EXCLUSIVE: Sony Music is chasing an unpaid debt from the producer of Creation Stories, the Danny Boyle executive-produced UK indie movie about record label founder Alan McGee.
Sony Music has issued Creation Stories Ltd with a “winding-up petition,” which in the UK is often the last resort taken by a creditor when attempting to recover debt. Sony is essentially seeking a court order to put Creation Stories into liquidation.
Creation Stories Ltd was a special-purpose vehicle through which Creation Stories was made. Its directors are Shelley Hammond and Hollie Richmond, who ran Burning Wheel Productions, which was ultimately credited with producing Creation Stories. Hammond and Richmond now run Herd International.
Creation Stories Ltd’s most recently filed accounts, for the year to April 30, 2021, showed that it owed creditors £502,408 ($668,000) and had debts of £79,813.
A Creation Stories spokesperson said: “The production was completed several years ago. Now that this issue has been brought to our attention, it will be resolved swiftly to avoid any further action.”
The Brit comedy was based on McGee’s autobiography, The Creation Records Story: Riots, Raves And Running A Label, about the highs and lows of running label Creation Records, famous for putting out hits by the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream and Oasis. Sony Music owns Creation Records.
Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting) starred as McGee. Other cast included Suki Waterhouse (Assassination Nation), Leo Flanagan (Hanna), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Jason Flemyng (Pennyworth), comedian Ed Byrne, Paul Kaye (It’s All Gone Pete Tong), Perry Benson (You Rang M’Lord?), Thomas Turgoose (This is England), Steven Berkoff (Octopussy), Rufus Jones (W1A) and Mel Raido (Legend).
Nick Moran directed the film. Trainspotting novelist Irvine Welsh, who is close friends with McGee, wrote the screenplay with partner Dean Cavanagh.
Sony Music did not respond to a request for comment.