Red Arrow Buys into U.K., Israeli Production Outfits

MUNICH: In two separate agreements, Red Arrow Entertainment Group has purchased majority interests in the U.K. production company NERD TV and the Israel-based July August Productions.

NERD, founded two years ago by Jago Lee and John Farrar, specializes in factual entertainment and factual formats. The company has a number of projects ongoing, including with Discovery Networks and development deals in the U.S., U.K., Germany and France. NERD’s finished shows and formats will be distributed by SevenOne International.

July August has business lines in original format development, scripted series and feature films. Credits include the game show Still Standing and the drama The ‘A’ Word. The company’s founder, Jasmine Group, continues to be a significant minority shareholder and will work with Red Arrow to drive July August’s growth and expansion.

Jan Frouman, the group managing director of Red Arrow, said of the NERD investment: "We didn’t have to spend much time with Jago and John to realize that they are exceptionally talented creators and producers. Their ideas are fresh, forward-thinking and exactly what we were looking for to round out our U.K. presence. We couldn’t be more pleased about getting this deal done."

Charlie Parsons, whose company, Charlie Parsons Creative, made the founding investment, said: "I’m delighted that my first TV production company investment has paid off. John and Jago are very talented and I’ve enjoyed working with them. It proves when you create the right team, you can really go places."

Farrar and Lee added: "We feel we’ve found a perfect match for the company in Red Arrow’s youthful, ambitious team with their strong emphasis on creativity and quality, and their intelligence-driven approach to distribution."

Frouman said of the July August deal: "We have long viewed Israel as a strategically compelling content market—and we’re certainly not alone in that view. But, as with any market, finding the right people is everything. With July August and Jasmine, we’ve teamed up with the best of the best. These guys are stars, and we are thrilled to call them our partners."

Yossi Uzrad, the founder and president of Jasmine Group, added: "We are very proud to join forces with the Red Arrow Group. In the past few months, we have become closely acquainted with the management team and I believe that, together with their creative and innovative strengths, we can take July August to a higher level. This partnership will not only enable the company to maintain its position in Israel as one of the leading production companies, but also open up further opportunities in the international market."