SCOTT FREE UK BUILDS DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Jack Arbuthnott and Surian Fletcher-Jones to develop film and TV projects for Liza Marshall’s London operation.

Liza Marshall, the recently appointed Head of Film and TV at Scott Free UK has today announced the appointments of two key development executives - fast rising film development executive Jack Arbuthnott.and established television drama script editor Surian Fletcher-Jones.

Liza Marshall quote - “Jack and Surian are ambitious, talented executives who are very popular with writers. Between them, they have great deal of experience of the industry and represent the dynamic and fresh approach we are looking to take with our production and development activity in the UK across feature filmmaking and television drama. They will be an invaluable addition to the Scott Free team.”

Arbuthnott joins Scott Free UK from BBC Films where he was Development Editor.  His most recent credits include Andy de Emmony’s West is West, the sequel to Damien O’Donnell’s East is East, Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini’s StreetDance 3D, and Justin Chadwick’s First Grader.  He previously worked at the UK Film Council as a development executive, and before that at New Line, and Mission Pictures.  One of his first roles was a location assistant in Romania for Anthony Minghella’s Cold Mountain.

Surian Fletcher-Jones will develop projects primarily for television.  She has been a script editor for BBC Drama since 2003 where she worked on a diverse range of projects including Multi-Emmy award-winning series “Little Dorrit” with writer Andrew Davies, 3x60 min drama “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Blackpool” with writer Peter Bowker.  She was previously the Literary Manager for the Tricycle Theatre where she has also directed a number of plays including Winsome Pinnock’s “Water” and Richard Norton-Taylor’s “The Colour of Justice”, which went on to a West End run and a national tour culminating at the Royal National Theatre.

Liza Marshall was appointed as Head of Film and TV in November 2009 to manage the development and production of a growing number of new titles the company has on its slate.  Capitalising on Scott Free’s comprehensive resources, including its unrivalled network of contacts and overall deal for feature films with Twentieth Century Fox, Marshall and her new team will significantly increase the strength and visibility of Scott Free in the UK and internationally.

Scott Free has offices in London and Los Angeles and has a number of feature films and television programmes in development and production including recently completed, Cracks, directed by Jordan Scott, starring Eva Green, Welcome to the Rileys, directed by Jake Scott, starring James Gandolfini and Kristen Stewart, and upcoming Cyrus for Fox Searchlight directed by Mark and Jay Duplass starring John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill.

Currently in post-production are Unstoppable, directed by Tony Scott for Twentieth Century Fox and starring Chris Pine and Denzel Washington, Robin Hood, directed by Ridley Scott for Universal starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, and The A Team, directed by RSA Films director, Joe Carnahan and starring Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. 

The company is also producing top quality TV projects such as “Numb3rs”, currently in its 6th season, and “The Good Wife” set for a second season, both for CBS, and big budget, independently financed mini-series “The Pillars of the Earth”, based on the best selling novel by Ken Follett, which was shot in Hungary and is currently in post production. Most recently, Scott Free’s film Into the Storm for HBO and BBC was nominated for 14 Emmys.

Scott Free works closely with RSA Films, the commercials company started by Ridley Scott more than forty years ago.  RSA Films represents many established and up and coming filmmakers and one of Scott Free’s roles is to assist these directors in their feature film and television projects.