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Finnish prodco Intervisio invests in Take Two, forms alliance with podcast outfit

Finnish production company Intervisio has invested in the year-old indie Take Two Studios and a soon-to-launch podcast company from former Banijay and Warner Television execs.

Lasse Koskinen

Intervisio becomes a minority shareholder of Take Two Studios and has made a further strategic investment in Podzilla Studios, which will be launched by Joonas Hytönen and Suvi-Oja-Heiniemi on October 1.

A strategic alliance between the three entities will also see Take Two Studios and Podzilla Studios take minority shares in each other’s businesses, with Intervisio’s Antti Seppänen appointed as board member to both companies.

Simultaneously, Hytönen has taken a seat on the Take Two board and Take Two CEO Lasse Koskinen now joins the newly formed Podzilla board.

Joonas Hytönen

The alliance is designed to improve the companies’ abilities to exploit opportunities and weather challenges in a rapidly changing audiovisual market. The companies will work together on a case-by-case basis across development, sales, distribution, rights and production as well as sharing strategic understanding and market knowledge.

Take Two Studios was founded last year by former Aito Media co-founder Eero Hietala, who serves as chairman and creative director, and CEO Koskinen, while chief operating officer and partner Sara Norberg joined earlier this year. Take Two’s other co-founder Ilkka Hynninen has since set up Ilkkas Creative Studio as an independent operation.

Take Two Studios said it will continue to implement its strategy of focusing on high-concept drama, documentaries and podcasts following the investment from Intervisio, financial details of which were not disclosed.

Its first productions, Dirty Snow (6×42′), a drama for Nelonen, and a docuseries for CMore are already underway.

Intervisio was founded in 2000 and is owned by Seppänen and T&T Enterprises, which in turn is owned by Juha Tynkkynen and Saku Tuominen. The company focuses on documentary series and is behind the format Staraoke.

Podzilla, meanwhile, will focus on producing non-scripted factual and entertainment programming and podcasts to Finnish and international customers.

Hytönen has for the past 10 years served as CEO to some of Finland’s biggest TV production companies, first at Banijay Finland and most recently at Fremantle Finland. Oja-Heiniemi was most recently head of sales and development at Warner Television Finland.

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