Sony makes Blueprint investment

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has taken a minority stake in fledgling UK drama producer Blueprint Television, which has been launched by movie producer Blueprint Pictures.

The new venture, led by Blueprint Pictures’ co-chairmen Pete Czernin and Graham Broadbent, will focus on high-end, returning drama series that originate in the UK and can travel internationally, with SPT distributing globally.

Broadbent and Czernin and Blueprint Pictures’ MD Diarmuid McKeown will team up with executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins, who joins as head of television following his time at the helm of BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Prior to that he was head of development at Kudos’ Lovely Day, where he developed ITV’s Grantchester.

Andrea Wong, president of international production at SPT, said: “Pete and Graham are exactly the kind of people we want to partner with – hugely creative and highly motivated.

“They already have an incredibly strong development slate and we can’t wait to help them realise their vision for Blueprint Television.”

Blueprint is launching the TV division on the back of films including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, as well as last year’s BBC1 drama The Outcast.

The company has one show in production – fantasy adventure drama The Last Dragonslayer for Sky1 – and three series in development.

The move comes amidst a major restructure of Sony’s television business following the exit of long-serving chairman Steve Mosko last week.