Editing HandMade Films (section)

==History==

=== Foundation ===
HandMade Films was formed by former [[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[George Harrison]] and business partner [[Denis O'Brien (producer)|Denis O'Brien]] in 1978 to finance the controversial [[Monty Python]] film ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]''.<ref name="grdn"/> Harrison had been introduced to O'Brien by actor [[Peter Sellers]] in 1973. Soon afterward the two went into business together.{{sfn|Harry|2003|p=211}} The HandMade logo was drawn by Python's animator [[Terry Gilliam]].<ref>''An Accidental Studio'' (2019)</ref>

When the original financiers of ''Brian'', [[EMI Films]], pulled out of the project less than a week before filming was to commence, the creators had to find other financing.<ref name="screenonline">{{Screenonline title|id=499846|name=Handmade studio biography and associate films}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Davies|2009|pp=362–363}}; {{harvnb|Doggett|2009|p=262}}.</ref> Harrison, a friend and fan of the Pythons, mortgaged [[Friar Park|his home]] in order to finance the feature.<ref name="grdn"/> [[Eric Idle]] of the Pythons later called it "the most anybody's ever paid for a cinema ticket in history".{{sfn|Doggett|2009|p=262}} ''Life of Brian'' grossed $21 million at the box office in the US.{{sfn|Harry|2003|p=211}}

Harrison explained: "The name of the company came about as a bit of a joke. I'd been to [[Wookey Hole]] in [[Somerset]]&nbsp;... [near] an old paper mill where they show you how to make old underpants into paper. So I bought a few rolls, and they had this watermark 'British Handmade Paper'&nbsp;... So we said&nbsp;... we'll call it Handmade Films."{{sfn|Harry|2003|p=211}} 

=== First film and growth of productions ===
The first film distributed by HandMade Films was ''[[The Long Good Friday]]'' (1980), and the first it produced was ''[[Time Bandits]]'' (1981), a co-scripted project by [[Monty Python]]{{'}}s [[Terry Gilliam]] and [[Michael Palin]].{{sfn|Harry|2003|p=212}} The film featured a new song by Harrison, "[[Dream Away (George Harrison song)|Dream Away]]", in the closing credits.{{sfn|Inglis|2010|p=83}} ''Time Bandits'' became one of HandMade's most successful and acclaimed efforts; with a budget of $5 million, it earned $35 million in the US within ten weeks of its release.{{sfn|Inglis|2010|p=83}}

Harrison served as [[Film producer|executive producer]] for 23 films with HandMade, including the Oscar-nominated ''[[Mona Lisa (film)|Mona Lisa]]'', ''[[Shanghai Surprise]]'' and ''[[Withnail and I]]''. He made several [[cameo appearance]]s in these films, including a role as a [[nightclub singer]] in ''Shanghai Surprise'',<ref>[https://www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/2019/10/23/control-nathan-rabin-40-73-shanghai-surprise Control Nathan Rabin 4.0 #73 Shanghai Surprise —— Nathan Rabin's Happy Place]</ref> for which he recorded five new songs.{{sfn|Leng|2006|p=244}} According to Ian Inglis, Harrison's "executive role in HandMade Films helped to sustain British cinema at a time of crisis, producing some of the country's most memorable movies of the 1980s."{{sfn|Inglis|2010|p=xvi}} In 1987, HandMade Films made an agreement with independent motion picture distributor [[Island Records|Island Pictures]] to distribute four films for limited theatrical release from 1987 to mid-1988: ''[[The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne]]'', ''[[Track 29]]'', ''[[The Raggedy Rawney]]'' and ''[[Bellman and True]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1987-04-22|title=Island Gets 4 Handmades|page=5|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

===Changes of ownership and recent history===
Following a series of [[box office bomb]]s in the late 1980s and excessive debt incurred by O'Brien, which was [[Loan guarantee|guaranteed]] by Harrison, HandMade's financial situation became precarious.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sellers |first=Robert |date=2013 |title=Very Naughty Boys: The Amazing True Stories of HandMade Films |location=London |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=9781781167083}}</ref>{{sfn|Dawtrey|2002|p=207}} The company ceased operations in 1991<ref name="grdn"/> and was sold three years later to [[Paragon Entertainment Corporation]] of Toronto, Canada.{{sfn|Harry|2003|pp=214–15}} Afterward, Harrison sued O'Brien for $25 million for fraud and negligence, resulting in an $11.6 million judgment in 1996.<ref>Morris, Chris. "George Harrison Wins $11.6 Mill. In Suit Vs. Ex-Partner", ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', 3 February 1996: 13</ref><ref name="grdn"/> Following this event, the company was completely taken over by the Canadian investors.

New owner [[Paragon Entertainment Corporation]] restarted production under the HandMade name in 1996–1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=13047|title=PARAGON/HANDMADE FILMS TO MAKE FIVE FEATURES IN FIRST HALF OF 1997|first=Paragon|last=Entertainment|website=www.prnewswire.co.uk|access-date=14 December 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214125056/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/paragonhandmade-films-to-make-five-features-in-first-half-of-1997-156329145.html |archive-date=2017-12-14}}</ref> The company's most notable release of that era was ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' (1998). In 1999, [[Patrick Meehan (producer)|Patrick Meehan]] and Cartier Investments acquired HandMade from Paragon.<ref name=variety>{{cite news |title=HandMade offering |url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/news/handmade-offering-1200336260/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=17 May 2006 |access-date=21 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=ftblackwell>{{cite news |last=Blackwell |first=David |title=HandMade set for Aim after £15m deal |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/51a5cc9e-e478-11da-8ced-0000779e2340.html#axzz3JjIjNcTx |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210211255/https://www.ft.com/content/51a5cc9e-e478-11da-8ced-0000779e2340#axzz3JjIjNcTx |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |work=[[Financial Times]] |date=16 May 2006 |access-date=21 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 1999, The Equator Group plc became the exclusive distributor and manager of the HandMade Films library,<ref>{{cite web |title=Equator Group PLC Interim Results - 6 months ended 30 June 1999 |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/equator-group-plc--hmf-/rns/interim-results---6-months-ended-30-june-1999/199910281204027796W/ |website=Investigate.co.uk |publisher=FE fundinfo |date=28 October 1999 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> and attempted to purchase the company from Cartier outright, but negotiations were unsuccessful until a [[reverse takeover]] agreement with Hand Made Holdings Ltd<ref>{{cite web |title=Equator Group PLC EGM Results and Board Changes |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/equator-group-plc--hmf-/rns/egm-results-and-board-changes/200606081128052644E/ |website=Investegate.co.uk |publisher=FE fundinfo |date=8 June 2006 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> announced on 15 May 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Equator Group PLC re-Admission to trading |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/equator-group-plc--hmf-/rns/re-admission-to-trading/200605150800089336C/ |website=Investigate.co.uk |publisher=FE fundinfo |date=15 May 2006 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> 

The Equator Group reincorporated as HandMade Plc on 8 June 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name, Company No. 3270629 |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03270629/filing-history/MTYxOTE4MDE3YWRpcXprY3g/document?format=pdf&download=0 |format=PDF |publisher=[[Companies House]] |date=8 June 2006 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> and the new company was traded on the [[Alternative Investment Market]] (AIM) stock exchange (changing its [[ticker symbol]] from EQG to HMF). Trading of HandMade plc shares was suspended several times, notably June to October 2009, after the company failed to provide  2008 audit results to shareholders.<ref>{{cite web |title=HandMade Plc shares suspended as it fails to produce accounts |first=Geoffrey |last=McNabb |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/production/uk-ireland/-handmade-plc-shares-suspended-as-it-fails-to-produce-accounts/5003014.article |website=[[ScreenDaily]] |date=1 July 2009 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Katie |title=Aim-listed HandMade films asks for share suspension |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jan/07/handmade-shares-suspended |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=7 January 2010 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref>

On 29 April 2010, Almorah Services Ltd tendered a takeover bid, priced at £0.01 per share in cash<ref>{{cite web |title=Almorah Services Ltd Offer for Handmade plc |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/almorah-services-ltd/rns/offer-for-handmade-plc/201004300700070921L/ |website=Investegate.co.uk |publisher=FE fundinfo |date=29 April 2010 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> and HMF was [[Listing (finance)#Delisting|delisted]] from the AIM on 29 June 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cancellation - Handmade plc |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/aim/rns/cancellation---handmade-plc/201006290700053356O/ |website=Investegate.co.uk |publisher=FE fundinfo |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> HandMade plc was re-registered as HandMade Limited, a private company, on 2 February 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03270629/filing-history/MzAzMTUzNjk1M2FkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0 |format=PDF |title=Certificate of Incorporation on Re-Registration of a Public Company as a Private Company, Company No. 3270629 |publisher=Companies House |date=2 February 2011 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> Handmade Limited entered administration on 11 July 2012, [[liquidation]] on 24 April 2013,<ref name="Insolvency">{{cite press release |title=Handmade film directors disqualified for misleading investors |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/handmade-film-directors-disqualified-for-misleading-investors |url-status=live |agency=[[Insolvency Service|The Insolvency Service]] |date=14 February 2017 |access-date=3 May 2020 |id=020 7596 6187 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214193247/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/handmade-film-directors-disqualified-for-misleading-investors |archive-date=14 February 2017}}</ref> and was dissolved on 22 February 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dissolved |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03270629/filing-history/MzE5ODQwMzU3MmFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0 |format=PDF |publisher=Companies House |date=22 February 2018 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Park Circus (company)|Park Circus]] purchased distribution rights to the HandMade film library.<ref>{{cite web |last=McNabb |first=Geoffrey |title=Park Circus to sell Handmade Films library |url=https://www.screendaily.com/cannes/park-circus-to-sell-handmade-films-library/5103859.article |website=[[ScreenDaily]] |date=13 May 2016 |access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref>

In 2017, following an investigation by the [[Insolvency Service]], three HandMade Limited directors were disqualified from acting as a director of a company: Patrick Anthony Meehan for 13 years, David Bernard Ravden for five-and-a-half years, and Peter William Parkinson for four years. The directors misused funds to "pay off relatives" and "on matters undisclosed to advisers, shareholder or potential investors".<ref name="Insolvency"/>