CLOSE-UP: LIVE ISSUE - STARK FILMS AND SPECTRE. How will the formation of Large affect production?(Interview)

Four industry figures give their views on the merger of Stark Films and Spectre.

The merger of Stark Films and Spectre fails to elicit a nasty word from anyone. Broadly there have been two responses: 'that's great' or 'so what?'.

The 'so what?' camp is made up of creatives who say that it won't affect the way they work. They go to a particular production company because it works with a particular director and that the merger is merely a way of making life easier/wealthier for the people who run Stark and Spectre.

Not surprisingly, Stark's joint managing director Stephen Gash and Spectre's managing director, Bertie Miller, muster more passion on the subject. Both were motivated by the sense of 'what next?'.

Miller says: 'They were both profitable companies with roughly the same turnover and profit, but it's difficult for production companies to grow beyond a particular point. They tend to have one person at the top who is the entire management team.'

He adds: 'There was a personal desire from me and from Danny Kleinman to keep the company fresh and moving in the right direction ... We decided we wanted to go larger and take on more of the American model.'

Gash explains: 'Stark was 11 years old. This business thrives on what's new and I knew that heritage can hold you back. I wanted an injection of edge and energy.'