Film Industry: British film industry
Factsheet #132: British Film
Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British.
A film is defined as British when it follows the following criteria-
- It is set in the UK
- The lead characters are British citizens or residents
- The film is based on British subject matter or underlying material
- The film represents or reflects a diverse British culture and heritage
The Hollywood production context means that most films made by Hollywood studios have high budgets, a heavy reliance on celebrities both in the cast and crew and spectacle driven stories. However, the British production context is very different. British films can be large budget, high concept films such as the Harry
Potter Franchise or they can be character driven, small budgeted films such as Chicken (2015). They also have a heavier reliance on word of mouth and viral advertising.
3) When did the James Bond franchise start?
The James Bond franchise started in 1963.
4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s?
British films started to feature more explicit content. This included low-budget 'hammer horror' films and the sexual innuendo of the carry-on-films and sex comedies such as 'Confessions of a Window Cleaner' (1974).
5) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.
British films tend to centre on topics and issues that deeply concern British society or largely make up the collective British psyche. Issues such as class, politics, social change and education are some of the many issues that British film has explored throughout its history. Many of the representations of different groups within British film focus and change according to these issues. Examples include- working class and young people. Examples of movies with these representations include A Clockwork Orange (Warner Bros., 1971) and Eden Lake (Rollercoaster Films, 2008)- both of which focus on the stereotype that youth are rule breaking rebels that tend towards the violent.
6) What does the Factsheet suggest might be the audience appeal of British film?
Audiences like to see British culture in British films. This includes the setting, actors and stories all focusing around Britain and Brtish people.
Factsheet #100: British film industry
Read the whole of the Factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) What is the 'cultural test' to see if a film counts as British?
The Cultural Test is divided into four sections (Cultural Context, Cultural Contribution, Cultural Hubs and Cultural Practitioners) and a film must score at least 16 out of a possible 31 points to be classified as British.
2) What is the main problem for the British film industry?
The British film industry has been production led rather
than distribution led. UK films have to sacrifice their distribution rights by selling the film they make to a distribution company. Once sold, all revenue from cinema screenings, DVD and Blu-ray sales, plus sales to television companies, are lost. This means that even a highly successful British film is not making money that will be reinvested in British film making- the money is going to the distributor.
3) What the strengths of the British film industry?
- Outstanding creative skills of practitioners
- Outstanding facilities
British filmmakers could choose to rely upon co-productions with American studios to keep the industry afloat or they could attempt to make low budget films targeted at a niche, British audience.
5) In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?
I think that making low budget films targeted at a niche, British audience is the better option because this option will allow filmmakers to retain the culture of British films. Furthermore, any profit made by their movies will go back to the British industry.
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