| Red Production Company Limited | |
| Type: | Subsidiary |
| Genre: | Production company |
| Founder: | Nicola Shindler |
| Location: | MediaCityUK |
| Location City: | Manchester |
| Location Country: | United Kingdom |
| Industry: | Television |
| Parent: | StudioCanal |
Red Production Company Limited[1] [2] is a British independent television production company owned by StudioCanal.[3]
Red Production Company was formed in 1998 by Nicola Shindler, a television producer who had worked on Our Friends in the North and Cracker. Based at MediaCityUK in Manchester in the north of England, Red's first production was the controversial drama Queer as Folk, written by Russell T Davies and based on the lives of three gay men in the city. This was screened on Channel 4 in early 1999 and drew much comment and praise.
The same year, Red followed this up with another series for Channel 4, an anthology of six half-hour plays about love entitled Love in the 21st Century. Queer as Folk 2 arrived in 2000, and since then Red has expanded to produce dramas for nearly all of the main British television channels. The company's success led to an attempt by Granada Television – in whose Quay Street building the company rented offices – to buy it, but Shindler turned down their offer, wanting to retain control of her own company.
In 2013, Red moved into the MediaCityUK complex in Manchester.[4] RED is now based in offices at Ancoats since 2022, with CEO Patrick Schweitzer (Previously from Tall Story Pictures) at the healm.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shindler had sold a majority stake in Red to the French media company StudioCanal.[5] [6]
In 2015, it was announced that Shindler would provide creative guidance and management oversight to a new production company called Guilty Party, founded by the actor Simon Bird, Jonny Sweet, and Spencer Millman.[7]
In 2016, Shindler went into business with author Harlan Coben to form the US-based production company, Final Twist Productions. Shindler is Co-CEO with Coben. StudioCanal will provide distribution services.[8]