Wiggin‘s film department has managed to carve out a new niche by acting as both lawyers and executive producers on two UK films set to be released this year.
Film partners Charles Moore and Miles Ketley advised the creators of The History Boys, which has been adapted from a play by Alan Bennett, and Venus, written by celebrated Pakistani author Hanif Qureshi.
“We were approached by the representatives of Alan Bennett and [The History Boys’ producer] Nick Hytner,” said Moore. “They weren’t just looking for traditional legal services, but for help raising finances for the film.”
Moore and Ketley advised the film’s creators on how to get the best deal from potential financiers and helped promote the film at the Cannes Film Festival. The two partners worked on a conditional basis, providing strategic business advice for three months in return for a slice of the film’s equity.
Moore said: “Lawyers don’t usually get involved until all the strands of financing are in place. We were effectively taking a calculated risk with the film.”
A similar instruction followed soon after on Venus, as industry executives became aware of Wiggin’s new services. The film, which took around a month longer to finance, made use of the same fee arrangements.
The lawyers filled the function of executive producers and will feature in the opening credits of The History Boys.
Before joining Wiggin Moore and Ketley worked in-house at Hollywood film studios Paramount and Fox Searchlight respectively.
