Kurtz, Bazley & Swinnerton join forces

An exciting new TV & Film production company has been formed in the UK by Oscar-winning Gary Kurtz (legendary producer of American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Dark Crystal, among many others), Richard Bazley (lead animator on Disney’s Hercules and Pocahontas, as well as Osmosis Jones and The Iron Giant), and Alastair Swinnerton (co-creator of The Baskervilles and Lego’s Bionicle).
Corsham will initially develop, produce and co-produce animation films and TV series, although they also have live action projects in the pipeline. The new company will take over the properties currently being developed by Swinnerton’s BA20 Entertainment, which will close. Kurtz and Bazley will also bring properties to the party, including an as-yet classified ‘major 2D animation feature’.
Corsham Entertainment gets its name from the location of Bazley’s studio within the Bath Studios complex at Corsham, Wiltshire, which will be Corsham Entertainment’s production base. Drawing on the South West’s considerable wealth of animation talent, Corsham Entertainment intends to animate many of its productions in-house, with the exception of those already under co-pro agreements, fulfilling the three players’ long-shared dream of ‘bringing animation back to Britain.’
(GB)