The Mise En Scene Company
An independent UK-based film sales, distribution, multimedia and production company operating across international markets.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Mise En Scene Company, commonly abbreviated as MSC, is an independent British film, multimedia and production company focused on international sales, representation and distribution. The company works with feature films and their producers, helping place projects with distributors, broadcasters, streaming platforms, airlines and other buyers in different territories. Its publicly described activity spans the United States, the United Kingdom and international markets. MSC was established in 2020 by Paul Stuart Lewis Yates and Netto Fernandes. The company originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the two founders were on furlough from their roles at The Ritz London hotel. The founders have associated the company's name with the film term “mise en scène,” while also citing the culinary idea of “mise en place” as an inspiration from their hospitality work. MSC introduced its first slate at the European Film Market, positioning itself from the outset as a market-facing company connecting independent films with international commercial opportunities. The company's activities include global film sales, distribution coordination, project representation and private consultation for producers. Its film-sales work has included The True Don Quixote, American Reject, The Magnificent Meyersons and Driven. These projects demonstrate MSC's focus on independent and auteur-oriented features with recognizable casts and festival or market potential. The company has also represented films involving established performers including Danny Huston, Jack Kilmer, Jacob Batalon, Tim Blake Nelson, Kathleen Monteleone, Elizabeth Perkins, Jeff Perry, Rebecca Henderson and Liza Colón-Zayas. MSC's role has extended beyond arranging sales mandates. In 2024 it coordinated a limited theatrical release in the United States for The Magnificent Meyersons, helped secure a television and streaming arrangement with Starz, and coordinated airline sales and distribution activity in Latin America. In 2025, it partnered with Lunchmeat VHS and Discordia on a limited VHS release of Anchorage, illustrating an interest in specialty and physical-media distribution as well as conventional film-market transactions. The company has also promoted projects through major industry events. In 2025 it announced a market screening of Forelock, starring David Krumholtz, with the project scheduled for exposure at the Toronto International Film Festival and subsequently the European Film Market in 2026. MSC also signed Billy Knight, starring Al Pacino. In connection with both projects, the company placed a “no AI was used” self-certification notice on promotional posters and advocated an industry-wide standard for comparable declarations. This positions MSC not only as a sales representative but also as a participant in emerging debates over transparency and generative artificial intelligence in film production and promotion. The company's represented films have received recognition at independent and international festivals. Anchorage, in particular, won or received audience and jury recognition at events including the Stony Brook Film Festival, Oldenburg Film Festival, Laceno d'Oro International Film Festival, Mammoth Film Festival, New York Film Week, Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival and Culver City Film Festival. American Reject also received awards at the New Orleans Film Festival and the Las Vegas International Film & Screenplay Festival. Publicly available information does not establish a corporate parent, a listed-company affiliation, a headquarters address, a standalone website or financial results.
History
The Mise En Scene Company is an independent British film sales, distribution, multimedia and production business founded in 2020 by Paul Stuart Lewis Yates and Netto Fernandes. The founders developed the company while furloughed from employment at The Ritz London during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the corporate name refers to the cinematic concept of mise en scène, the founders have also described the hospitality concept of mise en place as an influence on the name. MSC launched its first slate at the European Film Market, establishing an international, market-oriented identity from its beginning. MSC's core business has been the representation and sale of independent films across territories. Its early publicly documented mandates included The True Don Quixote, which featured Danny Huston, Jack Kilmer, Jacob Batalon and Tim Blake Nelson, and American Reject, which featured Kathleen Monteleone and Tim O'Leary. The company presented American Reject through the Cannes Film Market and later handled global sales for The Magnificent Meyersons, starring Elizabeth Perkins and Jeff Perry. In addition to sales representation, MSC has provided private consultation to producers, indicating a broader advisory role in packaging and commercializing independent projects. The company expanded its documented activities in 2024. It handled global sales for Driven, featuring Rebecca Henderson and Liza Colón-Zayas. It also coordinated a limited theatrical run in the United States for The Magnificent Meyersons, arranged a television and streaming deal with Starz, and supported airline and Latin American distribution. These activities show that MSC's work can continue after a sales mandate into practical release coordination and multi-platform exploitation. In 2025, MSC announced involvement with Forelock, starring David Krumholtz, including a planned market screening at the Toronto International Film Festival and a later European Film Market appearance in 2026. It also signed Billy Knight, starring Al Pacino. Promotional materials for both films carried a self-certification stating that no artificial intelligence had been used. MSC used these notices to advocate a broader industry standard for disclosure, making technology transparency part of its public positioning. MSC has also participated in specialty physical-media distribution. In partnership with Lunchmeat VHS and Discordia, it supported a limited VHS release of Anchorage in 2025. Anchorage had already built a festival profile, receiving the Stony Brook Film Festival Grand Prize for Best Film and several other awards or audience honors between 2021 and 2022, including recognition at Oldenburg, Laceno d'Oro, Mammoth, New York Film Week, Jim Thorpe and Culver City. American Reject received awards at the New Orleans Film Festival and the Las Vegas International Film & Screenplay Festival. Public references do not provide verified financial information, a corporate parent, a headquarters address, a dedicated website or a listed-company status.
- 2025
AI-use declarations and specialty VHS distribution
[1]MSC announced market activity for Forelock, signed Billy Knight and partnered on a limited VHS release of Anchorage. It also promoted no-AI-use self-certification notices for two projects.
- 2024
Expanded release coordination and Driven sales
[1]MSC handled global sales for Driven and coordinated theatrical, streaming, airline and Latin American distribution activity for The Magnificent Meyersons.
- 2022
Global sales mandate for The Magnificent Meyersons
[1]MSC secured global sales for The Magnificent Meyersons.
- 2021
Global sales for The True Don Quixote and American Reject
[1]MSC handled international sales for The True Don Quixote and American Reject, including presentation of American Reject at the Cannes Film Market.
- 2020
Company founded and first slate launched
[1]Paul Stuart Lewis Yates and Netto Fernandes founded MSC during the COVID-19 pandemic period, and the company introduced its first slate at the European Film Market.
Products and positioning
An independent, internationally oriented film sales and distribution company serving producers of independent features and connecting them with territorial distributors, broadcasters, platforms and specialty-release partners.
Feature film sales representation · 2021
The True Don Quixote
An independent feature for which MSC managed global sales in 2021. The film stars Danny Huston, Jack Kilmer, Jacob Batalon and Tim Blake Nelson, and was subsequently released in the United Kingdom by Signature Entertainment.
Feature film sales representation · 2021
American Reject
A feature represented by MSC for international sales and presented at the Cannes Film Market. The project features Kathleen Monteleone and Tim O'Leary and received festival recognition including acting and rising-star awards.
Feature film sales and distribution · 2022
The Magnificent Meyersons
MSC secured global sales for this feature starring Elizabeth Perkins and Jeff Perry. The company later coordinated a limited US theatrical release, a Starz television and streaming arrangement, airline sales and Latin American distribution.
Feature film sales representation · 2024
Driven
A feature for which MSC took on global sales in 2024. The announced cast includes Rebecca Henderson and Liza Colón-Zayas.
Feature film specialty distribution · 2021
Anchorage
A festival-recognized feature associated with MSC and later released in a limited VHS edition through a partnership with Lunchmeat VHS and Discordia. The film received multiple audience and jury honors between 2021 and 2022.
Feature film sales and market representation · 2025
Forelock
A film associated with MSC and starring David Krumholtz. The company announced market screening activity connected with the Toronto International Film Festival and the European Film Market, with the latter planned for 2026.
Feature film sales representation · 2025
Billy Knight
A film signed by MSC and starring Al Pacino. Promotional material for the project carried the company's stated no-AI-use self-certification approach.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025No-AI-use self-certification notices
International film markets
MSC placed notices on posters for Forelock and Billy Knight declaring that no artificial intelligence had been used. The initiative was presented as a call for a common industry standard for transparency about AI in film projects.
Outcome. The company publicly advocated wider adoption of comparable declarations; no formal industry-wide standard is documented in the available source.
Brand decisions
2025
Promote transparency about artificial-intelligence useStrategyBackground
Debate over the use and disclosure of generative artificial intelligence in film production created demand for clearer project-level statements.
Action taken
MSC placed no-AI-use self-certification notices on posters for Forelock and Billy Knight and called for an industry standard for such disclosures.
Aftermath
The available material records the advocacy and promotional practice but does not document adoption of a formal industry standard.
2025
Support a limited VHS release of AnchorageProduct launchBackground
Anchorage had an established festival profile, while collector-oriented physical media offered an alternative distribution route.
Action taken
MSC partnered with Lunchmeat VHS and Discordia on a limited VHS edition.
Aftermath
The release expanded the film's distribution format beyond conventional theatrical and digital channels.
2024
Broaden distribution coordination for The Magnificent MeyersonsStrategyBackground
After handling global sales for The Magnificent Meyersons, MSC supported multiple release channels and territories.
Action taken
The company coordinated a limited US theatrical run, a Starz television and streaming deal, airline sales and Latin American distribution.
Aftermath
The activity illustrates MSC's expansion from sales representation into coordinated multi-platform and territorial release management.
Recent events
- 2025
MSC announces Forelock market activity and signs Billy Knight[1]
Product launch · Other
MSC announced a market screening for Forelock, starring David Krumholtz, and signed Billy Knight, starring Al Pacino. The company linked both projects to a no-AI-use declaration on promotional posters.
- 2025
MSC partners on limited VHS release of Anchorage[1]
Product launch
MSC partnered with Lunchmeat VHS and Discordia on a limited VHS release of Anchorage.
- 2024
MSC coordinates US and international distribution for The Magnificent Meyersons[1]
Product launch · Other
MSC coordinated a limited US theatrical release, a Starz television and streaming deal, airline sales and Latin American distribution for the film.
- 2024
MSC takes on global sales for Driven[1]
Other
The company became responsible for global sales of Driven, starring Rebecca Henderson and Liza Colón-Zayas.
- 2022
MSC secures global sales for The Magnificent Meyersons[1]
Other
The company took on global sales for The Magnificent Meyersons, featuring Elizabeth Perkins and Jeff Perry.
- 2021
MSC manages international sales for The True Don Quixote[1]
Other
The company handled global sales for The True Don Quixote, which was later released in the United Kingdom by Signature Entertainment.
- 2021
MSC represents American Reject at the Cannes Film Market[1]
Other
MSC managed international sales for American Reject and presented the project in the Cannes Film Market.
Sources1 sources
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