Warp Films, the Sheffield indie behind This is England, Four Lions and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, is being backed by Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund.
Founded 20 years ago by Mark Herbert, the company has produced a total of 26 feature films and 8 TV series, winning 18 Baftas.
“We have forged an amazing relationship with Channel 4 over the last 20 years. They have always truly backed us as a regional company, and it is so exciting that the growth fund has now committed to backing the next, exciting phase of our story,” said Warp Films joint-CEOs Mark Herbert and Peter Carlton.
“Our plan is bold, and it seems fitting that we are partnering with an investor who has been integral to our success to date.”
Channel 4 will become a minority shareholder in Warp, with the company stating that it planned to use the investment to increase its focus on premium returnable drama and build its relationships with UK and US broadcasters and streamers.
“Warp Films has consistently produced outstanding and acclaimed content over the years and it’s hugely exciting to see the company looking to build on this by expanding further into returnable high-end drama,” explained Caroline Murphy, Head of Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund.
“We’re thrilled Warp has joined the Indie Growth Fund at such a key moment in the company’s development. This is an investment which brings something different to the IGF portfolio and represents a broadening of the scope of the fund.”
Niall Shamma, COO of Warp Films COO added:
“We recognise there is a huge opportunity to grow the company both in terms of the budget size and the quantity of productions. This scaling up requires capital, but we also want a partner that allows us to stay true to our ethos. We want to create a legacy, both in terms of our productions but also in terms of a tangible economic benefit to the region.”
Warp Films takes the number of companies in Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund portfolio to 19, with 11 having joined since 2020.
