Sony Pictures Television has hired former Big Talk md, Matthew Justice, for the newly created role EVP, Head of UK & Europe.
Reporting into Wayne Garvie, President, International Productions, Justice will directly manage SPT’s International Studio operations and European co-productions business, as well as work closely with SPT International Production’s wholly-owned and joint venture production companies in the region, which includes Bad Wolf, Eleven Films and Left Bank Pictures. Justice, who most recently served as Managing Director at Big Talk, part of ITV Studios, will start at SPT later this year.
Wayne Garvie, President, International Production, SPT said, “These are fantastic times at SPT and they just got better. Matthew is a highly respected figure in the UK television and film industry – together he and Kenton Allen have built Big Talk into a significant international player. A smart operator, a strategic thinker and, just as importantly, a very good person, Matthew brings just what we need to build our UK and Europe business into an even greater force. Everyone at Sony and our labels are really excited about him joining the team.”
Matthew Justice said, “Joining Wayne and the team at SPT is an opportunity that dreams are made of. The SPT labels are outstanding, so it is a rare honour to get to work with them and the people behind them. Helping to grow the SPT UK and European business is an extremely appetising prospect and I cannot wait to get stuck in. I leave Big Talk, my home for the past 16 years in the very best of hands and will look on with admiration and pride as they continue to excel in everything they do.”
As Head of UK and Europe, Justice will work with the MDs and CEOs of Left Bank, Bad Wolf, Eleven and Whisper as well as Eleventh Hour Films, Blueprint TV, Fable Pictures, Stellify Media and France based The Satisfaction Group, which SPT launched a joint venture with in 2020.
He will also oversee the studio’s senior international production creative team led by Brendan Fitzgerald, SVP, International Co-Productions, Michaela Fereday, SVP, International Scripted Productions, and Lucy Robinson, SVP Original Production and Development, who develop premium scripted drama to be produced directly by SPTIP or through international co-productions, complementary to the programming currently produced by the group companies.
Justice has served as Managing Director at Big Talk since 2007, when he joined with Kenton Allen to co-run the award-winning film and television production company which was originally founded in 1994.
Over the last 16 years Justice and the team have been responsible for a significant slate of films (“Attack the Block”, “Sightseers”, “Cuban Fury” and “Man Up”) and critically acclaimed, popular TV shows (including “Free Agents”, “Rev”, “Him & Her”, “Raised by Wolves”, “Mum”, “Cold Feet”, “Friday Night Dinner”, “The Goes Wrong Show” and “The Outlaws”).
Most recently he has been executive producing season 3 of Stephen Merchant’s hit comedy thriller “The Outlaws” for BBC1/Amazon, The Noel Fielding as British Highwayman Dick Turpin series for Apple TV+ and “Dinner with the Parents” for Amazon Freevee.
Prior to joining Big Talk, in 2002 he founded his own production company, Lunar Films, where amongst other things he produced David Mackenzie’s Berlin Silver Bear-winning Hallam Foe, and in 2005 Cedric Klapisch’s multiple César-winning comedy drama, Les Poupées Russes.
Jon Creamer
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