2. A setting in the UK? or
A focus on British people abroad?
A predominantly British cast?
A storyline about some aspect of British life?
Based on the work of a British author?
3. Significant returns for the UK economy
through film making, inward investment, film
exhibition, DVD rentals and sales, film exports
The UK Film Council estimates that a
successful Brit film will make up to 70% of its
revenue outside the UK
4. If a film addresses a domestic
audience about culturally
specific themes, is it likely to
find wider distribution
difficult?
Will non British people want
to see the film?
What significant advantage
do British filmmakers have
over European filmmakers?
5. British film production companies have co-
production and distribution with Hollywood
studios
‘British’ films can be funded and distributed
by US companies
Decisions on which British films to produce
and how to market them are often based on
the tastes of both domestic and American
audiences
6. Hollywood is built around studios
Companies who aim to make money from
films
Why are Hollywood blockbuster movies so
successful?
7. In general Hollywood has been able to
continually re-invent itself by responding to a
changing marketplace and taking advantage
of new opportunities offered by new
technologies
8. British film has become more confident in
expanding its range to include a wider cross-
section of ethnic groupings, gender groupings
and cultural groupings
Promoting diversity and offering a more
representative and inclusive national identity
Slumdog is a recent example!
9. 180 million tickets sold
yearly
Inward investment to
improve the cinemagoing
experience
80% of admissions come out
of mainstream American
distributors
British „themes‟ and values
10. Hollywood realised that there is serious money
to be made in international distribution so they
invest heavily
They retain the rights to their films so secure
profits for many years
British film industry is production led whereby
distribution is usually through an American
company
Any money made is not going back into the
British film industry
„Cottage‟ industry
11. 2004 – UK output 27
British film industry unable to respond to
increasing audience demand
Hollywood has diversified and strengthened
to develop links with other media and
delivery platforms creating vast media
empires
Global market at $63 billion in 2003
US takes 80% of this global market
12. A British production company – finances British films
1982 – 1998 known as Channel 4 film
Part of channel 4s remit was to experiment and
innovate and cater for audiences not addressed by
other channels
Nowadays they fund around 20 films per year
A number of films are by first time feature
screenwriters or directors
They look for distinctive films which will make their
mark in a competitive cinema market
Television premieres on FilmFour Channel and Channel
4 2 years after theatrical release
13. David Rose, commissioning
editor, “a preference for
contemporary and social political
topics”
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
portrayed the homosexual
relationship between a white fascist
and a Omar, born in Britain to
Pakistani parents.
Main audiences were
contemporary critical audiences in
the 20 – 30 age ranges
Before Laundrette, a large
percentage of the British
population went largely
unrepresented
14. 1996
Starring Ewan McGregor
in his 2nd film
Directed by Danny Boyle
a British director
A co-production with
Figment Films, Polygram
and The Noel Gay
Motion Picture co.
Budget $3,500,000
15. David Aukin, Head of Drama at Four Films “it
isn‟t really about drugs…it‟s a buddy movie”
US critics compared the movie to Kubricks „A
Clockwork Orange‟
Both are anti-social-realist films dealing with
subjects – gangs, violence, drugs – which are
stylised and fast-paced.
Both are independent films which shocked
the critics and audiences
16. However Trainspotting was more an object of youth
culture or popular culture than it was cinematic
Britpop was Trainspotting's main vehicle to integrate
youth subculture into popular culture.
Polygram put large sums of money into a sophisticated
marketing and branding strategy including posters and
a soundtrack
Knew film would appeal to clubbers and ravers so
targeted these – Underworld‟s Born Slippy became a
massive hit from the soundtrack
Film gained distribution in the US although it did need
subtitles!
17. The „brand‟ Trainspotting
Soundtrack
Posters
DVDs
Copied of the screenplay
Reprinting of Welsh‟s novel
featuring the poster on the
cover
Music cross-promotion
18. 1994
Starring Hugh Grant and
Andie MacDowell
Co-production with
Polygram and Working
Title
Budget $6,000,000
19. Played upon aspects of
national identity
Played upon the more „naïve‟
elements of Britishness
Hugh Grants quintessential
fumbling middle class
gentleman
Appealing to an American
audience
A universal storyline of
romance and a feel good happy
ending
20. 2008
Funded by Film4
Co-production with Celador and Pathe
Directed by Danny Boyle
Budget $15,000,000
21. Typical cost rose from £400k to £1.8million
Trainspotting and Four Weddings were hugely
successful although appealed to very different
audiences
Trainspotting was a low budget film which
had carved itself a niche audience
22. FilmFour films explored and developed ideas
of cultural hybridity
East is East
The first British film representing hybrid and
ever changing cultural and social mix in
Britain making it into mainstream multiplex
cinemas.
Brick Lane (2007) won a BAFTA
