Manchester accountant prepares for his close-up
The buzz may be fading around using film partnerships as a way of incurring deductible losses for tax purposes, but that hasn't stopped an enterprising accountant from dipping a toe into the world of film production. John Stokdyk reports.
Manchester-based UHY Hacker Young partner Clive Gawthorpe is trying to help Splintered Films raise £900,000 to produce a horror film called 'Splintered'.
Continued...
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Good call Graeme
As the ubiquitous Mr Urquart proves, accountants really do make the world go round.
Cheers
John Stokdyk
Technology editor
AccountingWEB.co.uk
Could this be the one?
It was a pleasure to acknowledge your previous efforts in this area, Mark.
You listed some I knew, and some I didn't - so I went with my selection and thought that anyone who wanted to research further could visit your blog.
I have a dim memory of the production you mention - I think it was a topic of some mirth and Taking Stock coverage when I first started on Accountancy Age in early 1997, but so far the details escape me.
I thought it might have been 'Shooting Fish', but I think that just involved the placement of KPMG banners around the race track where the climactic scenes feature the "KPMG Challenge Cup"...
While researching your query, I did uncover news of 'The Tourist', due for release in December. According to imdb.com, this will star Ewan McGregor as an accountant who joins a mysterious sex club and soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist...
McGregor has form in this area - he also played Nick Leeson in 'Rogue Trader', which featured some scenes that must have embarrassed Barings auditors, Coopers & Lybrand.
Returning to the hunt for your mystery film, I'm pretty certain KPMG was the firm involved, following a campaign masterminded by David Murrell, the firm's flamboyant media and entertainment partner during the 1990s. KPMG-branded items and adverts ended up in films including 'Mr Bean' and 'Wag The Dog'.
According to an entertaining 1997 article in CA magazine (PDF format), as part of the firm's deal with Winchester Films, the romantic comedy 'The Sea Change' included scenes filmed at KPMG's glitzy new HQ at Salisbury Square featuring wall planners, posters and even mugs bearing the Big Four firm's logo. The lead character was an accountant called Rupert Granger who gets marooned in a Barcelona hotel room with Ray Winsome, with hilarious consequences... I wish I knew more.
Has anyone seen the film? If so, you could enlighten us as to what actually happens - and whether the KPMG scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
John Stokdyk
AccountingWEB.co.uk