the provision of 215 affordable housing units in the greater Dublin area. The Harcourt Terrace premises have still not been transferred to the developer, however, and are now the subject of a claim against the State amounting to €39m.
Having to move, and faced with the cost of having to build its own new screening facilities, IFCO arranged to lease cinema space from the Light House and it made sense then to lease its new office space nearby.
It may be that IFCO's payment for the use of Light House screening facilities is the revenue pressure point being squeezed by the landlord's insistence on doubling the rent to €200,000 per annum in May 2010.
In the case of the Kino Cinema in Cork the rent paid for use of its facilities by UCC was a critical factor to the cinema's survival for some time. If IFCO's hire of Light House screening facilities is crucial to the cinema's ongoing viability then the thinking about the provision of 'cultural' cinema facilities needs to be re-examined with a view to the running costs of such outlets and the need for regular programme support in the absence of other income.
Update: Thursday March 24 - from the Light House
EVENT OF THE WEEK
This coming week’s main event isn’t a film at all. Most of you know by now that our landlord, John Flynn, has presented a petition for the winding up of Light House Cinema to the High Court, which will be heard by the Court on Monday next week. We’ve been overwhelmed by the expressions of support which we have received from patrons, which we really appreciate. We are hopeful that a settlement with the landlord will prove possible, which will ensure that we can stay. In the meantime, it’s business as usual.
In 2009 IFCO moved to Smithfield from its own premises in Harcourt Terrace which it had occupied for 64 years. Those premises and the adjacent Garda Station were the subject of a property exchange by the State for the provision of 215 affordable housing units in the greater Dublin area. The Harcourt Terrace premises have still not been transferred to the developer, however, and are now the subject of a claim against the State amounting to €39m.
Having to move, and faced with the cost of having to build its own new screening facilities, IFCO arranged to lease cinema space from the Light House and it made sense then to lease its new office space nearby.
It may be that IFCO's payment for the use of Light House screening facilities is the revenue pressure point being squeezed by the landlord's insistence on doubling the rent to €200,000 per annum in May 2010.
In the case of the Kino Cinema in Cork the rent paid for use of its facilities by UCC was a critical factor to the cinema's survival for some time. If IFCO's hire of Light House screening facilities is crucial to the cinema's ongoing viability then the thinking about the provision of 'cultural' cinema facilities needs to be re-examined with a view to the running costs of such outlets and the need for regular programme support in the absence of other income.
Update: Thursday March 24 - from the Light House
EVENT OF THE WEEK
This coming week’s main event isn’t a film at all. Most of you know by now that our landlord, John Flynn, has presented a petition for the winding up of Light House Cinema to the High Court, which will be heard by the Court on Monday next week. We’ve been overwhelmed by the expressions of support which we have received from patrons, which we really appreciate. We are hopeful that a settlement with the landlord will prove possible, which will ensure that we can stay. In the meantime, it’s business as usual.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Magma - Eumirages
A further twist in the Magma tale took place yesterday when Eurimages announced its latest round of co-production funding.
One of the 16 approved feature projects is Niko - Family Affairs by Jorgen Lerdam (Denmark) & Kari Juusonen (Finland). The animation feature was awarded €600,000. The named co-producers are ANIMAKER OY (FI), ULYSSES GMBH FILM UND FERNSEHPRODUKTION (DE), A.FILM PRODUCTION (DK) and MAGMA PRODUCTIONS (IE). Ulysses and Magma are affiliated companies.
It was the only approved project in this round with an Irish-based co-producer. And it is yet another Eurimages round in which there is no Irish-originated project.
The only Irish originated feature film project that has been approved in recent years is As if I Am Not There, an outcome which runs counter to the generous policy of support and reciprocity being offered to non-Irish European projects by the Irish Film Board and Section 481.
I think you'd have to go back four years or more to find an Irish-originated project that filmed in Ireland that was supported by Eurimages. Or should that be Eumirages?
One of the 16 approved feature projects is Niko - Family Affairs by Jorgen Lerdam (Denmark) & Kari Juusonen (Finland). The animation feature was awarded €600,000. The named co-producers are ANIMAKER OY (FI), ULYSSES GMBH FILM UND FERNSEHPRODUKTION (DE), A.FILM PRODUCTION (DK) and MAGMA PRODUCTIONS (IE). Ulysses and Magma are affiliated companies.
It was the only approved project in this round with an Irish-based co-producer. And it is yet another Eurimages round in which there is no Irish-originated project.
The only Irish originated feature film project that has been approved in recent years is As if I Am Not There, an outcome which runs counter to the generous policy of support and reciprocity being offered to non-Irish European projects by the Irish Film Board and Section 481.
I think you'd have to go back four years or more to find an Irish-originated project that filmed in Ireland that was supported by Eurimages. Or should that be Eumirages?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
St. Patrick's film
Quite a few filmy things happening for the National Holiday on St. Patrick's Day. Check the Screen cinema website in Dublin, for instance.
I've been sent a reminder too that the Dublin crime drama Between the Canals opens 'exclusively', as they say, at the IFI on March 18. The film has the unique attribute of being set on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin.
It is, they promise, an action-packed crime drama, and the debut feature from writer/director Mark O’Connor. The film follows three small-time criminals from Dublin’s north inner city in a heart-breaking and occasionally hilarious story of loyalty, duty and masculinity, and features singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey in his debut acting role.
Trailer here, and more info here.
I've been sent a reminder too that the Dublin crime drama Between the Canals opens 'exclusively', as they say, at the IFI on March 18. The film has the unique attribute of being set on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin.
It is, they promise, an action-packed crime drama, and the debut feature from writer/director Mark O’Connor. The film follows three small-time criminals from Dublin’s north inner city in a heart-breaking and occasionally hilarious story of loyalty, duty and masculinity, and features singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey in his debut acting role.
Trailer here, and more info here.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Lotus Eaters for Tribeca Menu
Alexandra McGuinness's Lotus Eaters is to have its World Premiere as part of the 'Viewpoints' strand at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. 'Viewpoints' offers a snapshot of international independent cinema that immerses audiences in distinctive perspectives. Tribeca runs from April 20 – May 1.
Lotus Eaters was mostly shot in London with some Irish location work in Wicklow and Westmeath. It is co-written by McGuinness with Brendan Grant and co-produced by Fastnet Films who received €100,000 for the film from the Irish Film Board last August.
From the Tribeca press release which credits Lotus Eaters as a UK film: The bright young things of London’s social elite lead an existence as languorous and lavish as it is self-destructive. At the center is Alice, a stunning ex-model unable to keep up with the high standards of living her peers feverishly chase. Alexandra McGuinness’ directorial debut presents a contemporary black-and-white portrait of overlapping cliques of friends struggling to get their lives under control before they fall numb to it all.
Lotus Eaters was mostly shot in London with some Irish location work in Wicklow and Westmeath. It is co-written by McGuinness with Brendan Grant and co-produced by Fastnet Films who received €100,000 for the film from the Irish Film Board last August.
From the Tribeca press release which credits Lotus Eaters as a UK film: The bright young things of London’s social elite lead an existence as languorous and lavish as it is self-destructive. At the center is Alice, a stunning ex-model unable to keep up with the high standards of living her peers feverishly chase. Alexandra McGuinness’ directorial debut presents a contemporary black-and-white portrait of overlapping cliques of friends struggling to get their lives under control before they fall numb to it all.
Voice and Process
There was an interesting article by Fintan O'Toole in last Saturday's Irish Times. He discusses the shifting balance between content and technique in theatre. He suggests that training in how to structure the theatrical experience is beginning to impact on the quality of the drama because it seems detrimental to the writer's voice.
I think what's happening is that formalised training processes in theatre are just catching up with long-established practices in film. We should be asking if these formalised dramaturgical and script editorial processes are really fostering and empowering the creative impulse before it reaches the public sphere.
Perhaps the author's voice is less respected when, in theory, anyone with a modicum of talent can train in how to write for either medium? Does a development and production process which seeks to lessen commercial risk then exacerbate the situation?
No amount of Aristotelian analysis can compensate for a lack of substance, which may be less of an issue if manipulative entertainment is the order of the day. But even the highly-structured froth of genre cinema works better and is more original when it expresses an author's particular, complicated take on human existence.
Arguably the result of all the development intervention may be that what a writer wants to say, and the individual character of their voice, gets lost in all the processing activity. The complications are smoothed over. And if the writer starts out with nothing to say, then so much the better?
Well that's the danger, isn't it?
I think what's happening is that formalised training processes in theatre are just catching up with long-established practices in film. We should be asking if these formalised dramaturgical and script editorial processes are really fostering and empowering the creative impulse before it reaches the public sphere.
Perhaps the author's voice is less respected when, in theory, anyone with a modicum of talent can train in how to write for either medium? Does a development and production process which seeks to lessen commercial risk then exacerbate the situation?
No amount of Aristotelian analysis can compensate for a lack of substance, which may be less of an issue if manipulative entertainment is the order of the day. But even the highly-structured froth of genre cinema works better and is more original when it expresses an author's particular, complicated take on human existence.
Arguably the result of all the development intervention may be that what a writer wants to say, and the individual character of their voice, gets lost in all the processing activity. The complications are smoothed over. And if the writer starts out with nothing to say, then so much the better?
Well that's the danger, isn't it?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Magma Creditors' Meeting
Over 70 creditors are likely to attend a meeting at the Salthill Hotel at 9am on March 18 to hear the full extent of the financial difficulties at Magma European Scripting House Ltd.
A liquidator is likely to be appointed to the company which is the umbrella company for Magma Films' operations in Galway. The most recent accounts filed for the company, in March 2009, are for the year ending December 31, 2007.
It remains to be seen if the financial difficulties will affect any of the associated companies' ongoing involvement in television and film projects such as the Jack Taylor Bruen adaptations, and the planned €7m Niko sequel on which Magma is slated to be a co-producer.
Update - March 12
An Anonymous commenter says - Me thinks you know more. Do scriptwriters write on credit and show up looking for 10 cents on the euro? Or is something more strategic afoot?
Dear Anonymous,
No, I wouldn't claim to know any more than that. I had heard rumours of money being owed and chased on a Magma project in recent times but that wouldn't be uncommon in Irish production from time to time.
I wouldn't claim to know what the exact financial relationship is between Magma European Scripting House Ltd and the other companies or businesses with 'Magma' in their title - MAGMA EIRE TEORANTA, MAGMA EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LIMITED, MAGMA FILMS, MAGMA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED.
Nor do I know if there is such a relationship with other companies sharing the same address, among them - ULYSSES FILMS LIMITED, ULYSSES MUSIC PUBLISHING LIMITED, PICTORION SOUND AND VISION LIMITED, or LAKESIDE FILM PRODUCTIONS LIMITED.
Then there are other companies outside the jurisdiction like Ulysses Films NI Ltd in Belfast, Ulysses Film Produktion and Pictorion Magma Animation in Hamburg, and Molten Rock Media GmbH in Bremen that may have some financial relationship, shared directors or co-production roles with Magma companies.
For instance, the Bremen company may be a German vehicle for Magma productions such as the series of Jack Taylor adaptations of Ken Bruen's crime novels. See http://www.moltenrock.eu/ and http://moltenrock.eu/Presse.html and www.jacktaylorfilms.com.
What I can say, as a general observation, is that when film and television production companies collapse, often owing considerable sums of money, the companies' viable projects tend to remain in the beneficial control or ownership of the companies' directors.
These folks then establish new production vehicles for those projects and public funding agencies generally permit or facilitate this to happen. This certainly appeared to happen when Little Bird was wound up and some of their projects in development with the Irish Film Board resurfaced with West Park West (Horses), Caveman (All Good Children) and Soho Moon (Killing Tom and Death and Nightingales).
I cannot say whether such practices are 'strategic' or not. Timing would be a factor, as would be the status of separate development vehicle company(ies), where they exist, because they might not be in financial difficulties.
To give an example of some of the complexities in this area - 'Magma Films' was offered a €150,000 production loan for the sequel Niko: A Family Affair by the Film Board last December (but published only recently). 'Magma Films' is a business name rather than a limited company, although it may be the common usage for Magma's Galway operations. It is not clear which of the companies in the group actually uses it as a trading name or whether that company is in any difficulties.
It does seem to me that viable, developed projects would be considered company assets (like R&D materials) in other lines of business, and would be disposed of on the open market as part of the effort to meet all the company's or group of companies' outstanding liabilities.
A lot might depend on the view a liquidator might take of inter-company and directors' loans within a group of companies - whether these were actual cash transactions or a nominal value that was placed on services provided. And then the question of preferential creditors arises.
A liquidator is likely to be appointed to the company which is the umbrella company for Magma Films' operations in Galway. The most recent accounts filed for the company, in March 2009, are for the year ending December 31, 2007.
It remains to be seen if the financial difficulties will affect any of the associated companies' ongoing involvement in television and film projects such as the Jack Taylor Bruen adaptations, and the planned €7m Niko sequel on which Magma is slated to be a co-producer.
Update - March 12
An Anonymous commenter says - Me thinks you know more. Do scriptwriters write on credit and show up looking for 10 cents on the euro? Or is something more strategic afoot?
Dear Anonymous,
No, I wouldn't claim to know any more than that. I had heard rumours of money being owed and chased on a Magma project in recent times but that wouldn't be uncommon in Irish production from time to time.
I wouldn't claim to know what the exact financial relationship is between Magma European Scripting House Ltd and the other companies or businesses with 'Magma' in their title - MAGMA EIRE TEORANTA, MAGMA EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LIMITED, MAGMA FILMS, MAGMA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED.
Nor do I know if there is such a relationship with other companies sharing the same address, among them - ULYSSES FILMS LIMITED, ULYSSES MUSIC PUBLISHING LIMITED, PICTORION SOUND AND VISION LIMITED, or LAKESIDE FILM PRODUCTIONS LIMITED.
Then there are other companies outside the jurisdiction like Ulysses Films NI Ltd in Belfast, Ulysses Film Produktion and Pictorion Magma Animation in Hamburg, and Molten Rock Media GmbH in Bremen that may have some financial relationship, shared directors or co-production roles with Magma companies.
For instance, the Bremen company may be a German vehicle for Magma productions such as the series of Jack Taylor adaptations of Ken Bruen's crime novels. See http://www.moltenrock.eu/ and http://moltenrock.eu/Presse.html and www.jacktaylorfilms.com.
What I can say, as a general observation, is that when film and television production companies collapse, often owing considerable sums of money, the companies' viable projects tend to remain in the beneficial control or ownership of the companies' directors.
These folks then establish new production vehicles for those projects and public funding agencies generally permit or facilitate this to happen. This certainly appeared to happen when Little Bird was wound up and some of their projects in development with the Irish Film Board resurfaced with West Park West (Horses), Caveman (All Good Children) and Soho Moon (Killing Tom and Death and Nightingales).
I cannot say whether such practices are 'strategic' or not. Timing would be a factor, as would be the status of separate development vehicle company(ies), where they exist, because they might not be in financial difficulties.
To give an example of some of the complexities in this area - 'Magma Films' was offered a €150,000 production loan for the sequel Niko: A Family Affair by the Film Board last December (but published only recently). 'Magma Films' is a business name rather than a limited company, although it may be the common usage for Magma's Galway operations. It is not clear which of the companies in the group actually uses it as a trading name or whether that company is in any difficulties.
It does seem to me that viable, developed projects would be considered company assets (like R&D materials) in other lines of business, and would be disposed of on the open market as part of the effort to meet all the company's or group of companies' outstanding liabilities.
A lot might depend on the view a liquidator might take of inter-company and directors' loans within a group of companies - whether these were actual cash transactions or a nominal value that was placed on services provided. And then the question of preferential creditors arises.
Pipe Up!
The Twitterverse is beginning to heat up with reaction to news yesterday that IFTA is seeking a written apology from The Pipe director, and winner of IFTA's George Morrison Documentary Award, Risteard Ó Domhnaill.
Receiving the Award Ó Domhnaill remarked to the effect that at €300 a ticket for the IFTA Awards there was probably one for everyone in the audience. A joke that played well on the night but the footage has since been removed by IFTA from social networking sites and, I hear, any comment about its removal has been moderated away.
That IFTA is looking for a written apology seems ridiculous and more than a little over the top. Far better that they would fully disclose all income and expenditure for the event, including nomination numbers and income, in order to demonstrate how they have no option but to limit the number of complimentary tickets for nominees and have a €300 ticket price.
And by the way, when it is reported that IFTA is looking for a written apology, who is it that is being referred to - IFTA Academy Limited (Dublin 20), Irish Film And Television Academy (Dublin 20), IFTA Awards Limited (Co. Westmeath), or Irish Film & Television Awards (Dublin 20)? Some are companies, some are business names, but is any of them a legally constituted academy of film and television practitioners? With an elected chairperson or president?
Receiving the Award Ó Domhnaill remarked to the effect that at €300 a ticket for the IFTA Awards there was probably one for everyone in the audience. A joke that played well on the night but the footage has since been removed by IFTA from social networking sites and, I hear, any comment about its removal has been moderated away.
That IFTA is looking for a written apology seems ridiculous and more than a little over the top. Far better that they would fully disclose all income and expenditure for the event, including nomination numbers and income, in order to demonstrate how they have no option but to limit the number of complimentary tickets for nominees and have a €300 ticket price.
And by the way, when it is reported that IFTA is looking for a written apology, who is it that is being referred to - IFTA Academy Limited (Dublin 20), Irish Film And Television Academy (Dublin 20), IFTA Awards Limited (Co. Westmeath), or Irish Film & Television Awards (Dublin 20)? Some are companies, some are business names, but is any of them a legally constituted academy of film and television practitioners? With an elected chairperson or president?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
New Broom
Jimmy Deenihan TD will be the new Minister of the re-constituted Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs. Best of luck to him, let's hope he brings a new broom into the Department and questions all the assumptions.
MEDIA Programmes Hearing
The future of the MEDIA programmes
MEDIA 2007 and MEDIA Mundus
Public hearing 18 March 2011- 9.00-16.00
The audiovisual industry in times of globalisation and digitisation
09.00-09.30 Registration & coffee
09.30-09.45 Opening Speeches
09.45-10.10 Keynote: Marjane Satrapi
10.10-10.25 Introduction and context: Vladimir Šucha
10.25-10.35 First results of online consultation & focus groups: Aviva Silver
10.35-11.30 Panel: Old and new business models for the MEDIA programmes:
o Training: Sophie Bourdon (ATC)
o Producers: Johannes Rexin Heimatfilm and Dariusz Jablonski (Apple Film)
o Distribution: Antonio de Medici (Bim Distribution)
o Animation: Marc du Pontavice (Xilam Animation)
11.30-12.30 Interventions from and discussions with the audience
12.30-14.00 Lunch
14.00-14.25 Keynote: Hengameh Panahi
14.25-15.25 Panel: How to better engage with audiences?
o Film literacy: Charlotte Appelgren (Cineregio)
o Producer: Tero Kaukomaa, (Blind Spot)
o VOD Platform: Alain Rocca, (Universciné)
o Cinema: Claude-Eric Poiroux (Europa Cinemas)
o TV: Piodor Gustafsson (SVT)
o Sales Agent: Michael Weber (The Match Factory)
15.25-16.00 Interventions from and discussions with the audience
Closing
MEDIA 2007 and MEDIA Mundus
Public hearing 18 March 2011- 9.00-16.00
The audiovisual industry in times of globalisation and digitisation
09.00-09.30 Registration & coffee
09.30-09.45 Opening Speeches
09.45-10.10 Keynote: Marjane Satrapi
10.10-10.25 Introduction and context: Vladimir Šucha
10.25-10.35 First results of online consultation & focus groups: Aviva Silver
10.35-11.30 Panel: Old and new business models for the MEDIA programmes:
o Training: Sophie Bourdon (ATC)
o Producers: Johannes Rexin Heimatfilm and Dariusz Jablonski (Apple Film)
o Distribution: Antonio de Medici (Bim Distribution)
o Animation: Marc du Pontavice (Xilam Animation)
11.30-12.30 Interventions from and discussions with the audience
12.30-14.00 Lunch
14.00-14.25 Keynote: Hengameh Panahi
14.25-15.25 Panel: How to better engage with audiences?
o Film literacy: Charlotte Appelgren (Cineregio)
o Producer: Tero Kaukomaa, (Blind Spot)
o VOD Platform: Alain Rocca, (Universciné)
o Cinema: Claude-Eric Poiroux (Europa Cinemas)
o TV: Piodor Gustafsson (SVT)
o Sales Agent: Michael Weber (The Match Factory)
15.25-16.00 Interventions from and discussions with the audience
Closing
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Oh lord, in 3D
I thought my ears were deceiving me. The radio ad went something like this - 'See Michael Flatley in Lord of the Dance 3D, in cinemas from March 11'
Perhaps there has been a marketing campaign in other media for several weeks and I've missed it because it seems a rather short run-in to an opening this coming Friday, hot on the (ahem) heels of Carmen 3D which opened last Friday.
Perhaps there has been a marketing campaign in other media for several weeks and I've missed it because it seems a rather short run-in to an opening this coming Friday, hot on the (ahem) heels of Carmen 3D which opened last Friday.
Funding Decisions
The first Irish Film Board loan decisions of 2011, made on March 4.
Development
Project Director Writer Production Co. Funding Award
First Draft Loans
The Brave Tin Soldier Colin Downey €12,000
Tell Them Nothing Domhnaill Glesson €12,000
Closed Circuit Ian Power €12,000
Spin City Johnny O'Reilly €12,000
Better Love Conor Horgan €12,000
Nineteen Days And Counting Ann-Marie McCormack €12,000
Immaculate Ray Lawlor €12,000
Fiction Development Loans
S/He's The Dad Charlie McCarthy Charlie McCarthy Icebox Films €18,000
The Mulberry Project Richie Smyth Martin Brennan & Michael B. Jackson Heavens Gate Films €11,000
A Month In The Country John Banville Treasure Entertainment €28,000
Animation Development Loans
Little Caribou Barry O'Donoghue Barry O'Donoghue Barley Films €10,000
Cosmo Jason Tammemagi Jason Tammemagi Monster Animation & Design €16,000
Production
Project Director Writer Production Co. Funding Award
Fiction Feature Films
Honeycomb Imogen Murphy Matt Reynolds Samson Films Provisional Offer Of Commitment
Funny Bones Conor McMahon Conor McMahon Fantastic Films Provisional Offer Of Commitment
Fiction Creative Co-production
Stay Wiebke Von Carolsfeld Wiebke Von Carolsfeld Samson Films €240,000
Milo Berend & Roel Boorsma Berend & Roel Boorsma Samson Films €400,000
Documentary
Showrunners Des Doyle Black Sheep Productions €15,000
Off The Beaten Track Dieter Auner Ikandi Productions €25,000
Muerte & Me Ross McDonnell & Carter Gunn Fastnet Films €235,000
Clientelle John Loughney Still Films €15,000
Stuffing The Tiger: A Jounrey Through The Crash Donald Taylor Black Poolbeg Productions €10,000
Saving The Titanic Maurice Sweeney Tile Films €150,000
Jerry McGill: Very Extremely Dangerous Paul Duane Screenworks Limited €75,000
Completion Fund
Eliott & Me Fintan Connolly Fintan Connolly Fubar €10,000
Charlie Cassanova Terry McMahon Terry McMahon €13,000
Distribution
Print Provision
Between The Canals Mark O'Connor Maek O'Connor Avalon Films €5,486
Rewind PJ Dillon PJ Dillon Carbon Films €8,100
Small Change Cathy Brady Cathy Brady Venom Limited €3,355
Marketing Support
As If I Am Not There Juanita Wilson Juanita Wilson Element Distribution €21,825
Essential Killing Jerzy Skolimowski Jerzy Skolimowski Element Distribution €5,000
Direct Distribution
Between The Canals Mark O'Connor Mark O'Connor Avalon Films €7,200
Rewind PJ Dillon PJ Dillon Carbon Films €15,000
Development
Project Director Writer Production Co. Funding Award
First Draft Loans
The Brave Tin Soldier Colin Downey €12,000
Tell Them Nothing Domhnaill Glesson €12,000
Closed Circuit Ian Power €12,000
Spin City Johnny O'Reilly €12,000
Better Love Conor Horgan €12,000
Nineteen Days And Counting Ann-Marie McCormack €12,000
Immaculate Ray Lawlor €12,000
Fiction Development Loans
S/He's The Dad Charlie McCarthy Charlie McCarthy Icebox Films €18,000
The Mulberry Project Richie Smyth Martin Brennan & Michael B. Jackson Heavens Gate Films €11,000
A Month In The Country John Banville Treasure Entertainment €28,000
Animation Development Loans
Little Caribou Barry O'Donoghue Barry O'Donoghue Barley Films €10,000
Cosmo Jason Tammemagi Jason Tammemagi Monster Animation & Design €16,000
Production
Project Director Writer Production Co. Funding Award
Fiction Feature Films
Honeycomb Imogen Murphy Matt Reynolds Samson Films Provisional Offer Of Commitment
Funny Bones Conor McMahon Conor McMahon Fantastic Films Provisional Offer Of Commitment
Fiction Creative Co-production
Stay Wiebke Von Carolsfeld Wiebke Von Carolsfeld Samson Films €240,000
Milo Berend & Roel Boorsma Berend & Roel Boorsma Samson Films €400,000
Documentary
Showrunners Des Doyle Black Sheep Productions €15,000
Off The Beaten Track Dieter Auner Ikandi Productions €25,000
Muerte & Me Ross McDonnell & Carter Gunn Fastnet Films €235,000
Clientelle John Loughney Still Films €15,000
Stuffing The Tiger: A Jounrey Through The Crash Donald Taylor Black Poolbeg Productions €10,000
Saving The Titanic Maurice Sweeney Tile Films €150,000
Jerry McGill: Very Extremely Dangerous Paul Duane Screenworks Limited €75,000
Completion Fund
Eliott & Me Fintan Connolly Fintan Connolly Fubar €10,000
Charlie Cassanova Terry McMahon Terry McMahon €13,000
Distribution
Print Provision
Between The Canals Mark O'Connor Maek O'Connor Avalon Films €5,486
Rewind PJ Dillon PJ Dillon Carbon Films €8,100
Small Change Cathy Brady Cathy Brady Venom Limited €3,355
Marketing Support
As If I Am Not There Juanita Wilson Juanita Wilson Element Distribution €21,825
Essential Killing Jerzy Skolimowski Jerzy Skolimowski Element Distribution €5,000
Direct Distribution
Between The Canals Mark O'Connor Mark O'Connor Avalon Films €7,200
Rewind PJ Dillon PJ Dillon Carbon Films €15,000
Monday, March 7, 2011
Getting with the programme...
...or, some snippets from the government-in-waiting's programme - Government for National Recovery 2011 - 2016
• Where appropriate, agency boards will be scrapped and agency managers will report directly to Ministers and their Departments on performance against targets.
• We will go beyond the recommendations of An Bord Snip to rationalise core processes that are duplicated across the public service, by establishing shared backoffice operations for information technology, human resource management payments and entitlement applications, business inspections and procurement.
• We will make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies.
• We will instigate a Government-wide review to identify and eliminate non-priority programmes and outsource, where appropriate, non-critical functions.
Cut the 13.5% rate of VAT to 12% up to end 2013 [The exhibition trade will welcome this]
Arts, Culture and Sport
• We will make strategic policy formulation the primary function of the Department, with line agencies and bodies responsible for policy implementation.
• We will seek to capture some public good from NAMA by identifying buildings that have no commercial potential, and which might be suitable as local facilities for art and culture.
Responsibility for policy-making will revert to the Department, while agencies will be accountable for implementing policy, assessing outcomes and value for money.
All State funding will be subject to the beneficiaries signing up to a dispute resolution service, a code of governance and a new mandatory code of conduct regarding child protection in sport.
Communications
• We will review and update Intellectual Property legislation currently in place to benefit innovation, develop a National Intellectual Property protocol to give clarity about terms on which business can access IP created in Higher Education Institutions, and clarify legislation relating to online copyright infringement and enforcement of rights relating to digital communications.
• We will examine the role, and collection of, the TV license fee in light of existing and projected convergence of broadcasting technologies, transform the TV licence into a household-based Public Broadcasting Charge applied to all households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device they use to access content and review new ways of TV licence collection, including the possibility of paying in instalments through another utility bill (electricity or telecom), collection
by local authorities, Revenue or new contract with An Post.
• We will review the funding of public and independent broadcasters to ensure a healthy broadcasting environment in Ireland.
• Where appropriate, agency boards will be scrapped and agency managers will report directly to Ministers and their Departments on performance against targets.
• We will go beyond the recommendations of An Bord Snip to rationalise core processes that are duplicated across the public service, by establishing shared backoffice operations for information technology, human resource management payments and entitlement applications, business inspections and procurement.
• We will make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies.
• We will instigate a Government-wide review to identify and eliminate non-priority programmes and outsource, where appropriate, non-critical functions.
Cut the 13.5% rate of VAT to 12% up to end 2013 [The exhibition trade will welcome this]
Arts, Culture and Sport
• We will make strategic policy formulation the primary function of the Department, with line agencies and bodies responsible for policy implementation.
• We will seek to capture some public good from NAMA by identifying buildings that have no commercial potential, and which might be suitable as local facilities for art and culture.
Responsibility for policy-making will revert to the Department, while agencies will be accountable for implementing policy, assessing outcomes and value for money.
All State funding will be subject to the beneficiaries signing up to a dispute resolution service, a code of governance and a new mandatory code of conduct regarding child protection in sport.
Communications
• We will review and update Intellectual Property legislation currently in place to benefit innovation, develop a National Intellectual Property protocol to give clarity about terms on which business can access IP created in Higher Education Institutions, and clarify legislation relating to online copyright infringement and enforcement of rights relating to digital communications.
• We will examine the role, and collection of, the TV license fee in light of existing and projected convergence of broadcasting technologies, transform the TV licence into a household-based Public Broadcasting Charge applied to all households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device they use to access content and review new ways of TV licence collection, including the possibility of paying in instalments through another utility bill (electricity or telecom), collection
by local authorities, Revenue or new contract with An Post.
• We will review the funding of public and independent broadcasters to ensure a healthy broadcasting environment in Ireland.
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