Ridley Scott offers EIS investment opportunity for six new films

Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) investors have been given the opportunity to profit from six 'low budget' films planned by celebrated director Ridely Scott.

A new company, Orchard Media, has teamed up with Scott's UK-based company, Scott Free Films, in a bid to raise up to £5 million for the films, which will marketed under the 'Ridley Scott Presents' banner.    

The firm estimates the potential post-tax return based on a mid-case investment scenario to be 21.3%.

The films will be based on the genre Scott is universally recognised for - horror and suspense thrillers - and will all be shot in Northern Ireland, the same country Game of Thrones was shot in.   

Scott, who has been nominated for an Oscar for Thelma & Lousie, Black Hawk Dawn and Gladiator, highlights how horror and suspense films have been the most successful low budget films of recent years thanks to technological advances in production, internet marketing and digital distribution.

Focus films, which distributed the likes of One Day, Hanna, Brokeback Mountain and the Constant Gardener, has agreed to sell the firm worldwide.

Commenting on the news, Scott said in a statement: 'This is a very exciting opportunity to create a structure that enables new and emerging talented film-makers to push boundaries, excite audiences and gain the vital experience needed to move quickly up within the business.

'It's a chance for them to be highly innovative in narrative, production techniques and distribution strategies.'

Adam Kulick, a partner at Orchard, said: 'We believe this is a very exciting opportunity for the key commercial stakeholders in filmmaking: investors, filmmakers and film distributors.

'The involvement of world class partners Ridley Scott, Scott Free and Focus Features will help us deliver an innovative and exciting roster of commercial films. This talented team, along with the priority income streams we’ve negotiated, means the company should be able to deliver attractive returns to investors.'