New York-based funding agency MEP Capital, which beforehand acquired the library of Lotus Leisure, is launching West Facet Photos, 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 motion pictures, 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 Photos may also personal and handle ongoing debt and fairness participations positions within the late Roger Michell’s “Blackbird” and The Jim Henson Firm’s “Moveable Door,” amongst a dozen of productions funded by MEP Capital.
Prior acquisitions consolidated in West Facet Photos embrace the 58-title library beforehand managed by Lotus Leisure, notably “Hachi”, “The Gray”, “Jobs”, “Simply Pals;” in addition to 11 critically acclaimed indie motion pictures produced by John Hart, such because the Oscar-winning “Boys Don’t Cry” and “You Can Depend on Me.”
MEP Capital associate Andrew Kotliar stated “Magnolia will probably 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.
Chatting with Selection, Kotliar says he launched MEP Capital years in the past to spend money on the music trade and began diversifying into the movie, TV, and different media segments in 2017. He argues the timing is true to consolidate its place within the film and TV panorama with the creation of West Facet Photos.
“We see a number of alternatives proper now in aggregating these rights at a time when there’s a number of change throughout the entire varied platforms,” says Kotliar. “We’re massive believers that this kind of content material goes to proceed being priceless for all of the platforms, particularly as the varied streamers and networks are realizing they will’t maintain their providers solely on owned and internally-produced IP,” continued the chief.
Kotliar predicts that streamers “will want third celebration content material to complement their originals extra so than ever.” He says West Facet Photos will present them with a scaled library that has a mixture of choose status motion pictures 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 firms outdoors the US, says Kotliar. When it comes to new film manufacturing financing, the corporate sometimes seeks tasks with budgets as much as $20 million. MEP Capital additionally backs choose gamers within the U.S., akin to Will and Jada Smith’s Westbrook.
