ScreenDog Productions, the indie that made Channel 4's The Jury: Murder Trial, and Ladywell Films, a company set up by the creatives behind Netflix's The Tinder Swindler, have both secured private investment.
ScreenDog plans to scale up with more shows that “ask important societal questions” after Edition Capital took a minority stake, while Ladywell is the latest UK indie to receive backing from US firm Asylum Entertainment.
ScreenDog
Brighton-based ScreenDog, which also made Stacey Dooley: Stalkers for BBC1 and Smugglers for Channel 4, has already ploughed some of the cash injection into hiring former C4 exec Mark Raeburn as chief financial officer.
The company is also planning to make a strategic senior editorial hire to build its development slate.
ScreenDog recently secured a second series of its C4 hit The Jury: The Murder Trial – the broadcaster’s biggest unscripted launch in a decade – and plans to grow its range of popular factual formats.
Managing director Ed Kellie said: “As the viewing market becomes more competitive, being able to deliver hit returning series that stand out on schedules is more important than ever.
“ScreenDog has other popular projects with a ‘ScreendDog twist’ in development and production, and with Edition we see the potential to scale up these productions to continue the winning streak.”
Raeburn oversaw a content budget of £700m and since leaving the broadcaster in 2021, he has held financial and commercial roles at indies including Freedom Scripted, Minnow Films, Curious Films, Rebel TV and Salamanda Media.
“Having already worked with Ed and the ScreenDog management team in helping secure and get the investment over the line, I’m really excited to join a very talented team in an ongoing capacity with a remit of helping to continue to grow the business and achieve its long-term ambitions,” he said.
Edition Capital said it sees a “mid to long-term opportunity in the non-scripted space” for ScreenDog.
The company’s investments include Curious Films, creative agency Wildkat Group and TTB Management, the company behind The Football Show franchise.
Ladywell Films
Meanhwile, Ladywell Films co-founder Felicity Morris said Asylum's investment gave her company "the resources to further push the boundaries of storytelling".
Morris set up the indie with fellow Raw exec Bernadette Higgins, having jointly exec-ed The Tinder Swindler and co-directed, co-written and co-produced another Netflix true-crime series, American Nightmare.
Morris also produced another Netflix true-crime hit, Don't F**k with Cats while Higgins produced Fear City: NY vs the Mafia for the streamer.
Asylum's UK portfolio includes Dare Pictures, Soho Studios and Moon&Back Media.
The investor's chief executive Steve Michaels said: “Bernadette and Felicity are behind some of the most compelling and groundbreaking documentaries to date, giving voice to survivors of shocking crimes and resonating profoundly with viewers worldwide.
“Our investment in Ladywell Films reflects the duo’s unrivalled talent and fresh perspective within this high-demand genre. They’re perfect partners as their talent mirrors Asylum’s mission to deliver high-quality, memorable content to a global audience.”
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