Meskhiyev joins Russian World Studios

Company has stake in St. Petersburg facility

By TOM BIRCHENOUGH

MOSCOW — Russian World Studios, one of the country’s leading service providers, has tapped helmer Dmitry Meskhiyev to head the outfit’s plans for expansion of its studio facilities.

Speaking with RWS director general Yury Sapronov on Wednesday, Meskhiyev, best known for fest prize-winners like 2004’s “Our Own,” said that facilities will be on a par with European rivals.

RWS earlier this year pacted with the powerful Systema holding, which had started building a dedicated St. Petersburg studio independently. That facility is due to open properly in the fall.

RWS, founded in 1998, has a 49% stake in the new venture, and also has its own production facilities in Moscow and in the Black Sea resort of Anapa.

According to Sapronov, $100 million has already been spent on the new studio venture, with a further spend of $150 million skedded over the next seven years.

Sapronov predicted that around 60% of studio time would go to outside production, with the remainder covered by in-house fare. To date the outfit has concentrated on TV work.

Longer-term expansion plans include facilities in the Baltics and Mediterranean states, and ventures in China and India, Sapronov said.