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British Film:
Cultural & Economic
Factors
Media Workshop July 2009
Villiers Park Educational Trust

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What defines a British Film?
In your groups, put these in order of importance…
 Does the story or setting have to be British or represent
aspects of ‘Britishness’?
 Does it have to be made by a British director?
 Should the cast be entirely made up of British actors and
actresses?
 Does it have to be made in Britain?
 Does it have to be largely or wholly financed by a British
company or organisation?
 Should it be made primarily for British audiences?

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What
defines a
‘British’
film?
Recent developments from The
UK Government include:
‘Cultural hubs’
‘Cultural practitioners’
‘Cultural content’

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Cultural hubs…
Is the production and filming based
in the UK?

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Cultural practitioners…
Do the cast, crew and/or producers
come from the European Economic
Area?

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Cultural content…
Is the film set in the UK?
Are the characters British?
Is the subject matter ‘British’?

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Eg Control (Corbijn,
2007):
Cultural hubs – UK based
production company (Becker Films);
Cultural practitioners – Dutch
Director, UK cast & crew; Cultural
content – UK setting, British
characters

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Eg This is England
(Meadows, 2007):
Cultural hubs – UK based
production company (Big Arty
Productions); Cultural practitioners
– British Director, UK cast & crew;
Cultural content – UK setting, British
characters

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In your groups…
 Brainstorm recent (since January 2007) UK films, until you
agree on one title that you have all seen and enjoyed, for
whatever reasons…
 Research the film’s production details on www.imdb.com
 Use the Government and UK Film Council’s point system to
ascertain whether the film would have received tax relief and
is therefore ‘officially’ deemed ‘British’ (you can also check
on the UK Film Council’s ‘Awards Database’ @
www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk)
 Feedback your findings to the rest of the group