Film and Music Entertainment explained

Film and Music Entertainment
Type:Private
Foundation:London, UK, 2000
Location City:Dublin
Location Country:Ireland
Industry:Film production

Film and Music Entertainment (F&ME, FAME) is a British film production company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was founded by Mike Downey and Sam Taylor in 2000, then headquartered in London, and has since produced many films, including Guy X and Deathwatch.

History

Launched in 2000 as part of a public offering on the Frankfurt Neuer Markt, Film and Music Entertainment was the subject of a management buy-out by its principals Sam Taylor and Mike Downey in 2003, and as an independent entity has kept to its annual production targets of producing 2 inhouse films and between 4 and 6 co-productions a year in the £1.5 - £5 million budget range.

The first decade of F&ME’s existence saw it entering into production on circa 50 international co-productions with a total budget of EUR 120 million involving 102 production companies from all over Europe. It now has a catalogue of rights in over 50 features including Academy Award Nominee and Venice Golden Lion winner Before the Rain, box office horror hit Deathwatch; Cannes Directors’ Fortnight opener Princess; Sundance South African hit Son of Man; Jason Biggs starrer GUY X and Dinard winner White Lightnin as well as 2012 Berlinale Audience Award Winner Parada by Srdjan Dragojevic.

The company remains fully owned and managed by producers Mike Downey (European Film Academy Board Member, BAFTA Council member and member of the BAFTA Film Committee) and Sam Taylor (Board of PACT) backed by its advisory board film director Stephen Daldry (Chairman), ex-Creative Artists Agency agent Johanna Baldwin, former Chief Executive of the Guardian Group, James Markwick, merchant banker and internet investor Matthew Wilson.

Filmography

Further reading