1. Key Problems in the British Film
Industry
AIMS:
Understand and be able to
indicate some of the
difficulties faced by producers
in the British Film Industry.

2. The British Film Industry
Investment Financing
Film
Studio
Production
Cinema
DVD/BD
Exhibition

3. Timeline – 1900-1940s
Early 1900s brings
experimentation -
A Daring daylight
Robbery pioneers
the chase genre
1930s sees a
boom in ‘quota
quickies’ and
rising attendances
– on the
downside, a
massive ‘brain-
drain’ to
Hollywood
(Chaplin et al)
World War II sees
surge in anti-Nazi
propaganda films
which showcases
the massive
importance of
film in shaping
national culture

4. Timeline – 1900-1940s
The 1950s sees the Rank organisation exporting British film to the
world; Hammer begin making horror films. In the 1960s, ‘Swinging
London’ and James Bond boost profile of industry
1970s – American studios stop
financing British productions and
industry begins decline. In 1980s,
home videos boom, cinemas fail
Early 1990s recession seems to signal
end of British Film industry…

5. The 1990s and Cool Britannia

6. Why is financing a problem?
• Government subsidies (withdrawn)
• Dependent on American film industry (fickle)
• Track record (disproportionate number of
‘failures’)
• Complicated process
• Lack of a national talent academy (future
success is chance)

7. Why is production a problem?
• Studios owned by Hollywood or second-rate
• Brain drain to Hollywood
• British star prices?
• Companies are not vertically-integrated
(expensive)
• Companies have been purchased by American
conglomerates (creative freedom)

8. Why is distribution a problem?
• Cinema chains (Odeon, Vue, Cineworld)
• Centrally-controlled
• Few arthouse cinemas; lack of funding
• Short lifespan of films
• Relatively expensive costs of distribution due
to non-vertically-integrated companies

9. ‘Commercial Viability’
• Government unprepared to invest, but wants
the success
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-
arts-16495095
• Copycat – Kidulthood is a success, so 20 copies
are made (distilling the brand)

10. TASK
Create a presentation that addresses the
following:
• How it was financed – by whom? how much?
• How it was produced – Film studio? star
power? Director?
• How it was exhibited – Cinema (how many
screens), DVD, Box Office
Figures, reviews, was it successful abroad?
Try to comment on why you think these things happened. Why was the budget what it
was? Why did it get released how it was released (ie, number of screens or straight to
DVD)