New York-based funding agency MEP Capital, which beforehand acquired the library of Lotus Entertainment, is launching West Facet Footage, a brand new unbiased rights administration banner.
Together with Lotus Leisure, MEP additionally not too long ago acquired the distribution rights to over 500 movies and TV exhibits from Kew Media, together with “Line of Obligation,” “Thank You For Smoking” and “Jack Taylor and Guidelines of Engagement.”
Now boasting a library comprising greater than 800 films, TV collection and documentaries, MEP Capital has signed offers with Magnolia and Abacus Media Rights to deal with the distribution of those titles within the U.S. and internationally, throughout streamers and TV channels.
West Facet Footage may even personal and handle ongoing debt and fairness participations positions within the late Roger Michell’s “Blackbird” and The Jim Henson Firm’s “Transportable Door,” amongst a dozen of productions funded by MEP Capital.
Prior acquisitions consolidated in West Facet Footage embrace the 58-title library beforehand managed by Lotus Leisure, notably “Hachi”, “The Gray”, “Jobs”, “Simply Mates;” in addition to 11 critically acclaimed indie films produced by John Hart, such because the Oscar-winning “Boys Don’t Cry” and “You Can Depend on Me.”
MEP Capital companion Andrew Kotliar stated “Magnolia might be primarily specializing in distributing, servicing and merchandising these titles in all rights domestically, together with TVOD, SVOD and AVOD.” Abacus Media Rights, the corporate created by former Kew Media Distribution gross sales boss Jonathan Ford, will deal with worldwide licensing of those titles.
Talking to Selection, Kotliar says he launched MEP Capital years in the past to put money into the music business and began diversifying into the movie, TV, and different media segments in 2017. He argues the timing is correct to consolidate its place within the film and TV panorama with the creation of West Facet Footage.
“We see numerous alternatives proper now in aggregating these rights at a time when there’s numerous change throughout the entire varied platforms,” says Kotliar. “We’re massive believers that one of these content material goes to proceed being helpful for all of the platforms, particularly as the varied streamers and networks are realizing they’ll’t maintain their providers solely on owned and internally-produced IP,” continued the manager.
Kotliar predicts that streamers “will want third social gathering content material to complement their originals extra so than ever.” He says West Facet Footage will present them with a scaled library that has a mix of choose status films like “Boys Don’t Cry,” and extra business fare.
The banner is now eyeing additional acquisitions, notably a number of investments in distribution and manufacturing corporations outdoors the US, says Kotliar. When it comes to new film manufacturing financing, the corporate usually seeks tasks with budgets as much as $20 million. MEC Capital additionally backs choose gamers within the U.S., comparable to Will and Jada Smith’s Westbrook.
