News | Media & Communications

Friday 11th May 2007

Leading corporate and commercial law firm SJ Berwin LLP advised Cyrte Investments BV, the investment fund in which John de Mol, one of the world’s most successful producers, is a major investor, on the acquisition and financing by a consortium headed by Cyrte of Hammer Film Productions, the legendary horror group, including its 295 title library, for an undisclosed sum.  

Hammer will return to film and television production after more than 30 years with an active development programme designed to emulate its best traditions. There are plans aggressively to reinvigorate the Hammer brand, whilst retaining Hammer’s significant heritage.  The new Hammer group will have shareholders’ equity and facilities in excess of approximately $50m, and intends to leverage this initial capital in the near future to provide a significantly increased production financing capacity.

Hammer is best known for its gothic horror productions in the '50s and '60s, when it was the most innovative producer in the horror genre, enjoying global box-office success, and making the Hammer brand synonymous with horror.  Hammer was responsible for the classic movie series of Dracula, Frankenstein and Quatermass, forever imprinting its “Hammer House of Horror” slogan into the English language.

The new management team is headed by Simon Oakes and Marc Schipper, formerly of Liberty Global Inc.  Los Angeles based Spitfire Pictures’ founders Guy East and Nigel Sinclair will join the new Hammer board as non-executive directors, and Spitfire has also entered into a first look development and production deal with Hammer.

SJ Berwin’s team was led by media partner Tim Johnson and corporate partner Mark Sanders, assisted by Nicholas Plant, Corrine Campbell and Emily Spence.

Neil Foster of Field Fisher Waterhouse advised the incoming management team, and Max Gower of Davenport Lyons advised Hammer Films’ selling shareholders.

For further information please contact:

Tim Johnson, Partner, 020 7111 2202, tim.johnson@sjberwin.com

Mark Sanders, Partner, 020 7111 2429, mark.sanders@sjberwin.com

Aurelia Spivey, Business Development Manager, 020 7111 2060, aurelia.spivey@sjberwin.com

For other SJ Berwin press releases click here.

• SJ Berwin's Media & Communications Group has extensive experience in almost every area of the media and communications industry, including; film and television production, film finance, broadcasting and communications, digital media, merchandising and publishing, computer games, e-commerce and m-commerce and music. Established in 1988, the Group is one of the City's leading practices and stands at the forefront of international media law with client quotes recorded in Chambers and Partners 2006 stating "you really do have to go a long way to match the financing skills of SJ Berwin" and Legal 500 2006 describing Tim Johnson as "outstandingly bright" and commenting that he is "highly regarded for his input on highly complex financing matters, and he is sought out for expertise across a range of media matters".
  
  
• With more than 150 private equity lawyers, the depth and breadth of expertise of our pan-European private equity team is considerable.  We offer the full range of private equity services, both in connection with the establishment of private equity funds and their associated incentive schemes, and on management buyouts, management buy-ins, public-to-privates and venture capital investments.
  
  
• Recent awards include:
  - European Law Firm of the Year at the EVCA/Real Deals European Private Equity Awards in 2004 - 2006
  
  - UK Firm of the Year at the Legal Week Awards 2005
  
  - Private Equity Law Firm of the Year at the European Venture Capital Journal awards 2004-2007
  
  - LBO Law Firm of the Year Finance and Law Awards in Paris 2004
  
  -Legal Adviser of the Year at the BVCA/Real Deals Private Equity Awards 2004
  
  
• Founded in 1982, SJ Berwin is a leading corporate and commercial law firm with over 150 partners more than 600 lawyers working across its offices in London, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Turin.