THE BRITISH FILM

INDUSTRY

Holly Fairbairn

DEFINING BRITISH FILM

WHAT MAKES A FILM

BRITISH?

In the Bafta’s, to be classed as a British film the rules say that a film

must "have significant British creative involvement" and be classified

as British by the British Film Institute. They are classified through the

cultural test or if the film is a co-production between the UK and

another approved country.

WHAT MAKES A FILM

BRITISH?

The cultural test:

The cultural test is made up of four sections:

• Cultural content - A(up to 18 points)

• Cultural contribution - B (up to 4 points)

• Cultural hubs - C (up to 5 points)

• Cultural practitioners - D (up to 8 points).

To pass the project will need to receive at least 18 points.

THE CULTURAL TEST

The points are rewarded through:

A:

Film set in the UK or EEA (4 points)

Lead characters British or EEA citizens or residents (4 points)

Film based on British or EEA subject matter or underlying material ( 4 points)

Original dialogue recorded mainly in English or UK indigenous language or EEA

language (6 points)

B:

The film demonstrates British creativity, British heritage and/or diversity (4 points)

THE CULTURAL TEST

C:

At least 50% of the principal photography or SFX takes place in the UK (2 points)

At least 50% of the VFX takes place in the UK (2 points)

At least 80% of principal photography or VFX or SFX takes place in the UK (Extra 2 points)

Music Recording/Audio Post Production/Picture Post Production (1 point)

D:

Of British Orign (1 point each)

Director

Scriptwriter

Producer

Composer

Lead Actors

Majority of Cast

Key Staff

Majority of Crew

BRITISH FILMS

Monty Python: Life of Brian

Director: Terry Jones

Producer: John Goldstone

Writers: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Genre and Theme: Comedy, Religion, Politics

How much money in the US: $20,045,115

Scored: 19/35

BRITISH FILMS

Harry Potter: The Philosophers Stone

Director: Chris Columbus

Producer: David Heyman

Writers: J.K Rowling, Steve Kloves

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Richard Harris, Maggie

Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman

Genre and Theme: Adventure, Family, Fantasy

How much money in the UK: $91,289,356

How much money worldwide: $974,755,371

Scored: 30/35

DEFINING HOLLYWOOD

FILM

Conglomerate - a company that owns large numbers of companies in various

mass media such as television, radio, publishing, movies, and the Internet.

Example:

Disney

Media Brands they own: TV: Disney/ ABC Television Group, ESPN, ABC

entertainment group, ABC news, ABC owned television station group, ABC

family, Disney Channels world-wide, Movies: Pixar, Marvel, Touchstone

How they benefit from owning multiple media brands: The many brands and

companies they own will allow them to reach a larger diversity of audience as

they own both TV and movie companies.

What their greatest film successes have been: Frozen, Lion King, Up, Finding

Nemo, Toy Story Trilogy, Monsters University

BRITISH VS HOLLYWOOD

British Movies Hollywood StudiosGenre Drama and Comedy are most made

Action brings in most income

Animation

Action

Style Realism

Real locations

Emphasis on ‘glamour’

Emphasis on escapism

Emphasis on entertainment

Budget In 2013, the average budget was

£6.2 million.

Highest Budget films (total production cost

of top 20): $4,589,000,000

Lowest Budget films (grossing at least $1

million @ B.O.): $795,000

Average Movie Budget: $139,084,697

Commercial vs

Creative

Companies

Size (no. of

films/ value)

Around 260 films released in 2013

£1.1 billion made in box office

622 films released in 2013

$10.9 billion earned in box office

REFERENCES

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26048992

http://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry/british-certification-tax-relief/cultural-

test-video-games/summary-points-cultural-test-film

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26048992

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/?ref_=ttloc_loc_tt

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241527/?ref_=nv_sr_1

http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-companies/media-networks

http://hollywood-movies.yoexpert.com/movies/what-is-the-average-movie-

budget-for-a-hollywood-m-1403.html

http://www.statista.com/statistics/309022/hollywood-profit-per-film-

genre/