Lord of the Rings Deal
Lord of the Rings Deal
LOTR

CREDIT: THE SAUL ZAENTZ COMPANY

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"One Deal to rule them all"
Thomas Dey

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Syco
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Ian Rosenblatt OBE

CREDIT: SYCO ENTERTAINMENT

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Bear Grylls
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CREDIT: BEAR GRYLLS VENTURES

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Paddington
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Marva Collins

CREDIT: PADDINGTON AND COMPANY

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Shamrock Capital - Boardwalk Pictures credit
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Michelle Obama

CREDIT: BOARDWALK PICTURES

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Pilgrim

CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

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Henry David Thoreau

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Leftfield
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Unknown

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Plimsoll Productions

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Winston Churchill

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ACF Advises Leading European Media Group, Nordic Entertainment Group - Sale of Nent Studios UK (formerly DRG) to All3Media


ACF is proud to announce that it has advised Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) on the sale of NENT Studios’ UK distribution business (formerly known as DRG) to All3Media.

DRG has been a leading UK distribution business since 2006. The exciting divestment will expand All3Media’s catalogue by more than 10,000 hours of scripted and unscripted content and over 100 formats. This includes the long-running Doc Martin (which has been sold into more than 200 territories and seven international remakes), The Cry (sold in over 165 territories), Shameless, Don’t Tell the Bride and Catchphrase. DRG has recently expanded its capabilities in scripted content, including Channel 4 and Viaplay co-production Close to Me, and Channel 5 drama The Holiday.

NENT Group divested its UK distribution arm as part of an overall reorganization of NENT Studios to focus on the expansion of NENT Group’s leading streaming service, Viaplay.

Richard Gray, Managing Director, and John O’Brien, Associate Director, advised NENT Group on the transaction.


DIGITAL RIGHTS GROUP “DRG”

London-based DRG has been a leading distributor in the UK for the past 15 years. The company was formed in 2006 as a traditional distribution business following acquisitions of Portman Films & TV, Channel 4 International, ID Distribution, and Zeal Entertainment. DRG has also most recently moved into origination, development, co-financing and co-production of content via its expansive relationships in the UK production market. Its first two co-productions, Close To Me and The Holiday, are expected to be delivered in 2021.

DRG was acquired by Modern Times Group (MTG) in 2013 and later became part of NENT Group in 2018 following the spinoff of NENT Group and MTG Studios.


Key Titles

The Cry<br>
<div style="font-weight:normal; !important ">Sold in over 165 territories</div>
The Cry
Sold in over 165 territories
Doc Martin
Doc Martin
10 seasons
Shameless
Shameless
10 seasons
Catchphrase
Catchphrase

Co-Production Titles

Above: Co-Production Titles: Close to Me, The Holiday


Gabriel Catrina

“All3Media’s position as a global distributor and storyteller makes it an ideal home for NENT Studios’ UK distribution business. This agreement and the ongoing sale of our Nordic non-scripted businesses are in line with NENT Group’s strategy of focusing on scripted content for our fast-expanding Viaplay streaming service, which will be available in at least 15 countries by 2023. We thank ACF for their great support with this transaction.”

Gabriel Catrina, Chief Financial Officer, NENT Group


“We are delighted to have supported NENT Group in their strategy to divest its UK distribution arm, DRG. The process was highly competitive despite the unprecedented impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, which saw us receive significant interest from a range of international buyers.

The transaction will enable NENT Group to focus on its expansion plans for its streaming service, Viaplay, and is a great complementary acquisition for All3Media and its international distribution business.”

Thomas Dey, Chief Executive Officer, ACF Investment Bank

Thomas Dey

5/5

What People Are Saying

“Since this was our first time working with an investment bank and raising capital for any of our businesses, I wasn’t sure what to expect. ACF has a great reputation and came highly recommended from several people that I hold in high regard. Overall, the experience working with Richard, Milos and Thomas was pure joy. They were the perfect partner for us, as they educated us as we were working through the process, they challenged us to think bigger about the scope and scale of our business, and they aggressively represented our business in the marketplace bringing multiple opportunities to us in a very challenging economic time. The partnership and guidance they provided was essential and they were extremely easy to work with. I only hope this is the first of many deals that we are able to execute together.”

Shawn Gee
Two One Five Entertainment

"ACF’s certainly got talent. Their team, led by the ever-tenacious Thomas Dey, delivered on their promises and introduced the perfect partners to achieve our goals."

Ian Rosenblatt OBE, Director
Syco Entertainment

"Given the complexities and importance of the rights at stake in our transaction, we interviewed several investment bank candidates at length before retaining ACF to guide our process.  We could not have chosen better!  ACF personnel were dedicated, creative, practical, responsive and deeply knowledgeable about the intricacies of the sales process. Over the months involved, Thomas, Richard, Tatiana and the rest of the ACF staff met with and worked skillfully and credibly with scores of potential buyers and with our own employees leading ultimately to a high value and very fair outcome benefitting both our company and the buyer. They have our deep respect and gratitude for a job so well accomplished"

Marty Glick, COO
The Saul Zaentz Company

“At this stage of 72’s development, there are great advantages and opportunities of joining forces with Fremantle. Their extensive international infrastructure and expertise will provide 72 Films with the platform to have our work seen across the world. We know and like their excellent team. And they offer us not only fantastic support but complete creative freedom so we can continue to work in the same way.

It’s been a real pleasure working with Thomas Dey and the whole team at ACF. They are brilliant at what they do. And alongside Matisse it’s been an incredible team behind this deal.”

Mark Raphael, David Glover, Founders and Chief Executive Officers
72 Films

“This exciting new deal between Broke and Bones and Netflix marks an exciting period of content creation, demonstrating the strong relationship between market leading creatives and the streaming platforms. ACF brokered the deal using our strong track record, experience and access in the UK and USA scripted markets. Premium content continues to lead the market with strong deals that ACF have closed including advising Mammoth Screen on sale to ITV, Neal Street to All3Media, Left Bank Pictures to Sony, Thinkfactory to ITV, Paddington Bear to Studio Canal, New Pictures to All3Media, and Carnival Pictures to NBC Universal.”

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"It has been an incredible journey for Delbert and I to get to the stage where we can build out our adventure shows under our own Studio. We stand on the shoulders of many giants, the ACF team have been incredible guides through the process - at its heart this is about building the ultimate home of adventure programming worldwide."

Bear Grylls & Delbert Shoopman
The Natural Studios

"Critical Content has been a leading player in the unscripted space for the last decade, led by a first class team. Media continues to dominate the deal landscape, with content leading the pack. What a great start to 2022! Congratulations to the whole team."

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"Boardwalk Pictures are one of the preeminent producers of premium content and this partnership with Shamrock secures Boardwalks positioning as a leading player in this market. Shamrock’s deep understanding and experience in the content space makes them great partners for Andrew and the team at Boardwalk. I look forward to seeing the growth and future success of this partnership."

RIchard Gray, Managing Director
ACF Investment Bank