About

Trademark is a London-based film, television and theatre production company founded by BAFTA and Academy Award winning film producer David Parfitt. Trademark's work spans film, theatre and television. Our latest Bafta and Academy award-winning feature film is The Father, based on Florian Zeller's play. The Father is now available on demand and via streaming platforms.

Our latest theatre production SPIKE begins its UK tour in September 2022 at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham. For full tour dates and booking information please visit spiketheplay.co.uk.

Please note: we do not accept unsolicited material.

People

Trademark Team


David Parfitt


David Parfitt has worked as a London-based independent film, television and theatre producer for over 30 years.

David worked as an actor before co-founding the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh. Between 1987 and 1991, the company produced various celebrated Shakespeare productions including Twelfth Night, Much Ado about Nothing, Hamlet, As You like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear and Coriolanus.

His early film credits include a number of collaborations with Branagh: Henry V, Peter's Friends, Much Ado about Nothing, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He went on to produce The Madness of King George, The Wings of The Dove (both nominated for four Academy Awards), Twelfth Night, Shakespeare In Love (winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, and four BAFTA Awards including Best Film) and Gangs of New York (Production Consultant).

In 1999 he founded Trademark Films with members of his regular producing team, making I Capture the Castle, Chasing Liberty, A Bunch of Amateurs, My Week with Marilyn and Red Joan. He also produced Tom Stoppard’s award-winning adaptation of Parade’s End for BBC and HBO, and the one-off drama The Wipers Times for BBC2. Documentary productions include Glyndebourne: The Untold History and Birth of an Opera, both for BBC4.

David was part of the UK/Polish team that co-produced the world’s first hand-painted animated feature film Loving Vincent based on the paintings of Van Gogh. His most recent production is the film adaptation of Florian Zeller’s play The Father which was released in 2021.

David was Chairman of BAFTA 2008-10, and Chairman of Film London 2010-17. He currently serves as a Governor at Dulwich College, London, and is also the recipient of Honorary Doctorates from the University of Sunderland and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Liz Barron


Liz Barron co-founded Trademark Films with David Parfitt in 1999 and has worked with him on all Trademark productions ever since.

Liz qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse and made a move into the arts world as Financial Controller of The Japan Festival in 1991. She spent the subsequent years as a production accountant, company accountant and advisor to several arts organisations.

As Head of Finance and Production Accountant for Renaissance Films during the 1990s, she worked with David Parfitt on a number of films including Peter’s Friends, Much Ado About Nothing, The Madness of King George, Wings of the Dove and Shakespeare in Love.

Trademark Partnerships


Ivan Mactaggart


Ivan Mactaggart is a feature film and television producer with 30 years of industry experience. He was a director of Trademark Films from 2009 to 2018, when he left to form the Cambridge Picture Company. Ivan and Trademark are still working closely on a number co-productions.

Prior to joining Trademark, Ivan had a 20-year career in film financing. Working in senior roles for companies including BMS Finance, BBC Films, BBC Worldwide, Baker Street Media Finance, The Works and Signpost Films, Ivan backed some of the most successful British films in recent history. These include Billy Elliott, Bend it Like Beckham, Made in Dagenham, Moon and Shallow Grave.

At Trademark, he executive produced My Week With Marilyn and the BBC/HBO drama Parade’s End. He produced the ground-breaking feature animation Loving Vincent starring Douglas Booth, Saoirse Ronan and Chris O’Dowd, and co-produced Red Joan starring Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson.

Bob Benton


Bob Benton is a director of Trademark Touring and is partnering Trademark Films on several development projects through his companies Bob & Co and The Anthology Group.

Bob has acted as an adviser, a fundraiser, and an investor in content for over 20 years. Having enjoyed a 30-year career in broking and investment banking, Bob transferred his expertise to the development and production of media content.

He founded Bob & Co in 2010, which rebranded as the Anthology Group in 2018. Bob has executive produced multiple productions across film, theatre, and television.

Cleone Clarke


Cleone Clarke is a freelance producer who has worked in film and television development and production for over twenty years.

She has worked for Trademark in various capacities since it was founded in 1999. Credits include the Academy Award and BAFTA Award nominated Loving Vincent, The Wipers Times, My Week With Marilyn, A Bunch Of Amateurs, Chasing Liberty, I Capture The Castle, Red Joan and The Father.

She also worked extensively with Trademark founder David Parfitt on Shakespeare In Love (winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture & three BAFTA Awards including Best Film), The Wings Of The Dove (winner of two BAFTA Awards), Twelfth Night and The Madness Of King George (winner of one Academy Award and two BAFTA Awards, including Best British Film).

Television credits include the two BBC Four documentaries Birth Of An Opera and Glyndebourne: The Untold History.

Karl Sydow


Karl Sydow is an award-winning stage and film producer, and one of the UK’s most successful theatrical entrepreneurs. Karl was an Executive Producer on Red Joan and is partnering with Trademark on several development projects.

Karl’s entry to theatre came when he set up First Call in 1985, which went on to become the UK’s largest live event ticketing company. He is currently the lead international producer of the hugely successful Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story.

The record-breaking UK tour of Dirty Dancing has grossed over £90m and has recently toured France, Italy, Australia, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark and Belgium.

On Broadway, Karl has produced/co-produced The Seagull, All My Sons, American Buffalo and Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker (6 Tony nominations, NY Critics Award Best Foreign Play, Olivier Award Best Play).

Karl is currently producing Sting’s musical The Last Ship.

Mark Cooper


Mark Cooper has spent the last 25 years producing feature films for both US Studios and the Major Independent sector. He line produced Shakespeare in Love, winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

He also co-produced Wings of the Dove, The Madness of King George, Much Ado about Nothing, Chocolat, Proof, Derailed and Amazing Grace. All of these films were made for between $15-30 million, demonstrating that the UK can produce great quality films on a tight budget.

More recently he produced Will shot in London, Paris and Turkey, co-produced The Other Boleyn Girl for Sony, My Week with Marilyn with Trademark Films, The Wife starring Glen Close and Jonathan Pryce, and most recently The White Crow directed by Ralph Fiennes.

Mark has produced projects in China, Thailand, America, Turkey and all over Europe. Mark was Head of Production for Renaissance Films from 1992-1996 and Vice Chair for The UK Production Guild for several years.