Key points from the DCMS Film Policy Review 2012

1. + The firstsince Policy
Review
Film
1998’s
“A Bigger Picture”
DCMS:
A UK film policy review

2. + Jan 2012 – UK Policy
Review
A future for
British Film – It
begins with the
audience
“We wanted to look at, how
can that be sustainable, not
just for a single year?”
Lord Smith

3. + 56 points
There were 56 points
in the report. This
presentation
summarises a few of
the points of interest
to AS Film Studies....

4. +
1. Producers’ Recoupment
 The panel was adamant that producers should
recoup funding from financially successful films so
that money can be reinvested in the producer’s next
films.
 “We’re saying there should be recoupment both on
the Film Tax Relief and the Lottery Funding,”
 The BFI should no longer assume that successful
return on a movie means that the Lottery money
comes back directly to the BFI.
 We want to create that culture of rewarding success,
if you make a successful movie, you get the chance
to make another one.”

5. +
2. Broadcaster Backing
 The BBC and Channel 4 have steady levels of investment for
film currently, but, as Smith singled out, Sky and ITV did not.
 “The hope is that they would see the wisdom from the point of
view of their audiences, as well as their own future; if [movies]
are so important for their audiences, let’s see them doing their
part for British film,” Smith said.
 If such contributions weren’t voluntarily reached, then the
government should pursue legislative action (possibly in the
new Communications Act) to compel Sky, ITV and Channel 5 to
invest.
 BFI is also encouraged to engage in the future with online
players such as Apple, LoveFilm and Netflix about promotion
and investment in British film.

6. +
3. Education and Audience
Development
 Tobring film education into every British school, to
improve engagement with film and develop
audiences of today and tomorrow.
 Another move suggested to improve audiences for
local films would be to create an annual initiative,
British Film Week, which would involve cinemas (and
other arts spaces and broadcasters) across the
country screening current and catalogue British
films.

7. +
4. Skills
 Strongerinvestment in training and skills
development (perhaps with a merged Skillset and
CC Skills), especially involving new technologies;

8. +
5. Piracy
 Continued commitment to fighting piracy – including
a recommendation for legislation making it a criminal
offence to record a film in cinemas.

9. +
6. Help For Indie Distributors
 Launchingdigital screens and projectors in more
rural communities
 Creatinga Research & Development Fund for digital
innovation in film (working with NESTA and the Arts
Council England).
 BBC Worldwide may be called on to help with the
export of British films through its business with
international broadcasters around the globe.

10. +
7. Commercial vs Arty Funding
 Asexpected, the furore over Prime Minister David
Cameron’s remarks last week about backing
successful films were taken somewhat out of context
when looking at the report as a whole.
 Smithnoted that the recommendation was to
“reward successful films,” not to only make
successful films.
 Smithnoted: “We advocated support for the widest
possible range of movies…from overtly commercial
to overtly arty and many in between.”

11. +
8. Co-Productions & BFI funds
 The panel called for a more effective strategy to help co-
productions and encouraged the BFI to consider making funds
available specifically for co-productions.
 Animation projects and family films are suggested to get a
special allowance of development funding.
 Also, filmmakers who do market testing (audience research
and test screenings) could get marginally increased Lottery
funding.

12. +
Concerns
 From the early reports – people were concerned that
the lottery funds would go to commercial projects
and sideline independents – the report focuses upon
both
 Some commentators will still be concerned that
fewer funds will go to big budget commercials
 Also, commercial film-making carries enormous
financial risk.
 Itis impossible to judge what will be a commercially
successful film

13. +
What hasn’t changed?
 The1998 policy review, and commentators such as
Anthony Minghella 2003 , (the then chairman of the
BFI) wanted the UK
 To support the development of opportunities for all UK
citizens to understand and appreciate film
 Creating opportunities for participating in filmmaking
especially among young people

14. +
Again...why it is important to have
films that reflect British culture...
 Cinema is an immensely powerful medium at the
heart of the UK's creative industries and the global
economy. Cinema entertains, inspires, challenges
and informs audiences.
 Ithelps shape the way we see and understand
ourselves and the world.
 Itraises the profile of the UK (as a brand) and UK
culture across the world as a recent Oxford
Economics Report (2010) points out (see booklet)

15. +
Re-capping the 2012 Film Policy
Review
 Can you list 3 points that the policy review put forward?
 Why were independent producers concerned over the review?
 What is problematic about targeting money at ‘commercially
successful’ films?
 Summarise how the review intends to help British film be more
attractive to British audiences.