Ink Factory brings in Film4’s Josephs

UK- and US-based prodco The Ink Factory has bolstered its senior ranks just weeks after securing US$180m in funding, hiring the head of production at Film4 and six other development, commercial and marketing execs.

Tracey Josephs

Tracey Josephs is joining The Ink Factory’s London office as head of production, overseeing physical production and assisting with setting the strategic direction of the company.

Josephs was most recently head of production at Film4, where she worked on projects including Slumdog Millionaire, Twelve Years a Slave and Ex Machina, and previously oversaw Channel 4’s drama and comedy output as head of production management for scripted.

The Ink Factory has also appointed Aaron Anderson, who previously worked on Sky Atlantic 10-parter Riviera, as development producer; Jo Allan in the role of Storyworlds producer; and John Rowe, who worked on BBC drama Silent Witness, as script executive.

Alexis Hood, who worked on No Offence for C4, is taking the role of story producer; former Warner Bros exec Chris Patey is joining the commercial team as business affairs assistant; and Amy Basil, formerly VP of Marketing at MUBI, has been named as marketing manager.

The prodco revealed it had raised US$180m in funding last week through deals with companies including Hong Kong- and London-based investor 127 Wall Productions.

The investments will allow the company to become a “global independent studio” and has been achieved through a combination of equity and slate financing, it said.

The appointments comes as The Ink Factory prepares to expand following its cash injection. It said it will use the investment to develop for film and TV, as well as acquire IP, increase its digital activities and expand its operations beyond its headquarters in London and LA.

The firm also agreed a deal for French financial firm Natixis Coficiné to provide cash flow for its productions, building on the relationship struck for The Night Manager, for which Coficiné was the senior loan provider.

Feature film Hotel Artemis will be the first project financed by The Ink Factory through its partnerships with 127 Wall and Coficiné under the new arrangements, followed by The Little Drummer Girl, based on the novel by John Carré.

Ink Factory is also working on an adaptation of le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in From the Cold in association with Paramount TV, also for the BBC and AMC.

The Ink Factory was set up in 2010 by the Cornwell brothers, sons of le Carré (real name David Cornwell) and has so far focused primarily on adapting their father’s work for film, TV and other media.