Factual programme maker Wildflame Productions has revealed ambitious expansion plans following a deal which sees it becoming wholly-Welsh owned and provides an exit for its Australian majority owner.
The Cardiff-based firm, led by its chief executive Paul Islwyn Thomas, has acquired the entire share interest in the company, having previously been under the umbrella of Sydney-based Flame Media Group, which had an 80% interest.
The deal is part of Flame Media Group’s strategy of divesting overseas’ interests and promoting local ownership in respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. A similar deal has been structured with its German business.
The value of the deal with Wildflame has not been disclosed, but forms part of a three year buyout agreement. Wildflame will maintain a distribution relationship with Flame Dsitribution.
Set up in 2014 Wildflame, which has annual revenues of £5m and employs 40, a mixture of staff and freelancers, said it is committed to the growth and profile of the creative sector in Cardiff, while developing the best local talent working through the medium of both Welsh and English.
Under its chief executive Paul Islwyn Thomas, it also intends to create opportunities for the growing factual freelance sector, while forging new co-production partnerships as well as targeting the international market across factual and specialist factual programming.
The company has built a strong reputation for delivering a wide range of factual programming for S4C, for various BBC channels, C5 and Discovery Science US. It has distributed several of its titles internationally.
It was shortlisted for a Grierson Award in 2019 for its living history adventure series, The 1900 Island, a series which has now been seen by audiences across the world.
John Caldon, founder Flame Media Group said: “I am thrilled to see Wildflame be on the front foot during these challenging times.
"Paul Islwyn Thomas and his team are approaching the future with proven resilience, determination, ambition and sheer optimism. It has been a joy to work with Wildflame since inception and they have always displayed a passion for excellence which has delivered great success for the company both locally and internationally.
"I am delighted to have been able to support such a proud Welsh company to reach this stage and I know that the talented Wildflame team will achieve great things in the years to come”.
Building on success of drama production in Cardiff, Wildflame is one of an emerging group of Welsh-based factual companies such as Dragonfly; Sugar Films; One Tribe; Frank Films; Tomos TV (Part of the Raw Cut Group); Plimsoll Wales; Yeti (Rondo Group) and Boom Cymru (ITV Studios).
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Mr Thomas said: “We could not imagine having had a better or more supportive partner as the Flame Media Group under whose guidance we have built the business. John Caldon had the vision to see what Cardiff had to offer and the way that the city was creating an environment where television and film production could thrive.
"We are grateful to everyone at Flame for their unflinching support and we look forward to our ongoing future collaboration with Flame Distribution who have been brilliant to work with and instrumental in our success to date.”
Aled Walters led the team at law firm Hugh James that acted for Wildflame Productions on the deal.
