London-based Berkeley Square launches as production, finance, sales outfit

Writer/producer/director Paul Tamasy (Air Bud), independent film producer and financier Daniel Figuero (The Bunker) and London/Hong Kong-based venture capital managers Justin Howard, Stephen Metcalfe, and John Tibbs have launched Berkeley Square Films Limited.

The new London-based production, finance and sales company for film and TV will focus on highly commercial projects budgeted at $7m or below.

Mark Hamill, best known as the actor who played Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, will sit on the company’s board of directors. Hamill is now a writer/director/producer (on films such as Comic Book: The Movie).

Graham Taylor of William Morris Endeavor will package the projects on behalf of the company. BSF will announce its initial slate of projects during Cannes. The company is launching with a UK share offer being eyed by a hedge fund and wealthy individuals. BSF also plans to talk to co-production and financing partners.

Hamill said: “We are looking to make commercially viable films for the indy world – an area which has generally been ignored and a source of great contention in the festival circuit. BSF will have three such projects out of the gate and more in the works, all of which are branded with a strong commercial hook.”

The BSF partners said in a statement:  “We will make sure we transfer a majority of our budgets to the screen, breaking away from the hugely inefficient studio model with its inherent overhead requirements. BSF will focus on creating tightly produced stories for a wide audience to enjoy.”

The sales and marketing operation will handle BSF productions as well as third-party projects.