Film Industry: British film industry factsheets

Factsheet #132: British Film

Use our brilliant Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) to find Media Factsheet #132 on British Film. Save it to USB or email it to yourself so you have access to the reading for homework. Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British.
Many different factors go into determining if a film is British, such as if it's set in Britain, the actors are British, if it's funded in Britain and if the movie focuses on British culture.

2) What is the difference between a Hollywood production context and production context of a British film?

Hollywood productions typically have "high budgets, a heavy reliance on celebrities both in the cast and crew and spectacle driven stories" whereas the british film context aren't nearly as defined. A recurring characteristic could be that British films will reflect British culture in some way.

3) When did the James Bond franchise start?

1960s

4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s? 
A gradual acceptance of social taboos in film, such as sexual content in the 1970s and violence and shocking content in general in the 1980s.

5) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.
The Youth: A Clockwork Orange (1971) presents the youth as violent and anarchic; Eden Lake (2008) presents the youth similarly as rule-breakers; Attack the Block (2011) challenges the stereotypes of a rebellious youth.
Women are also represented in British film.Over the years there was a common stereotyping of women as either the virgin, the mother or the whore.

6) What does the Factsheet suggest might be the audience appeal of British film?

The actors being easily identifiable as British and being associated with British film genres. The British audience has a keen interest in British films that focus on class, social strife, education and more as well.

Factsheet #100: British film industry

To complete our introduction to the British film industry, we need a little more background to the industries context.

Find Media Factsheet #100 on the British film industry. Save it to USB or email it to yourself so you have access to the Factsheet for homework. 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?

If a film does not qualify as a co-production, it must pass the British Film Institute’s Cultural Test in order to be defined as British. The Cultural Test is divided into four sections and a film must score at least 16 out of a possible 31 points to be classified as British.

2) Complete the task on the Factsheet, researching the films listed and finding out what they score on the cultural test: The Sweeney (2012), Attack The Block, The King's Speech, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Skyfall.

The Sweeny: 31
Attack on the Block: 25
The King's Speech: 28
We Need To Talk About Kevin: 7
Skyfall: 27

3) What is the main problem for the British film industry?

Historically, the British film industry has been production led rather than distribution led. This means that many UK films are made but, in order to get the film exhibited, the filmmakers have to sacrifice the distribution rights by selling the film to a distribution company.

4) What are three of the strengths of the British film industry?

outstanding facilities:
British studios, camera companies and digital post-production houses all attract investment from filmmakers around the world, especially the USA.

outstanding creative skills of practitioners:

British directors have made films that grossed billions worldwide.

the Innovation Fund:This fund supports projects that can help the UK make a successful transition into the digital age.

5) What are the two options for the future of the British film industry?

Option one is that the industry could choose to rely upon co-productions with American studios to keep the industry afloat.
Option two is attempting to make low budget films targeted at a niche, British audience.

6) In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?

Due to the budgets that American studios have access to, relying on a niche audience seems quite restrictive in my opinion. The massively successful British film franchises such as Harry Potter and James Bond wouldn't be financed without a reliance on co-productions, and so I believe co-production is important in letting the British film industry thrive.