Tinopolis continues aggressive M&A with Firecracker Films purchase

British TV production and distribution group Tinopolis is continuing its aggressive M&A strategy with its purchase of UK independent production company Firecracker Films. This comes in the same week that it acquired Sally Miles’ distribution company Passion.

Firecracker Films, best known for producing Channel 4’s Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, will become part of the Tinopolis Group and Mark Soldinger, CEO, Sue Oriel, managing director, Jes Wilkins, head of programmes and Jeremy Groman, creative director, will all becomes shareholders in the company.

The producer has also been responsible for The Daredevils (C4), Family Guns (Nat Geo), Unsafe Sex in the City (BBC3) and Last Chance Driving School (AETN).

Tinopolis, which owns British production companies including Daybreak Pictures, Pioneer, Sunset + Vine and US producer A Smith & Co and Base Productions, is continuing to ramp up internationally and is also looking for further opportunities in the United States.

Ron Jones, executive chairman of Tinopolis, said: “In Firecracker we have acquired a company that is operating at the cutting edge of television on both sides of the Atlantic. Tinopolis continues to build a group of companies that has the range and financial strength to provide the best creative ideas to our customers around the world. Firecracker is an ideal partner for us. Its programmes are already sold in over 100 territories around the world and our distribution platform will help to support its continuing development.”

Mark Soldinger added: “We have been conscious for some time of the requirement for a financial and operational partner that will allow us to sustain Firecracker’s rapid growth over the long term. Tinopolis’s existing capabilities and its forward strategy immediately marked it out as our partner of choice and we look forward to working with Ron Jones, Arwel Rees and other senior executives from the wider Group on developing the opportunities ahead.”