Technicolor Acquires The Mill: 7 Things to Know

Yesterday big news filtered through in the world of entertainment and advertising production that media giant Technicolor had acquired post production powerhouse The Mill in a deal worth £190 million (roughly €269 million).

The announcement means the company will join a group including advertising competitors such as MPC in the post world and below The Mill's CEO Robin Shenfield explains more about the intricacies of the deal and what we can expect as a result.

How did the acquisition come about; have you been in negotiations for a while?

We sought out Technicolor as one of the few companies in the world with the innovation focus and operational style that would support our strategic growth and culture. We have a shared vision in creating compelling and inventive content.

Why was Technicolor right for The Mill and vice versa?

Technicolor is a creative technology company with a distinguished pedigree in innovation and has an impressive track record in supporting the creative vision and culture of companies they acquire.

We are entering a new era of creative storytelling with developments in virtual and augmented reality, in experiential projects and other types of work that brands and their agencies will increasingly want to produce to connect and engage with consumers. With Technicolor’s technical know-how and resources behind us, we are ready to further develop The Mill’s already outstanding global reputation for creativity. It’s a perfect fit.

Were there other potential buyers in the equation or was it exclusive?

It was exclusive and we only engaged with Technicolor.

What does it mean for the company – will we see anything change in terms of the creative output?

For The Mill, we are very excited about this next step in our rich history – and being part of a larger company will only ensure our creative ambition, focus and output as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in creating bold and innovative work. We will continue to create premium moving image content for our clients.

And what about internally – are there any plans to alter the dynamics of the offices across the world?

Operationally, there are no plans to alter The Mill’s dynamics in any of our studios across the globe.

And you’re now part of a group containing industry competitors such as MPC. Does that matter and what does it mean for clients?

Technicolor owns various creative companies including Mikros Image, Mr X and MPC. We will continue to operate as entirely separate businesses, continuing to compete vigorously with each other but now with the same parent. It’s business as usual as we continue to partner and develop outstanding content for our clients.

What does the future now hold for The Mill in terms of its advertising output? Can we expect that to be affected?

The future is very exciting for The Mill, being part of Technicolor will open up opportunities to the future development of our talent and capabilities. Technicolor’s research and innovation credentials are unparalleled and we will be sharing ideas, knowledge and experience. For us, this is work very few companies in the world will have the creative and the innovation depth to attract. With Technicolor as our owner we are perfectly placed to pioneer the development of this new type of work, making the next couple of decades as thrilling as the last two and half!