Sky Studios Takes Stake in Drama Producer Longboat Pictures

Sky Studios has acquired a minority stake in Longboat Pictures, a new independent production company specializing in TV drama.

Longboat was founded last year by L.A.-based director-producer Julie Anne Robinson and former ITV commissioner Victoria Fea. The investment will provide Longboat with the support to accelerate its growth and to strengthen and expand its creative team.

Robinson has directed both theater and award-winning TV shows in the U.K. (Blackpool, Coming Down the Mountain). She has worked across comedy and drama as both director (Nurse Jackie, Orange Is the New Black, Grace & Frankie, The Good Place) and a producer.

Fea was senior drama commissioner for eight years at ITV, where she was responsible for many series including The Durrells, Marcella, Victoria, Harlots and Unforgotten as well as serials A Confession, Manhunt, Innocent and Little Boy Blue. Prior to joining ITV, Fea was an exec producer, producer and script editor in the indie sector, including World Productions and Wall to Wall, as well as at the BBC.

Gary Davey, CEO of Sky Studios, said: “Longboat Pictures has a wealth of expertise and experience in the drama field, both in the UK and U.S. We’re excited to be joining forces with them in this new partnership and bringing viewers world-class, engaging shows.”

Cameron Roach, Sky’s director of drama, added: “We are thrilled to announce the partnership between Longboat and Sky Studios. Victoria and Julie Anne are incredibly well-respected program-makers internationally and have exceptional writer relationships. Their editorial sensibility and their ambition to evolve ambitious, entertaining scripted shows, chimes very much with our outlook at Sky Studios.”

Robinson and Fea said: “We are very happy to be collaborating with Sky Studios at such an exciting time in their development.  The world needs entertaining stories more than ever at the moment, and we are looking forward to creating them in our new partnership.”