Friday 8 November 2024, 12pm GMT
Hilco is seeking offers to acquire the intellectual property assets of Spring Films Limited (In Liquidation) (“Spring Films” or the “Company”) on behalf of the Joint Liquidators of the Company, Chris Tate and Duncan Swift of Azets.
Founded in 2006, Spring Films was a leading force in the world of high-end documentary filmmaking. With an award-winning portfolio and a reputation for creating impactful, thought-provoking content, the Company was known for its ability to bring together renowned filmmakers and broadcasters to deliver acclaimed documentaries across major platforms, including Netflix, BBC, HBO, Channel 4, and Apple TV+.
Spring Films’ productions have captivated audiences worldwide. Notable projects such as Into the Inferno, The Look of Silence, and Meeting Gorbachev have received accolades from prestigious institutions, including two Oscar nominations and multiple Emmy and BAFTA awards. The Company’s ability to create visually engaging and socially relevant documentaries earned it a distinguished place in the market. The Company is renowned for its ability to produce compelling documentaries that delve into complex social issues, history, and human experiences. Notably, Spring Films had a long-standing relationship with iconic filmmaker Werner Herzog, resulting in globally celebrated films such as Into the Abyss and Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds. Further, the Company’s expertise in international co-productions gave it connections with leading creatives and networks, with impressive creative results.
From television to cinema and IMAX, Spring Films consistently delivered innovative and ground breaking documentaries, collaborating with the best in the industry to produce works that both challenge and inspire. With a global reach, a stellar track record, and a robust content library, acquiring the Spring Films brand, format catalogue, and digital assets represents an exciting opportunity to capitalise on the Company’s legacy of excellence in documentary filmmaking, offering access to a portfolio of high-quality, award-winning content that has already demonstrated its ability to engage audiences worldwide.
Spring Films has firmly established itself as a trusted and highly respected name in the world of documentary production.
The Spring Films brand is synonymous with creative excellence, producing award-winning content that engages and moves audiences across the globe. Recognised for its expertise in international co-productions, Spring Films has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and delivered a catalogue of films that have left a lasting impact.
The Company’s brand is built on its ability to deliver compelling stories that resonate with viewers, tackle complex social issues, and offer fresh perspectives on the world. Spring Films has become a benchmark in the industry, celebrated for its collaborations with world-renowned directors and its distribution across top-tier platforms like Netflix, HBO, and Channel 4.
The Company holds unregistered trade marks covering the “Spring Films” brand name and logo.
A full trade mark schedule is available via a virtual data room.
Spring Films holds a unique catalogue of critically acclaimed documentaries, many of which have been distributed on global platforms. The following works, to which Spring Films holds full or shared copyright, showcase its diverse range of high-quality productions.
The catalogue includes Quest for the Holy Foreskin and My Family and Other Recipes, which exemplify Spring Films’ ability to create engaging and thought-provoking content. The Company also holds copyright to Greatest Human Achievements, a documentary that celebrates pivotal moments in human history, and Amazing Underground Secrets, which uncovers hidden wonders beneath the Earth. Spring Films also holds the copyright to Wild Blue Yonder and Wheel of Time, two captivating documentaries directed by Werner Herzog. The Company also holds UK rights to Little Dieter Needs to Fly, another collaboration with Herzog, chronicling the harrowing experiences of a U.S. Navy pilot during the Vietnam War.
Spring Films shares copyright for several high-profile productions, including Caravaggio and Artemisia, both of which offer in-depth explorations of renowned artists and their work. On Death Row and Into the Abyss, co-produced with Werner Herzog, examine life on death row and the moral complexities surrounding capital punishment.
This diverse catalogue of high-end documentaries, to which Spring Films retains copyright, offers an excellent opportunity for prospective buyers to acquire globally recognised, socially impactful content.
The Company holds the primary springfilms.tv domain name that hosted the Company’s informational website.
The Company owns the copyright in the website content hosted at https://www.springfilms.tv/ and showcasing its work/historical projects.
Rights in the social media accounts are also available to acquire across Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo.
A full social media schedule is available via a virtual data room.
The Company holds the details for its previous clients, including individual contacts at Netflix, BBC, HBO, Channel 4 and Apple TV+.
Offers are due Friday 8 November 2024 at 12pm GMT.
All expressions of interest and bids are to be directed to Hilco in writing. A Bid Submission Form is available on request. Please contact Hilco to gain access to a virtual data room for further information on signing a confidentiality agreement.
The Joint Liquidators act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.
The bidder acknowledges that Hilco acts as an agent for the Joint Liquidators who offer for sale only what right, title and interest (if any) the Company possesses in the assets. Such sale will be without any warranties, expressed or implied. The information provided has not been verified by Hilco or the Joint Liquidators, and bidders are deemed to have carried out their own due diligence.
VAT, if applicable, at 20% will be added to the price. A non-refundable deposit of 20% will be payable by the buyer within 48 hours of bid acceptance. A buyer’s premium of 10% of the sale price is payable by the winning bidder. Legal completion to occur within 5 business days of bid acceptance. Hilco’s full Terms and Conditions apply.
Associate Director
Manchester Office
