Yeti opens up Car Boots in documentary for Channel 4

25 September 2023

25.09.23: Yeti Television today announces its commission from Channel 4 for Car Boot Kings (60’), a documentary created under Channel 4’s First Cut banner for new directors making their first hour in broadcast TV.

 

Fuelled by Britain’s love of a bargain, and the need to make an extra buck during the economic downturn, car boots are thriving. Car Boot Kings follows two lifelong friends who are cashing in on the crisis by regularly drawing in nine thousand traders and buyers a week... in their own front yard.

 

JT and Andrew are known as the “Car Boot Kings”, running the biggest boot in the wild West Midlands. Whilst the rest of Britain sleeps, thousands flock to their fields in search of bargains, to flip some of their preloved possessions or find treasure they can sell on at a profit. These are massive markets that spring up in couple of hours where you can find just about anything.

 

For some, the car boot offers more than just a pound in your pocket, but a lifeline. Many regulars rely on the extra income to put food on the table and dinner money in their children’s pockets. And for the Kings, heavy is the head that wears the crown. Keeping punters who are tightening their belts happy, as well as making a tidy profit for themselves, is a constant challenge. And with the weather rolling in during the short summer season, can Booters and Kings prosper?

 

Siân Price, Creative Director of Yeti, says, “As a seasoned car-booter myself, I’m delighted to be bringing the wonderful characters and stories bound up in this world to the screen. JT & Andrew really are one of a kind! We’re also thrilled to be able to support up-and-coming director Cam Bang Peter Tat in his first single documentary for Channel 4 as part of the First Cut scheme!”

 

Janine Thomas, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4, adds, “Cam and Yeti have delivered a charming and curious film. Car Boot Kings continues First Cut’s character-driven filmmaking custom as it examines our current cost of living crisis through an unlikely yet entertaining treasure trove of an extraordinary car boot.”

 

Shooting Producer/Director, Cam Bang Peter Tat, adds, “Having worked in the TV industry for years, I've found it very difficult to get the opportunity to produce my own one-hour documentary so getting a First Cut with Yeti was perfect. To secure the role, myself and two other filmmakers, had to write a two-page treatment for the commissioner, outlining our approach to transforming the pitch document into a compelling documentary."

 

Car Boot Kings is scheduled to TX on Channel 4 in October.

 

The documentary was produced and directed by Cam Bang Peter Tat under Channel 4’s First Cut scheme. It was commissioned by Janine Thomas, and exec produced by Yeti’s Siân Price and Simon Greenwood.

 

First Cuts exist to launch the careers of new factual directors with this career-defining strand. As the home of the first-time filmmaker and those that have gone to be established creative voices across the industry, First Cut is currently looking for entertaining, edgy, and surprising documentaries for 2024 that can compete across the 10pm slot to be commissioned now. Please send any ideas to Rita Daniels – RDaniels@channel4.co.uk

 

ENDS

 

About Yeti Television

Winner of the Multi-Channel Production Company of the year at this year’s Broadcast Digital Awards, Yeti is a multi-award-winning Welsh Independent Production Company and the only Welsh company in Channel 4’s Growth Fund portfolio. Launched in 2014, Yeti makes programmes for UK and International Broadcasters. We have a trusted track-record of delivering must-watch quality content at both ends of the television scale: from landmark specialist factual films to high-volume returning series and formats.

 

We have won commissions for BBC1, BBC2, BBC Wales, CBBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Red Bull, More4, CBS, Sky Arts and All4 and have many more projects in active development with these and other broadcasters. We specialise in Daytime, Specialist Factual (Arts & History), Formats and Features.

 

In the past few years our programmes have won three RTS Awards, a Celtic Media Award, a Bafta Cymru, an International Broadcasting Award and been nominated for a Grierson.

 

We attract and work with the very best freelance talent alongside our award-winning in-house team. We are proud to be a company rooted in Wales but are passionate about content that resonates across the UK and beyond.

 

About Cam Bang Peter Tat

Cam is an RTS award-winning and BAFTA nominated Producer Director. Starting as a post-production runner, he has worked on series such as Blue Peter, The Great British Bake Off and Yeti's royal documentary 50 Years a Prince. As a Producer Director he has explored the world of nails, brotherhood and growing up as a British-Vietnamese person, in BBC 3's Nail Bar Boys. He documented the intense working lives of paramedics in 999: On the Frontline and told the stories of young gymnast's incredible desire to succeed in Gym Stars. He is continuing to make programmes across genres which tell the story of the world today.

 

Notes to editors

 

Percy & Warren PR press contact: phoebe@percywarren.com

 

Channel 4 Press Contact: Francesca at fevans@channel4.co.uk