Unique in the world of film - Spirit Level's a completely independent "boutique" studio with just one criteria for the films it distributes, produces and acquires... we have to love them. So if you love any one of them, we hope you'll love them all.

Originally set up in 2001 to produce for the BBC what's now known as “The Snake and the Stallion”, in 2002 Spirit Level acquired and re-mastered the 1976 Claude Lelouch classic “C’était un Rendezvous” (“Makes Bullitt look like a cartoon” Jeremy Clarkson) only to find no distributor or retailer would touch it. 180,000 DVDs later (and still going strong) Spirit Level were firmly in the distribution business on their own terms, releasing “The Snake and the Stallion” followed by Sacha Baron-Cohen’s feature film debut, “The Jolly Boys Last Stand”.

Following years saw the introduction of Panoramica, the ambient label, with US partner Don Rose (founder of Ryko) and another dip into production with “The Ministry of Truth” - an insane attempt to make MPs legally accountable for deliberate lies. It became the BBC’s highest rated political documentary of the year and gave birth to Spirit Level's absurd mix of politics and motoring whilst introducing the company to the world of political campaigns and lobbying. The Ministry's “Elected Representatives (Prohibition of Deception) Bill” made it to a second reading in Parliament and periodically threatens the statute books- generally being invoked in one form or another after a political scandal. It's principles may yet show up as the power for voters to "recall" MPs.

The Ministry was a legal minefield and certainly the lawyers fees were higher than post-production costs (unkind souls say it shows), but the commitment needed for the production seemed to set in stone some kind of company credo… there’s only one criteria for the films we make, buy or sell - we have to love them.

Politics took centre stage again with Spirit Level's most ambitious project to date - “The Price of Kings” reveals the untold price of power. An ongoing production, the cast reads like a who’s who of Presidents, Prime-Ministers and Kings shaping the world we live in.

2009 saw the distribution side of the company grow to include all-time classics, introducing the “Six of the Best” series and production immersed in “The Fear Factory” – an exposé of the crisis in the UK's criminal justice system and how it creates more of the very thing we fear – criminals.

The Fear Factory's Empire Leicester Square screening led to an unexpected development. As a result of the film an unprecedented coalition of 58 stakeholders and NGO's formed to disseminate it's findings to the government, media and public with Spirit Level being asked to develop and run the communications platform. Subsequently, the film's been requested for screenings at numerous governmental, civil service and stakeholder screenings - including Parliament, the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Welsh Assembly, Police Federation... the list goes on... where it's starting to show signs of a significant impact.

We now produce, acquire, distribute and market films as well as manage and strategise communications for "socially/politically relevant content" where a governmental voice is needed.

Amongst a distinguished list of employees past and present, those most culpable are:

Richard Symons
After graduating with a law degree Richard co-founded a company which became one of Europe’s largest media distributors. Selling out in 2000, he split his time between businesses in Los Angeles and London before setting up Spirit Level.

Joanna Natasegara
Began her career in the NGO sector working in the UK, Brazil and Cambodia. Having gained a Masters in Human Rights from London School of Economics, she quickly realised the advantages of film to bring social and political issues to a wider audience. After working on the feature-length documentary, Peace One Day for the BBC she joined Spirit Level in 2006 as an in-house producer and director.

Will Aquino
Fanatical about films, Will joined Spirit Level in 2007 to create web-based marketing campaigns for the company’s productions and catalogue. With a Masters degree in Cultural Policy and Management from City University, Will previously worked for Dell’Arte and the Southbank Centre developing innovative on-line ways to promote the arts.

Rachel Bird
Vast experience in the world of lobbying and campaigns - from civil rights to foreign policy, conflict resolution and political freedom. Originally suckered into Spirit Level to bring some semblance of order to The Ministry of Truth's parliamentary pressure, Rachel's now Campaign Co-ordinator for the Fear Factory Coalition.

Abigail Anketell-Jones
A first class degree in Drama & Screen Studies and Postgrad Diploma in Film led to an extraordinary career detour in property before returning to her passion as Production Manager at Spirit Level.

Mark Tolram
After a degree in computer graphics and animation at university Mark went on to train in computer networks - leading to three years at The Guardian before succumbing to the charms of Spirit Level.