Cordell Jigsaw merges with Zapruder’s ‘to give critical mass at the production table’

Two of Australia’s independent TV production houses have merged to form a “super indie,” it has been announced today.

The merger sees Zapruder’s Other Films, founded by Andrew Denton and Anita Jacoby combine with Cordell Jigsaw, founded by Nick Murray and Michael Cordell, to be titled Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (CJZ).

The talks began six to eight months ago, as Murray and Denton worked together lobbying the ABC for funding, but a deal wasn’t inked until last week.

As a merged production company it makes Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder the most prolific producer of Australian created shows with 14 shows slated for 2012 across free to air and subscription TV, including seven new productions such as tele-movie The Great Mint Swindle and Randling as well as seven re-commissioned productions such as Go Back To Where You Came From, The Gruen Transfer, Bondi Rescue and Can of Worms.