Film Industry

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.

The defining characteristics of a British film depend on how many production aspects were affiliated with Britain.

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

Hollywood production implies high budget and star power. However, British production context implies the opposite. It often means low budget and little to no star power.

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?

In the 70s to 80s, it became more acceptable to screen acts of violence and sex. 

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

"example if we look at the way youth is portrayed in a very singular way in
Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange"

"There are contemporary representations of youth in films such as Attack
the Block (Studio Canal, 2011) that attempt to show a deeper more realistic
portrayal of youth that challenges the stereotype of the threat or the

rebel."

"Representation of women has gone through similar changes over the
years with 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?

-Recognizable actors 
-More realistic and relatable storylines
-historical dramas

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?

A film must score 16/31 points in the four sections of the test in order to meet a 1/3 of the requirement to be considered 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 (dir. Love, 2012) : 31 points

 Attack on the Block: 25

The King's Speech: 24

We Need To Talk About Kevin: 3
Skyfall: 27

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

British film is historically a production industry without having much influence over distribution. Therefore the revenue is lost to distributing companies and not reinvested in the film industry

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

-outstanding creative skills of practitioners. 
-outstanding facilities from British studio.
-Different film funding models

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

-It could choose to rely upon co-productions with American studios to keep the industry afloat 
-It could attempt 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?

Option 2 would safeguard the artistic integrity and freedom of British Film but would do little for prosperity in the industry. Option 1 would mean "selling out" and handing over part of our media to America, admitting they're bigger and more powerful than us. We are not ready for option 1.