In what both parties described as being an amicable deal, Steve Minor and Bill Randall have split up ownership of production company AFI/Filmworks and visual effects house Fireworks Motion Media. Until the split which took place at the end of December, Minor and Randall were equal partners in the two Miami-based entities; Randall now assumes full control of AFI, while Minor takes complete ownership of Fireworks. The deal was finalized when Minor and Randall made an even swap of their stakes in the two companies. Randall continues in his position as director/president of AFI, and Minor maintains his role as president of Fireworks.
Randall and Minor, who co-founded AFI in ’69, emphasized that they remain on very good terms. The two said they are still close friends and will remain business partners in other endeavors, including real estate projects.
The deal was struck to resolve a variety of pressures. Minor had become more interested in the technological and creative ends of the visual effects and interactive businesses, and had discovered that he could abstain from directing without suffering withdrawal symptoms.
"It was inconceivable to me that I could go without [directing]," explained Minor. "But I devoted two to three months to Fireworks without shooting, and I felt really good about it. That was the signal to me that I should talk to Bill.
"It wasn’t a matter of getting away from something," continued Minor. "I’ve always had an interest in computers and technology, which was part of what I did as a director. When we started [Fireworks], it was an experiment, but it really took off."
