EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Content, Casarotto Ramsay & Associates and United Agents have set former ITVS Creative Director Patrick Spence (Spy Among Friends) as Managing Director of their UK film and TV production joint venture.
Sophie Gardiner, who has overseen the JV since its initial launch, will transition into a first look deal with the company. She will continue to work on their current film and TV projects.
Formerly known as Chapter One Pictures, the outpost has now rebranded to AC Chapter One. Spence will continue to run the company’s day to day operations independent of the three founding companies.
Spence joins AC Chapter One from ITV Studios. We broke news of his exit from the UK broadcaster last month. In his time there, he executive-produced projects including BAFTA-nominated drama A Spy Among Friends, starring Damian Lewis, Guy Pearce and Anna Maxwell Martin, and Litvinenko, starring David Tennant.
Prior to ITV Studios, he set up and ran the drama production label Fifty Fathoms for ten years, where he executive-produced Pete Bowker’s BAFTA-winning film Marvellous, horror series Fortitude, starring Stanley Tucci and Dennis Quaid and Jack Thorne’s limited series The Eddy for Netflix, directed by Damien Chazelle. He also spent ten years as Head of Drama for BBC NI, where he executive-produced mini series Occupation and hit series Waking the Dead. He started his career as a script editor on Jimmy McGovern’s Cracker
Anonymous and AC Chapter One are currently in production on the adaptation of Trent Dalton’s Australian novel, Boy Swallows Universe for Netflix. The UK company recently completed production on Jack Thorne’s drama series Best Interests, starring Michael Sheen and Sharon Horgan, set to debut later this year.
“Our international footprint remains a core focus at Anonymous and we are thrilled that Patrick Spence has joined the team to lead this next phase of AC Chapter One,” said David Davoli and David Levine, in a joint statement on behalf of Anonymous Content.
They continued: “Since its inception, the goal of AC Chapter One has been to share exceptional stories with a global audience. We are grateful to Sophie for her dedication and collaboration over the past few years in helping us to create something new and exciting, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in a new capacity.”
“We have had a long and fruitful creative relationship with Patrick over the many years he has been working at the highest level in UK television in various incarnations. With exceptional taste and talent relationships, we can’t think of a better producer to lead AC Chapter One forward into this new phase,“ said Rachel Holroyd of Casarotto.
“We have always been impressed by the energy and ingenuity Patrick brings to every project he works on. We can’t wait to work with him in his new role at AC Chapter One,” commented St John Donald of UA.
“This was an offer I could not resist. Anonymous, Casarotto and United on the same team, with David Levine as the coach in the dugout. This is as good as it gets for a producer who lives to champion extraordinary talent and work with mouth-watering IP,” added Spence.
Anonymous Content’s international JVs also include Anonymous Federation in partnership with Federation Entertainment; AC Nordic in partnership with Morten Tyldum and Guri Neby; and AC Brazil, their joint venture with RT Features and CAA.