Film London Forecasts $12B Boost To UK Capital; AI-Powered Self-Tape App Launch (Exclusive); ‘Motel Destino’ Deals; Arvet Agency Hire; WBD UK Orders — Global Briefs

Melanie Goodfellow and Jesse Whittock
·5-min read

Film London Predicts $12B Film & TV Boost To UK Capital

Film London has suggested that the film, TV and animation industries could generate as much as $12B (£9.5B) in investment in the UK capital in the next five years to 2028-29, as a result of its support activities.  The body released the figures as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday. It said this investment would in turn add another $1.2B (£1B) in GVA for London over the same five-year period. The future impact figures were modelled on 2023/24 data.  Film London noted that the forecast builds on figures for the previous five years, during which it said $5B (£4B) was invested in London as a result of its activities. These include the Artists Moving Image Network, equal access schemes such as Breaking the Glass Ceiling as well as the Production Finance Market (PFM), during the BFI London Film Festival, and the London Screenings. The event was attended by the likes of Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and filmmakers Mike Leigh and Gurinder Chadha. Actor Riz Ahmed and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan provided messages of support.

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Actor’s Self-Tape Aid App Rafy Launches (Exclusive)

An app that provides actors with tools to learn lines and self-tape without the need for a reader is launching today. Subscription service Rafy is billed as an “interactive mobile app for actors to practice and record auditions with an AI-powered reader that can be customized for every scene.” Users upload scripts, generate and customize the voices they read with, practice and self-tape. Its creators, actress Jamila Hache and Marvel composer Daniel Rojas say the app — which has Basic, Plus and Premium tiers — is an “ethical way of using AI, helping actors without taking anyone’s job.” They noted that after to the coronavirus pandemic, self-taping had become “the new norm,” but that finding a reader could be challenging. “Typically, our readers are fellow actors, friends, roommates, or family members who volunteer their time, making our self-taping schedule dependent on their availability,” they added in a statement. “This adds pressure, as we feel rushed to complete auditions quickly, which can hinder our performance. Rafy lets do you this all by yourself, on your own time.”

The Match Factory Unveils Deals For ‘Motel Destino’

The Match Factory has unveiled a slew of sales for Karim Aïnouz’s neon-noir thriller Motel Destino, which world premiered in Competition in Cannes to a 14-minute standing ovation in May. It has sold to Germany (Piffl Medien), Benelux (Cherrypickers Film Distributie), Spain (Vertigo Films), Latin America excluding Brazil (MUBI), Scandinavia (Njutafilms), Poland (Aurora Films), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Romania (Bad Unicorn), the Baltics (A-One Films), Greece (Danaos Films), Former Yugoslavia (MCF MegaCom Film), Bulgaria (Beta Film), and Taiwan (Catchplay). Tandem has secured the French distribution rights ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, while Brouhaha and Written Rock are handling the UK rights. The thriller is set against the backdrop of a roadside sex hotel on the Northern Brazilian coast run by boorish Elias and his frustrated, beautiful wife Dayana. The arrival of a young man on the run from the police and a violent gang after a botched hit, brings intrigue and tension. The film is due to premiere in Brazil on August 22 in more than 100 cinemas.

Sweden’s Arvet Agency Bolsters Team For Lars Wilderäng Adaptations

Catherine Mörk has joined Stockholm-based production company Arvet Agency as Executive Producer on its ongoing Lars Wilderäng’s book adaptations to screen and gaming platforms as well producer on other acquisitions to be announced at a later stage. Mörk connected with Arvet Agency through her previous position as a literary agent at Norstedts Publishing, through which she negotiated the original adaptations deal with her new employer. “I have enjoyed working with Catherine on the Lars Wilderäng properties during her time at Norstedts and the timing and opportunity could not be better for Arvet to have such a sharp, knowledgeable and future thinking collaborator – plus she’s very cool.” said Grace Maharaj, CEO and founder of Arvet Agency. Arvet Agency acquired the rights to Lars Wilderäng’s books for development and production on all media platforms including gaming, under its Arvet Nordic Genre banner, as we revealed in 2021. Maharaj added that “the industry is at an interesting turning point. These are exciting times for creatives to think outside the box, stay curious, discover and develop new business models that align with the new dawn of entertainment technology and how we tell stories for an audience.”

James May & Andrew Tate Doc In WBD UK & Ireland Line-Up

The latest original orders for Warner Bros Discovery UK & Ireland’s streaming and linear services include a James May unscripted series and an Andrew Tate doc for the Faking It rue crime strand. James May & the Dull Men’s Club will follow the Grant Tour presenter solving conundrums such as why a washing machine can’t double up as a cooker to “try and bring a little bit of order and rationale to the chaos of modern existence. The eight-part show from Plum Pictures will air on Quest. Andrew Tate: Icon or Toxic? A Faking It Special will see experts in body language and forensics assess the social media influencer’s responses to his alleged crimes, which include rape and human trafficking in Romania. Tate has denied all of the allegations. There will also be a Faking It special about convicted serial killer Levi Bellfield and another on the ‘Grindr Killer’ Stephen Port, who was convicted of killing four men. The specials air on Discovery+. As part of a 50+hour slate of originals, there will also be second seasons of Vinnie Jones in the Country and Roux Back Down the River, along with several other new unscripted shows.

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