’47 Meters Down’ Producers Exit The Fyzz To Set Up Label With Head Gear Films

EXCLUSIVE: 47 Meters Down producers James Harris and Mark Lane are exiting their partnership with UK financier The Fyzz Facility to relaunch their former label Tea Shop Productions with financier Head Gear Films (The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind).

Development and production executive Leonora Darby will also be leaving The Fyzz to join them at the new venture with Head Gear’s Phil Hunt and Compton Ross’ who will partner with the producers in developing and financing film and TV projects.

Harris will continue to be based in LA and Lane will be based in Head Gear’s London HQ shared with affiliate sales company Bankside Films. The duo will continue to work with UK and U.S. partners, including with The Fyzz Pictures on their titles in production. They are currently delivering We Summon The Darkness from director Marc Myers, The Informer starring Joel Kinnaman and Rosamund Pike, and Johannes Roberts sequel 47 Meters Down: Uncaged to Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios.

The pair have projects in development with Roberts, Matthew Holness, Billy O’Brien, Jeff Buhler, Tim Van Dammen and Logan Martin. They are also in early stages on rock-climbing thriller Hang which is with Altitude Film Sales.

Harris and Lane’s exit from prolific financier The Fyzz follows the abrupt departure last year of company co-founder Wayne Marc Godfrey. The duo explained their exit to me, “This was a good opportunity for us to start a joint venture with a company which is very active in our space. The Fyzz has been brilliant for us. We’ve been able to elevate what we want to do and to make projects that aren’t always getting made out of the UK and we’ll continue to work with Robert going forward. But we felt now was a good time to build something from the ground up. This is a natural evolution for us in our careers given the movies we want to make and current market conditions.”

The Fyzz co-founder Robert Jones told us the financing company will continue to offer its same diverse suite of film and TV financing going forward. The Usual Suspects producer added, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Mark and James. We’ll continue to work together going forward and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.” Jones and Fyzz Managing Director Charles Auty will be in Cannes next week discussing projects with industry.

Debt financier and executive producer Head Gear is backed by Scottish oil-industry entrepreneur Compton Ross. The company’s credits include Black Mass, Teen Spirit, The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind and Belle.