The British film industry: blog tasks

 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. You can find it online here - you'll need to log in using your Greenford Google login. 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 British if it considers British culture but also if its funded or made in Britain.

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

Production context is the conditions the film has been made in. In British films this would be medium-low budget whereas in Hollywood films the budget would be high and in expensive, high quality studios.

3) When did the James Bond franchise start?

1962

4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s?

There was an increase in more explicit things in movies such as sexual content linked to violence is films like A Clockwork Orange.

5) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.

The youth in A Clockwork Orange represents them in a violent way. In British social realism films, such as Attack the Block, the youth are also presented as violence and linked with drug usage. Overall, in British films the youth are presented as dangerous.

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

To see how life is like in Britain, specifically London, for educational and/or entertainment reasons.

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. You can find it on the same link as above. 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 a test that asses a film to see if it counts as British. 31 points are needed for it to be called a British film.

2) Complete the task on the Factsheet - choose three of the films listed and research them to work 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.

- Attack The Block got enough points as it has a British creative team. Finance was $11 to $13 million

- The King’s Speech gained more than the needed 18 points due to its British cast and story. The budget ranged from $414 million

- The Sweeney gained the required the 18 points to be called a British film as its set in London and had British actors. The budget was around £3 million.

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

That film makers have to sacrifice distributions rights by selling the film to a distributor.

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

Outstanding creative skills, the industry has important film studios such as Ealing Studios and Pinewood Studios and that Facilities such as camera companies and post-production houses attract worldwide filmmakers.

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

They can rely on American studios for funding or make low-budget, niche films targeted to a British audience.

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

I think that relying on American studios is better as there is still a worldwide audience who are interested in British films. Furthermore, talented British producers and crew deserve praise for their work from a wider audience which an American studio would provide when producing a movie. However, niche low-budget films like I, Daniel Blake proved to be successful, perhaps not profit wise, but in the message it has sent on the state of Britain through its aspect of social realism.