James Reed: all about business 59. From rejection to £100m deals: The Netflix pitch that changed British TV | Andy Harries OBE
Building a career in television is one thing, but what does it really take to produce global hits like The Crown and Outlander while building and scaling a production empire?
In this episode of 'All About Business,' James speaks with Andy Harries, co-founder and CEO of Left Bank Pictures. Together they discuss Andy's 50-year journey from a promotion scriptwriter at Granada Television, to launching his own company, selling it to Sony, and navigating the streaming revolution.
Andy explains how being rejected at 26 became the fuel for his ambition, how his early documentary work took him around the world, and what he learned directing cultural icons including the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McLaren, and Truman Capote. The conversation dives into the business of creativity, including the high stakes Netflix pitch that led to a 100 million pound deal for The Crown, what global streamers look for when backing premium drama, and how British television has scaled to a global audience.
Andy also reflects on his transition into an executive chairman role, mentoring the next generation of talent, and why protecting British creativity and a strong BBC matters more than ever.
Timestamps
02:26 Journey through Granada
06:02 Transition to comedy and drama
09:34 The Queen and Prime Suspect
12:47 Founding Left Bank Pictures
39:35 Reaching out to Ken Braner
50:17 The Crown and Netflix partnership
01:04:35 Transitioning roles and future projects
Find out more about Left Bank Picture and Andy Harris
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