Portman Film & TV is one of the leading UK-based distributors of content for the international television market. The company has been in the business for more than 40 years and specialises in quality English- language drama
In 2005, Portman entered the format sector with the acquisition of Click TV. The Click library contains titles such as The People’s Court, Game For A Laugh and This Is Your Life, which returns to ITV this year.
In 2007, Portman became the first distribution company under the umbrella of the Digital Rights Group. DRG is backed by IMAC (Ingenious Media Active Capital), the largest listed media fund in Europe. DRG will provide producers with international distribution for their rights and programmes independently of the major broadcasters or other producer-owned distributors.
The Group will work with producers during all phases of the production process: from development to the acquisition of finished programmes and formats. The focus will be on high quality, across multi-genres and delivered to all platforms.
Chris Wright (Non-executive Chairman)
Chris is Portman’s largest shareholder and is also Chairman of Chrysalis Group. He has a long track record of building valuable businesses in the creative industries, including music, music publishing, radio and television programme production.
Jeremy Fox (Chief Executive)
Jeremy has worked in all aspects of television production and distribution.
Having started as a journalist for ITN and Granada he then created The
Krypton Factor which ran for 17 years on ITV. He became one of the pioneers
of the format business when he founded and owned one of the UK’s
first and most successful production companies, Action Time, which grew
to having 12 series on air before its sale to Carlton Television. He then
spent a number of years in the international sector, first as president
of a US production company and then as President of Channel Nine Australia,
the international arm of Kerry Packer’s Nine Network. Returning
to the UK as a Director of TV-AM, he then became CEO of Richard Branson’s
Virgin TV before acquiring the company to create Click TV.
Neil Zeiger (Head of Development)
Neil is a long-established producer of major UK drama series. He created and produced over 100 hours of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries for ITV as well as Peak Practice and Rock Face. He has worked as both an independent producer and for the BBC and his credits include casting Liam Neeson and Kenneth Brannagh in their first starring roles. Neil is the key contact at Portman for writers and producers and is responsible for developing major drama series for network television.
Chris Bartlett (Head of Television Sales)
Chris has extensive experience of international television distribution. He has worked for the BBC, Thames and Channel 4 as well as at smaller boutique distributors. Although he has distributed almost every genre of programming from sport and news to lifestyle and children’s, he is the key contact at Portman for the acquisition and sale of completed drama series.
All enquiries to Annie Protheroe
e-mail: annie@portmanfilm.com
Portman Film & Television Ltd
21 – 25 St Anne’s Court
London W1F 0BJ
Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7494 8024
Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7494 8046