Alan Clements' TV firm Two Rivers premieres new deal

Independent production company Two Rivers has announced a co-production deal with a new factual venture led by “one of Scotland’s foremost factual producer/directors”.

Wilson has worked on the likes of Sold, covering auctioneer Christie's. Picture: Guy Levy.

RW Productions (RWP) is the creation of Ross Wilson, the former creative director of Matchlight, and known for presenter-led pieces, access-based observational documentaries, and investigative journalism.

Wilson’s new venture will focus on specialist factual and documentary programming, with ambitions to push into theatrical and feature documentaries. His portfolio of high-profile work includes, as producer/director, the Emmy Award-winning Stephen Fry: Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (BBC Two).

As creative director at Matchlight, he also executive-produced productions such as Lenny Henry: Finding Shakespeare (for ITV1); Sold, going behind-the-scenes at auction house Christie’s (for BBC Two); and the series Darcy Bussell: Looking For… (for BBC One and BBC Two). More recently, he executive-produced Being Beethoven (for BBC Four), and the about-to-be-transmitted The Billion Dollar Art Heist (for BBC Two).

Two Rivers MD Alan Clements – former director of content at STV Productions – said: “Ross is one of the UK’s best factual exec producers. His films are intelligent and thought-provoking and, as well as being highly acclaimed in the UK, they have garnered huge sales worldwide. We have worked together many times since Wark Clements’ days and I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Ross again.

“He has a fantastic slate of projects that complement and enhance the Two Rivers’ documentary offering, led by our head of factual, Mick McAvoy. Bringing his new venture under the Two Rivers’ umbrella is a huge opportunity for both companies and it strengthens further our position as the go-to company in Scotland for specialist factual and documentary films.”

As part of the deal, all RWP’s films will be made in co-production with Two Rivers. RWP will work with Two Rivers’ development team and also benefit from the company’s finance and legal resources.

Strategic

Ross Wilson said: “Two Rivers has quickly become one of the most creative production companies in Scotland, so I’m delighted to be signing this strategic deal. Two Rivers has particularly strong international connections, which are of huge benefit to RWP. It will allow us to significantly increase our area of attack and accelerate our growth.”

Two Rivers, which was founded 20 months ago and whose investors inlcude merchant bank Noble Grossart, has worked on shows such as Escape to the Chateau; history series Becoming Scotland (for BBC Scotland); investigative documentary Inside The Trial Of Alex Salmond (for BBC Two); and Frankie Boyle’s Tour of Scotland.

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