Actor Jason Flemyng, casting director Lucinda Syson, financial controller Cristiano D’Urso and actor and writer Ben Starr have joined forces to launch The Kernel Factory, an independent film and television production company.
The Kernel Factory will focus on artist-developed content and work both with established and emerging talent, “helping to nurture original ideas and offering support from their well-connected, experienced team.”
Jason Flemyng has appeared in films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and X-Men: First Class, as well as on television including Save Me, The Missing, Black Mirror, Pennyworth and Jamestown. He has worked with the likes of Guy Ritchie, David Fincher, Matthew Vaughn and Bernardo Bertolucci.
Casting director Lucinda Syson has collaborated with notable names including Patty Jenkins, Tony Scott, Guy Ritchie, Matthew Vaughn, Christopher Nolan and Alfonso Cuarón. Her work includes Wonder Woman, Batman Begins, Kick-Ass, Snatch, Legend, Gravity and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, and in January she received an Artios Award from The Casting Society of America for excellence in casting.
Cristiano D’Urso has developed films and television shows all over the world, from independent projects to big-budget productions, and has worked with Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Amblin, Marvel and Amazon amongst others.
Ben Starr is an actor and writer who has worked in television and film, including roles in Knightfall, Medici, Dickensian and Jamestown. Ben and Jason Flemyng have worked together for more than a decade on multiple projects, both on and off-screen, and have a slate of shows in development.
Jason Flemyng said: “I’ve been lucky. I’ve been allowed to do what I do for over 30 years. Now it’s time to develop and create stories myself, with the people I’ve met along the way. Lucinda and I have been cooking up The Kernel Factory for a while; now it’s time to go to work, search for those stories we care about and find a home for them with the people who know how to tell them.”
Lucinda Syson said: “In tandem with my continued work as a casting director it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to evolve my industry experience with a fresh creative challenge. I’m very much looking forward to being part of this new venture with Jason and the team.”
Cristiano D’Urso said: “It’s all about taste. Each of us brings something unique to the table – our backgrounds can attest to that. We’re approaching things from a different perspective and I can’t wait to get started.”
Ben Starr said: “People have ideas they’re too busy to share, even if they’re small. There are stories hiding everywhere and we’re excited to explore ways of developing them into compelling long-form drama.”
Jason Flemyng is represented by 42, Lucinda Syson is represented by United Agents and Ben Starr is represented by Conway van Gelder Grant.
Staff Reporter
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