2. Working Title Films is a British film production
company, based in London.
Working Title Films was co-founded by
producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in
1983. They were initially funded by film councils,
government grants and tax schemes. In 1992,
PolyGram became the company’s corporate
backer. Radclyffe left Working Title, and Eric
Fellner, a fellow independent film producer, join
the company. PolyGram Films was later merged
and sold to Universal Studios in 1999 for a
reported $600 million.
3. Owners of
everything
Parent Company
Funding
Working Title did
have a ‘little sister’
company (WT2) who
is now stopped
production
Production
French - UK -
European German
European
Distribution
4. Working Title are contractually allowed to
produce any film with a budget of up to £35
million.
Its located in London, and is known for having
a limited number or employees.
The company also has other offices located in
Los Angeles, and Ireland.
It produces feature films and several
television productions, including some films
starring comic actor Rowan Atkinson
5. Working Title 2 is their smaller
subsidiary company and they
make small budget films that
appeal to select audiences. Many
of them are intended for a British
spectators.
6. Working Title have cleverly thought of a
relation that will appeal to a very large
audience...
Films + American stars = Appeal to
international market (and success for the
British film industry)
This approach has provoked criticism about
the ‘mid-Atlantic nature of the films’
7.
Universal are the parent company of Working
Title. They provide funding of up to £35
million to Working Title so they can make the
films they desire . Working Title have the
appearance of being independent - but really
they are owned and cared for by Universal.
8. Over time Working Title have become a
global company and now produce
commercial films which appeal to a mass
market, such as the US, as well as British
audiences. Storylines are narrow and safe,
such as ‘Nanny McPhee’ which is appealing to
all ages. As working Title also have a bugger
budget, they have access to big resources,
and use new technologies for films such a
‘Paul’
9. The idea that Working Title are a British
company in some ways belies the financial
reality – that of a company bankrolled by a
Hollywood studio (Universal) and a European
media conglomerate (Canal Plus), working in the
heart of LA.
It is this willingness to deal with Hollywood on its
own terms that has lead to Working Title’s
unique position in Hollywood – a British-run
company with the power to green-light any film
it chooses
10. They mainly produce genres such as:
Action
Comedy
Rom-com
Adventure
Period-drama