First Independent Films

First Independent Films was a British film-distribution and home-video brand that operated during the 1990s. It was created in May 1990 when HTV, the ITV franchise holder for Wales and the West of England, acquired the UK operations of Vestron Video International and renamed them First Independent Films. The company inherited a distribution infrastructure that had originally been developed by Vestron Video, an international home-entertainment business established in 1981. Although relatively small compared with the major British distributors, First Independent handled a broad range of theatrical and home-video titles. Its principal third-party relationship was with Turner Entertainment Co., through which it distributed selected properties associated with Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Pictures Worldwide Distribution and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. It also handled some New Line Cinema releases in the United Kingdom, alongside local and independent films. The company therefore occupied a flexible position between a conventional theatrical distributor and a library-oriented home-entertainment label. The business became more vulnerable after Turner Entertainment Co. was sold to Time Warner in 1996. Following that transaction, Warner Bros. assumed distribution of most Turner properties, while New Line Cinema releases ultimately returned fully to Entertainment Film Distributors, Turner’s principal UK partner for those titles. The loss of important third-party output reduced First Independent’s access to commercially significant films and weakened its distribution base. A further setback came with the UK commercial failure of G.I. Jane. United News & Media, which by then owned HTV, subsequently decided to withdraw from theatrical distribution and placed First Independent Films up for sale in February 1998. Columbia TriStar Home Video’s UK operations acquired the company’s assets and remaining library shortly afterward, folding the theatrical and home-video activities into its own operations. Sony subsequently retained First Independent as a secondary label for archived VHS and DVD titles, but no new releases were issued under the brand. The legal company remained dormant after the operating business had been absorbed. It was later relocated to The London Studios, then associated with ITV plc, and was ultimately dissolved on 20 December 2016. First Independent Films is therefore best understood as a historic UK distribution label rather than a continuing film studio or production company.

First Independent Films emerged from the restructuring of Vestron Video International's British operations. Vestron Video had created its international division in 1981 and operated a UK subsidiary as part of that expansion. In May 1990, HTV acquired the UK business and renamed it First Independent Films. The change placed the operation within the corporate environment of HTV, the ITV franchise holder serving Wales and the West of England, while preserving its role in film and home-entertainment distribution. The new company operated as a relatively small but varied distributor. Its activities included theatrical releases and home-video exploitation, with a catalogue that extended beyond a single genre or studio source. A particularly important relationship was with Turner Entertainment Co. First Independent distributed selected material connected with Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Pictures Worldwide Distribution and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. It also handled certain New Line Cinema releases in the UK, although those titles were shared with or alternated against Entertainment Film Distributors, New Line's principal British distribution partner. The company additionally released local and independent films, giving it a mixed portfolio of mainstream library properties and smaller productions. The structure of that business changed significantly in the mid-1990s. In 1996 Turner Entertainment Co. was sold to Time Warner. Warner Bros. then assumed distribution of Turner's properties, removing much of First Independent's most important third-party output. New Line Cinema releases also eventually reverted entirely to Entertainment Film Distributors. These changes reduced First Independent's access to major commercial titles and made the company's position in the UK theatrical market more difficult to sustain. The UK performance of G.I. Jane added to the pressure. The film's commercial failure contributed to United News & Media's decision to leave theatrical distribution. United News & Media had become the parent company of HTV by this stage, so the decision directly affected First Independent. In February 1998 the company was placed on the market. Columbia TriStar Home Video's UK operations acquired First Independent's assets and remaining library shortly afterward, and the theatrical and home-video businesses were folded into Columbia TriStar's operations. Although the operating company disappeared, the First Independent name continued to have limited catalogue use. Sony retained it as a secondary brand for archived VHS and DVD titles, but no new releases were issued under the name. The corporate entity itself remained dormant rather than continuing as an active distributor. It was later relocated to The London Studios, which was associated with ITV plc, and was finally dissolved on 20 December 2016. Its history reflects the consolidation of UK film distribution in the 1990s, when changes in studio ownership and the transfer of library rights could quickly undermine an independent distributor's commercial model.

• 2016

  Company is dissolved

  [1]First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  The dormant First Independent Films company was dissolved on 20 December 2016.

• 1998

  Assets and library are sold to Columbia TriStar

  [1]First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  After United News & Media exited theatrical distribution, Columbia TriStar Home Video's UK operations acquired First Independent's assets and remaining library.

• 1996

  Turner distribution arrangements change

  [1]First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Time Warner's acquisition of Turner led Warner Bros. to take over distribution of Turner's properties, weakening First Independent's content supply.

• 1990

  First Independent Films is established

  [1]First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  HTV acquired Vestron's UK business in May and renamed it First Independent Films.

• 1981

  Vestron creates its international video division

  [1]First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Vestron Video formed Vestron Video International, including the UK operation that later became First Independent Films.

A small, broad-based British distributor combining theatrical release activity with home-video exploitation of third-party film libraries and independent titles.

• Film distribution · 1990

  Theatrical film distribution

  First Independent distributed films theatrically in the United Kingdom, drawing on third-party studio relationships as well as local and independent acquisitions. Its theatrical business covered a mixture of genres rather than a narrowly defined speciality. The company later withdrew from this activity after its parent group decided to exit the theatrical market.

• Home entertainment · 1990

  Home-video releases

  Home-video distribution was a core part of the business inherited from Vestron's UK operation. First Independent released and circulated film properties on VHS and later remained associated with archived catalogue releases. Sony continued limited use of the name for older VHS and DVD titles after the operating business had been absorbed.

• Licensed film and television catalogue · 1990

  Turner-related catalogue

  A major part of First Independent's third-party business consisted of selected Turner Entertainment Co. properties. The relationship covered material associated with Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Pictures Worldwide Distribution and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. The arrangement declined after Turner's 1996 sale to Time Warner and Warner Bros.' assumption of distribution.

• Licensed theatrical releases · 1990

  New Line Cinema releases

  First Independent handled selected New Line Cinema releases in the United Kingdom. These releases operated alongside Entertainment Film Distributors' role as New Line's principal UK partner, and the titles ultimately reverted fully to Entertainment Film Distributors.

• 1998

  United News & Media exits theatrical distributionStrategy

  Background

  The commercial failure of G.I. Jane in the United Kingdom contributed to United News & Media's decision to leave the theatrical distribution business.

  Action taken

  United News & Media put First Independent Films up for sale in February 1998.

  Aftermath

  Columbia TriStar Home Video's UK operations acquired the assets and remaining library and integrated the activities into its own operations.

  Source

• 1990

  HTV acquires and renames the UK Vestron operationM&A

  Background

  HTV sought to operate the UK business previously controlled by Vestron Video International.

  Action taken

  HTV acquired the operation in May 1990 and relaunched it under the First Independent Films name.

  Aftermath

  The renamed company continued as a UK theatrical and home-video distributor.

  Source

1. 1First Independent Filmsen.wikipedia.org