Banijay UK signs development deal with Create Anything
Banijay UK has signed a two-year deal with Glasgow-based production company Create Anything, that will see Banijay UK labels Workerbee (Manchester based) and The Comedy Unit (Glasgow based) team up with the indie to develop and produce unscripted and scripted content.
Established in 2019, Create Anything was founded by Bafta nominated, black filmmaker and director Stewart Kyasimire. His ground-breaking work on the BBC documentary Black and Scottish with Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) received two Bafta nominations. Through his leadership and activism, Stewart has been instrumental in transforming Create Anything into a prominent Scottish production company, specialising in both scripted and unscripted content.
Other recent Create Anything projects include The Wedding (BBC), Bash The Entertainer: Behind The Smile (BBC Scotland) and Black & Scottish (BBC Scotland).
Patrick Holland, CEO and Executive Chairman of Banijay UK, said:
“Stewart is a hugely talented filmmaker and champion of underrepresented voices. Pairing his passion and energy with the brilliant teams at Workerbee and The Comedy Unit is a hugely exciting prospect, and I can’t wait to see the results.”
Stewart Kyasimire, MD of Create Anything, added:
“This development deal with Banijay UK opens up an incredible new opportunity for Create Anything in Scripted and Unscripted. Our goal as a company is to push the boundaries of diverse, multi-platform and multi-genre content, so with the support of Banijay UK we’re excited to bring forward a new slate of drama docs, entertainment and impactful dramas to international audiences. Working with Banijay as the Series Director for Amazon Prime’s ‘Four Kings’ confirmed that we would have a great working relationship. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us.”
Rick Murray, CEO Workerbee Group, said:
“Stewart is a creative visionary, something we discovered while making our upcoming Four Kings project for Amazon. With this deal Workerbee are excited to develop a slate of unscripted titles with Create Anything that utilise their skills in both feature and drama documentaries.”
Rab Christie, MD The Comedy Unit, added:
“At the Comedy Unit we are big fans of Create Anything and thrilled to be collaborating with Stewart Kyasimire and his team. It’s terrific to be working with top talent in Scotland and we’re very excited about a range of projects in the pipeline.”