Optimum, Kinowelt to be rebranded as StudioCanal

UK distributor Optimum Releasing and German distributor Kinowelt have taken on the name of their parent company StudioCanal.

All three operations will be known as StudioCanal as of Sept 1.  

The move is to create a single production/financing/distribution brand across the arms of the pan-European studio in the three largest markets.

Olivier Courson, Chairman, says: “We are already working together as one company across the three countries so this is a very natural evolution for StudioCanal. It will strengthen our status as the only European company in the UK France and Germany. It will also provide clarity to all of our creative and business partners.”

Danny Perkins, CEO of StudioCanal’s UK company noted that the name change would have no impact on the level of support for UK talent and projects. “StudioCanal, even before they worked with us, had a long working relationship with Working Title,” he told Screen. “They have always had a belief in UK talent – British filmmaking, writing, producing. They really are investing in that. There is a strong commitment to UK production so we’ll only be doing more.”

Perkins reiterated that nothing would change with the operations at the UK company (known as Optimum until Sept 1). “Optimum has been part of StudioCanal for five years [since the acquisition in 2006], and the growth of the company has been huge. I think it is a different company than it was five years ago and it makes sense to be part of the bigger group and to be branded that way. The company is still the same, there is still the same ethos in working with filmmakers and putting an emphasis on storytelling. All those ideas that Optimum were built on are what StudioCanal does, and we’re an important part within the group.”

He continued: “We’ve got a good blend, it’s working internationally and locally at the same time. Each market is different, but we can benefit from the economies of scale.”

Concurrently, the German company (formerly Kinowelt) will move its office from Leipzig to Berlin on Sept 1.

The company will also have a new logo [pictured at right] and new moving logo, both created by UK agency Devilfish.

The new moving logo will be unveiled with the world premiere StudioCanal-backed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. (That film is launched Sept 16 in the UK and in early 2012 in France and Germany.)

Thomas Alfredson directs the film (produced by Working Title), based on John le Carre’s bestselling novel, and it stars Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy.

Perkins noted: “That’s a great film to launch [the new logo] with because that’s exactly the type of film we want to be doing – its a strong European film, great European filmmaker, international cast, and I think it shows exactly what a European studio is capable of doing. It’s great to start the branding with that.”