UK sales firm Cornerstone Films, Genesius Pictures (Mrs. Lowry and Son) and distribution executive Lisa Garner have formed The Reset Collective, an Australian distribution and film and TV production firm.
Acquisitions and distribution will be the immediate focus for the new company with plans for the development and production arm due to unfold later in the year. The company will be based out of Sydney with footprints in London and Los Angeles and is fully financed by London-based TV and film firm Genesius Pictures.
Under the production arm, the company says it will prioritize partnerships with emerging Australian filmmakers and digital platforms looking to develop internationally focused content.
The company teams up Garner and Cornerstone Films’ Mark Gooder, who last worked together when Gooder helped establish Icon Film Distribution as a key player in the 2000s, working on movies including Paranormal Activity, Slumdog Millionaire, The Queen, In Bruges, The Iron Lady and 12 Years a Slave.
Oz distribution exec Garner, who will serve as managing director of The Reset Collective, began her career as head of marketing for Warner Bros Home Entertainment and then worked as part of the senior management team at Icon Australia for eight years. Most recently, in her role as the Australian general manager of New Zealand-based Rialto Distribution, she oversaw operations and acquisitions of content for the Australasian territory.
Gooder and Cornerstone’s Alison Thompson commented, “We have been looking for unique opportunities to expand on the success of Cornerstone Films since we launched five years ago. Australia has always been a key territory for us both personally and commercially. Challenging times often reveal unseen opportunities and we are excited to be part of this new adventure at a critical moment in the content business.”
Garner added, “At the core of The Reset Collective are a group of partners who have a passion for story telling and I couldn’t be more thrilled to join such an experienced team at a moment of evolution in the distribution business.”
Genesius Pictures’ Debbie Gray and Julian Gleek also noted, “We are so excited to be working with Lisa Garner and Cornerstone on this unique opportunity to create a vertically integrated content business. Working with Australian creatives to develop and produce great stories is a significant evolution for Genesius Pictures’ content business.”