Lord of the Rings Deal
Lord of the Rings Deal
LOTR

CREDIT: THE SAUL ZAENTZ COMPANY

EXCELLENCE
"One Deal to rule them all"
Thomas Dey

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Syco
EXCELLENCE
"ACF's certainly got talent"
Ian Rosenblatt OBE

CREDIT: SYCO ENTERTAINMENT

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Bear Grylls
INTEGRITY
“You only get one chance
at life and you have to
grab it boldly”
Bear Grylls

CREDIT: BEAR GRYLLS VENTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Paddington
INSIGHT
“Success doesn't come
to you, you go to it.”
Marva Collins

CREDIT: PADDINGTON AND COMPANY

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Shamrock Capital - Boardwalk Pictures credit
INSIGHT
“Stay true to yourself, never let
what somebody says distract
you from your goals.”
Michelle Obama

CREDIT: BOARDWALK PICTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Pilgrim

CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

INSIGHT
“Success comes to
those who act!”
Henry David Thoreau

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Leftfield
INSIGHT
“The key to success is to
focus on goals not obstacles”
Unknown

CREDIT: LEFTFIELD ENTERTAINMENT

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Plimsoll Productions

CREDIT: PLIMSOLL PRODUCTIONS

INSIGHT
“Success is not final,
failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to
continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Love Productions

CREDIT: LOVE PRODUCTIONS

INTEGRITY
“ When something
is important enough,
you do it even if the odds
are not in your favour”
Elon Musk

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Top Gear
EXCELLENCE
“Success comes to
those who act”
Henry David Thoreau

CREDIT: TOP GEAR

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

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South Africa's Rapid Blue joins BBC Worldwide

Above: South Africa's Got Talent for ETV

ACF Investment Bank is pleased to announce its first TV Production and Digital deal in South Africa, having successfully advised the shareholders of Rapid Blue on their deal with BBC Worldwide.


Rapid Blue was founded by Duncan and Kee-Leen Irvine in 1993. It is a leading Emmy award winning South African production company with an impeccable reputation for developing high quality, digitally-integrated content for multiple platforms throughout Africa.

The company is acknowledged as one of the top independent production businesses operating in Southern Africa today. The team produces a number of prime-time entertainment shows for a range of different broadcasters including SA’s Got Talent (ETV), The Great South African Bake Off (BBC Lifestyle), X Factor South Africa (SABC 1), Strictly Come Dancing (SABC 3) and Pawn Stars SA (History). Outside of the traditional linear landscape, the team has worked with a multitude of brand partners including Vodacom, Red Bull and Jonnie Walker on their digital and short-form strategies across the African continent. Furthermore, the business has recently ventured into the scripted space and is currently developing a number of drama titles.


Rapid Blue will continue to produce BBC’s formats in their home territory, whilst tapping into the wider BBC Worldwide network, leveraging those relationships to produce multi-platform content across the group. The transaction will also enable Duncan and Kee-Leen to expand their presence throughout Africa. The new partnership is already developing their own intellectual property to sell through the BBC’s international distribution network.

This landmark deal provides the BBC with a platform to develop their African content strategy around Rapid Blue and a meaningful production footprint in Southern Africa.


Programming

Above: South Africa's Got Talent for ETV
Above: South Africa's Got Talent for ETV
The X Factor South Africa
The X Factor South Africa

“We spent a while meeting with a few advisory firms and chose ACF as our advisers, as they are specialists in the media and television market and they have done this sort of thing many, many times over. It was a great pleasure working with the team, we genuinely couldn’t have done it alone. In the BBC, we’ve found a partner who understands us, our culture and our business and we’re thrilled to have joined forces with such a like-minded organisation. I look forward to a bright and prosperous future together”.

Duncan Irvine, CEO and Kee-Leen Irvine, Managing Director, Rapid Blue

“We are delighted to have advised Duncan, Kee-Leen and the team on what is our first transaction in South Africa. Rapid Blue and BBC Worldwide are the perfect partners to capture the opportunity of producing more hit formats in Southern Africa by utilising Rapid Blue’s unrivalled experience in localising the content and their strong production expertise. We also see an attractive opportunity for Rapid Blue’s original programmes and formats to travel internationally via the BBC Worldwide network and look forward to following Rapid Blue’s growth in the region.”

ACF Investment Bank


5/5

What People Are Saying

“Since this was our first time working with an investment bank and raising capital for any of our businesses, I wasn’t sure what to expect. ACF has a great reputation and came highly recommended from several people that I hold in high regard. Overall, the experience working with Richard, Milos and Thomas was pure joy. They were the perfect partner for us, as they educated us as we were working through the process, they challenged us to think bigger about the scope and scale of our business, and they aggressively represented our business in the marketplace bringing multiple opportunities to us in a very challenging economic time. The partnership and guidance they provided was essential and they were extremely easy to work with. I only hope this is the first of many deals that we are able to execute together.”

Shawn Gee
Two One Five Entertainment

"ACF’s certainly got talent. Their team, led by the ever-tenacious Thomas Dey, delivered on their promises and introduced the perfect partners to achieve our goals."

Ian Rosenblatt OBE, Director
Syco Entertainment

"Given the complexities and importance of the rights at stake in our transaction, we interviewed several investment bank candidates at length before retaining ACF to guide our process.  We could not have chosen better!  ACF personnel were dedicated, creative, practical, responsive and deeply knowledgeable about the intricacies of the sales process. Over the months involved, Thomas, Richard, Tatiana and the rest of the ACF staff met with and worked skillfully and credibly with scores of potential buyers and with our own employees leading ultimately to a high value and very fair outcome benefitting both our company and the buyer. They have our deep respect and gratitude for a job so well accomplished"

Marty Glick, COO
The Saul Zaentz Company

“At this stage of 72’s development, there are great advantages and opportunities of joining forces with Fremantle. Their extensive international infrastructure and expertise will provide 72 Films with the platform to have our work seen across the world. We know and like their excellent team. And they offer us not only fantastic support but complete creative freedom so we can continue to work in the same way.

It’s been a real pleasure working with Thomas Dey and the whole team at ACF. They are brilliant at what they do. And alongside Matisse it’s been an incredible team behind this deal.”

Mark Raphael, David Glover, Founders and Chief Executive Officers
72 Films

“This exciting new deal between Broke and Bones and Netflix marks an exciting period of content creation, demonstrating the strong relationship between market leading creatives and the streaming platforms. ACF brokered the deal using our strong track record, experience and access in the UK and USA scripted markets. Premium content continues to lead the market with strong deals that ACF have closed including advising Mammoth Screen on sale to ITV, Neal Street to All3Media, Left Bank Pictures to Sony, Thinkfactory to ITV, Paddington Bear to Studio Canal, New Pictures to All3Media, and Carnival Pictures to NBC Universal.”

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"It has been an incredible journey for Delbert and I to get to the stage where we can build out our adventure shows under our own Studio. We stand on the shoulders of many giants, the ACF team have been incredible guides through the process - at its heart this is about building the ultimate home of adventure programming worldwide."

Bear Grylls & Delbert Shoopman
The Natural Studios

"Critical Content has been a leading player in the unscripted space for the last decade, led by a first class team. Media continues to dominate the deal landscape, with content leading the pack. What a great start to 2022! Congratulations to the whole team."

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"Boardwalk Pictures are one of the preeminent producers of premium content and this partnership with Shamrock secures Boardwalks positioning as a leading player in this market. Shamrock’s deep understanding and experience in the content space makes them great partners for Andrew and the team at Boardwalk. I look forward to seeing the growth and future success of this partnership."

RIchard Gray, Managing Director
ACF Investment Bank