Beta lines up Dutch deal

German firm Beta Film has taken a minority stake in an Amsterdam-based distributor as it looks to grow its presence in the unscripted market.

Ed Louwerse

Beta has invested in Lineup Industries, which specialises in format sales and was founded by former Sony Pictures Television and Endemol execs Ed Louwerse and Julian Curtis in 2014.

The investment comes after Beta recently backed Cologne-based non-fiction producer Seapoint Productions as part of a push into unscripted formats.

Moritz von Kruedener, MD at Beta Film, said: “Joining forces with media veterans such as Ed and Julian is an excellent opportunity and a natural next step to also expand our distribution activities in the format business.”

Lineup Industries’ slate of formats and finished programming includes Long Lost Family, The Bully Project, Radio Gaga, Switch, Keep Calm, Emergency Call and Chasing Their Dreams.

Beta, meanwhile, manages a catalogue of more than 4,000 titles and is on board forthcoming German dramas such as The Same Sky and Babylon Berlin.