Company Registration No. 14376322 (England and Wales)
Postmaster Productions Limited
Annual report and financial statements
for the period ended 26 March 2024
Postmaster Productions Limited
Company information
Directors
Ivan Atkinson
(Appointed 26 September 2022)
Guy Ritchie
(Appointed 26 September 2022)
Company number
14376322
Registered office
71 Queen Victoria Street
London
EC4V 4BE
Independent auditor
Saffery LLP
71 Queen Victoria Street
London
ECV4 4BE
Postmaster Productions Limited
Contents
Page
Directors' report
1
Directors' responsibilities statement
2
Independent auditor's report
3 - 5
Income statement
6
Statement of financial position
7
Notes to the financial statements
8 - 13
Postmaster Productions Limited
Directors' report
For the period ended 26 March 2024
1

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the period ended 26 March 2024.

 

The company was incorporated on 26 September 2022 and began trading the same day.

Principal activities

The principal activity of the company is that of feature film production.

Directors

The directors who held office during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

Ivan Atkinson
(Appointed 26 September 2022)
Guy Ritchie
(Appointed 26 September 2022)
Future developments

At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future despite the company being loss-making. This is due to certain territorial sales deals on delivery of the film. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Statement of disclosure to auditor

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

Small companies exemption

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.

On behalf of the board
Ivan Atkinson
Director
6 November 2024
Postmaster Productions Limited
Directors' responsibilities statement
For the period ended 26 March 2024
2

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

 

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).

 

Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

 

 

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Independent auditor's report
To the members of Postmaster Productions Limited
3
Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Postmaster Productions Limited (the 'company') for the period ended 26 March 2024 which comprise the income statement, the statement of financial position and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

 

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

 

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Independent auditor's report (continued)
To the members of Postmaster Productions Limited
4

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

 

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

 

Responsibilities of directors

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

 

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are detailed below.

 

Identifying and assessing risks related to irregularities:

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement and how fraud might occur, including through discussions with the directors, discussions within our audit team planning meeting, updating our record of internal controls and ensuring these controls operated as intended. We evaluated possible incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements. We identified laws and regulations that are of significance in the context of the company by discussions with directors and by updating our understanding of the sector in which the company operates.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Independent auditor's report (continued)
To the members of Postmaster Productions Limited
5

Laws and regulations of direct significance in the context of the company include The Companies Act 2006 and UK Tax legislation.

 

Audit response to risks identified

We considered the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items including a review of financial statement disclosures. We reviewed the company's records of breaches of laws and regulations, minutes of meetings and correspondence with relevant authorities to identify potential material misstatements arising. We discussed the company's policies and procedures for compliance with laws and regulations with members of management responsible for compliance.

During the planning meeting with the audit team, the engagement partner drew attention to the key areas which might involve non-compliance with laws and regulations or fraud. We enquired of management whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud. We addressed the risk of fraud through management override of controls by testing the appropriateness of journal entries and identifying any significant transactions that were unusual or outside the normal course of business. We assessed whether judgements made in making accounting estimates gave rise to a possible indication of management bias. At the completion stage of the audit, the engagement partner’s review included ensuring that the team had approached their work with appropriate professional scepticism and thus the capacity to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Nigel Walde
Senior Statutory Auditor
For and on behalf of Saffery LLP
13 November 2024
Chartered Accountants
Statutory Auditors
71 Queen Victoria Street
London
ECV4 4BE
Postmaster Productions Limited
Income statement
For the period ended 26 March 2024
6
Period
ended
26 March
2024
£
Administrative expenses
702,073
Interest payable and similar expenses
(4,731,243)
Loss before taxation
(4,029,170)
Tax on loss
-
0
Loss for the financial period
(4,029,170)

The income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Statement of financial position
As at 26 March 2024
7
2024
Notes
£
£
Fixed assets
Intangible assets
4
49,029,372
Investments
5
1
49,029,373
Current assets
Debtors
7
3,099,414
Cash at bank and in hand
648,084
3,747,498
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
8
(56,806,039)
Net current liabilities
(53,058,541)
Net liabilities
(4,029,168)
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital
2
Profit and loss reserves
(4,029,170)
Total equity
(4,029,168)

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the board of directors and authorised for issue on 6 November 2024 and are signed on its behalf by:
Ivan Atkinson
Director
Company Registration No. 14376322
Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements
For the period ended 26 March 2024
8
1
Accounting policies
Company information

Postmaster Productions Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 71 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4BE.

1.1
Reporting period

The reporting period covers the period from 26 September 2022 to 26 March 2024, a period of 18 months. This is the first reporting period. The longer reporting period was used to align with the other company in the group. As this is the first set of financial statements there are no comparative figures.

1.2
Accounting convention

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. The disclosure requirements of section 1A of FRS 102 have been applied other than where additional disclosure is required to show a true and fair view.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.3
Turnover

Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.

 

When cash inflows are deferred and represent a financing arrangement, the fair value of the consideration is the present value of the future receipts. The difference between the fair value of the consideration and the nominal amount received is recognised as interest income.

Revenue from contracts for the development of film projects is recognised by dependant on the nature of the ownership of the underlying rights to the programme being produced. Where the company owns the underlying rights the revenue is recognised only upon delivery of the programme. Where the underlying rights are owned by a third party and the company is producing the programme on a 'work-for-hire' basis then revenue is recognised with reference to stage of completion of the programme.

1.4
Intangible fixed assets other than goodwill

Intangible assets acquired separately from a business are recognised at cost and are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses.

 

Intangible assets acquired on business combinations are recognised separately from goodwill at the acquisition date where it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity and the fair value of the asset can be measured reliably; the intangible asset arises from contractual or other legal rights; and the intangible asset is separable from the entity.

Amortisation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Patents & licences
Amortised in line with sales
Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements (continued)
For the period ended 26 March 2024
1
Accounting policies (continued)
9
1.5
Fixed asset investments

Interests in subsidiaries, associates and jointly controlled entities are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the company. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

An associate is an entity, being neither a subsidiary nor a joint venture, in which the company holds a long-term interest and where the company has significant influence. The company considers that it has significant influence where it has the power to participate in the financial and operating decisions of the associate.

Entities in which the company has a long term interest and shares control under a contractual arrangement are classified as jointly controlled entities.

1.6
Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting period end date, the company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.

Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset for which the estimates of future cash flows have not been adjusted.

 

If the recoverable amount of an asset (or cash-generating unit) is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation decrease.

Recognised impairment losses are reversed if, and only if, the reasons for the impairment loss have ceased to apply. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset (or cash-generating unit) in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the reversal of the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation increase.

1.7
Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements (continued)
For the period ended 26 March 2024
1
Accounting policies (continued)
10
1.8
Financial instruments

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

 

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's statement of financial position when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

 

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Classification of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

 

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

 

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

1.9
Equity instruments

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

1.10
Employee benefits

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

 

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

 

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements (continued)
For the period ended 26 March 2024
1
Accounting policies (continued)
11
1.11
Foreign exchange

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions where practicable, else at the average rate over the year in which the transactions were incurred. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign exchange currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date.

2
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

3
Employees

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the period was:

2024
Number
Total
-
0

No director received remuneration from the company in the period.

4
Intangible fixed assets
Other
£
Cost
At 26 September 2022
-
0
Additions
49,029,372
At 26 March 2024
49,029,372
Amortisation and impairment
At 26 September 2022 and 26 March 2024
-
0
Carrying amount
At 26 March 2024
49,029,372
Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements (continued)
For the period ended 26 March 2024
12
5
Fixed asset investments
2024
£
Shares in group undertakings and participating interests
1
Movements in fixed asset investments
Shares in subsidiaries
£
Cost or valuation
At 26 September 2022
-
Additions
1
At 26 March 2024
1
Carrying amount
At 26 March 2024
1
6
Subsidiaries

Details of the company's subsidiaries at 26 March 2024 are as follows:

Name of undertaking
Address
Class of
% Held
shares held
Direct
Indirect
MOUW Productions Limited
1
Ordinary
100
-

Registered office addresses (all UK unless otherwise indicated):

1
71 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4BE
7
Debtors
2024
Amounts falling due within one year:
£
Amounts owed by group undertakings
2,568,261
Other debtors
531,153
3,099,414
Postmaster Productions Limited
Notes to the financial statements (continued)
For the period ended 26 March 2024
13
8
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2024
£
Bank loans
45,163,837
Other creditors
11,642,202
56,806,039
9
Financial commitments, guarantees and contingent liabilities

Comerica Bank holds fixed and floating charges over the company which entitle it to the rights, title and interest in the entire copyright and all other rights in relation to a film production.

10
Parent company

The company is owned 50% each by Toff Guy Films Limited and One Van Films Limited.

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