UK producer and film financier Baker Street Entertainment is partnering with London based animation studio Darkside Entertainment on ambitious new $8m (£4m)CGI animated feature, The Kitchen Games. The film comes billed as 'a tale of cutlery from opposite sides of the table, which compete once a year to decide who will rule the kitchen.'

The long-term goal is to create a British CGI animation franchise 'that will create a series of extremely high quality yet cost effective movies together with a range of merchandising opportunities.' The first Kitchen Games movie should be ready by the end of 2009. It will have some 3D elements. The creative team includes writer-director Dirk Maggs and animation director Andrew Bishop.

That deal comes as Baker Street has downsized and reconstituted itself. The original Baker Street Media Finance Ltd has been dissolved and two other Baker Street-branded companies have been set up in its stead. Baker Street Media Management concentrates on 'back office type work.' Meanwhile, Baker Street Entertainment focuses on new productions.

'On balance, our view is that the brand name (Baker Street) is worth keeping and everybodfy knows it, certainly within the industry side,' Baker Street's Keith Evans said.

Baker Street Entertainment is also producing and financing Luna, the latest feature from Dave McKean (Mirrormask). The film, which stars Ben Daniels, Dervla Kirwan, Stephanie Leonidas and Michael Maloney, is produced by Simon Moorhead. The executive producers are Keith Evans, Keith Griffiths and Neil Gaiman. Live-action shooting is largely completed and McKean will finish post-production and special effects later this year. A sales agent is yet to be appointed but an AFM launch is likely.

The revamped company plans to continue supporting independent UK productions in the $2m-$10m (£1m-£5m) range.

Among its more unusual future projects is Silence, a teenage sci-fi movie that will be made in sign language and aimed at the deaf and hard of hearing. 'There are something like 300 million deaf or hard of hearing people all round the world who use sign language so instantly you know where your audience is,' said Keith Evans.

Over the last decade, Baker Street has overseen $320m (£160m) worth of production finance investment into 27 UK films, backing such features as Bloody Sunday, Saving Grace, Ladies In Lavender and My Summer Of Love.

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