The document discusses requirements for a homework assignment on the British film industry. Students are asked to argue whether the British film industry is approaching death. They are instructed to use their case study film "Bwark" and TV show "The Inbetweeners" to discuss: whether the industry is dying or successful, how classifications help or not, and whether critics Doyle or Lord Smith agree the industry is dying. The assignment is due February 13th, 2015 and must be 1000 words.

1. What do you think constitutes a
‘British film’?
Mind-map it. Think about what you think is
important in British films and why

2. Learning objectives:
• To understand the requirements of Section B
and the marking criteria.
• To explore the classification and audience
attitudes to British films.
• To examine changes in the British film
industry and how this might have affected
British films.
Hand in homework: the detailed notes relating to
The Inbetweeners 2

3. Expectations
• Complete your homework on time and to the highest
standard
• Engage in all class discussions – nobody will be carried
• Keep your books neat. You can use them for notes but
these are also the primary record of your assessments
• There is a lot to learn and very quickly. Lessons will
cover a lot of information, so you will need to ensure
that you can apply and develop this in your study
periods.
Know your case study – everything we learn in class
has to be related to Bwark and The Inbetweeners 2

4. Assessed homework task
Some say that the British film industry is
approaching its death. Do you agree?
• Does your case study prove the industry is dying or is it successful?
• Do the classifications of British films offer any help to rejuvenate the
industry?
• Would Doyle and Lord Smith agree or disagree with this statement?
• What has helped or hindered the film’s success?
• How has the changing ways institutions can market the film been
exploited by your case study?
• How was the film’s success boosted by the TV programme and the first
film (pre-audience)?
• The British film industry is mostly independent. Is Bwark typical of an
independent film maker?
1000 words, 12pt typed by Friday 13th February, 2015
Keep this in mind as the lesson continues so you can
make appropriate notes and ask appropriate questions.

5. Level 4
Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)
 Shows excellent understanding of the task
 Excellent knowledge and understanding of institutional/audience
practices – factual knowledge is relevant and accurate
 A clear and developed argument, substantiated by detailed reference to
case study material
 Clearly relevant to set question
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
 Offers frequent evidence from case study material – award marks to
reflect the range and appropriateness of examples from case study
and/or own experience
 Offers examples which are clearly relevant to the set question
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
 Use of terminology is relevant and accurate
Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently. Sentences and paragraphs,
consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical
terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

6. • Category A: films made with British money, personnel and resources.
• Category B: films co-funded with money from Britain and from foreign
investment, but the majority of finance, cultural content and personnel are
British.
• Category C: films with mostly foreign (but not USA) and a small British input,
either financially or creatively.
• Category D: films made with the UK with (usually) British cultural content, but
financed fully or partly by American companies.
• Category E: American films with some British involvement.

7. Media institutions
 Your film company (Bwark) is a Media institution. Is it a commercial
institution or an independent institution?
Words for your glossary
Commercial institutions – institutions that are large and have huge
budgets. They are usually conglomerates
Conglomerate – when a larger institution is made up of smaller
companies that have been purchased or merged (e.g. 20th Century
fox).
Independent institutions – are independent of larger companies and
have smaller budgets. They do not follow tradition (.e.g traditional
Hollywood).
What are the advantages and
disadvantages of both?

8. What impacts the way films are made,
marketed, distributed and viewed by
audiences and institutions?
Terminology
Independent company, commercial institution, studio system, social media,
audience consumption, technological convergence, digital revolution

9. • There is no coherent British film industry in the way that radio
programmes or books are produced, distributed and sold in Britain.
• There is no large film company which can, from its own turnover and
backers, finance movies – least of all for distribution on a global scale.
• Finance for British films is cobbled together from a variety of sources.
Predominantly, money comes from the US majors.
• Television may also provide some funding. Channel 4 has been a
relatively significant supporter of low-budget British films.
• The BBC puts only 1 per cent of its budget into film production.
• The British National Lottery has also given some money, to be
administered through the UK Film Council.
• What are legally defined as British films (and so eligible for certain tax
concessions) may be made largely by British workers, but often are
funded by US money – companies such as Miramax.

10. Doyle (2002)
‘The small size of the domestic UK market
and the disaggregated structure of the
industry prevent the indigenous
production sector [British film makers]
from growing beyond a cottage
industry.’

11. Doyle v The Lord Smith Report 2012
LORD SMITH REPORT (2012)
 Bring film education into every school.
 Encourage major broadcasters (on TV) to invest more in the screening,
acquisition and production of independent British films.
 Stage an annual "British film week".
 Ensure a more collaborative approach between producers, directors
and distributors and reinvest money from successful movies into further
production.
 Strengthen investment in training and skills development.
 Broaden access to films in remote and rural areas by providing
equipment and facilities to local film societies and community halls.
 Renew efforts to combat piracy.
Doyle: the British film industry will never grow; it is a ‘cottage industry’.

12. Assessed homework task
Some say that the British film industry is
approaching its death. Do you agree?
• Does your case study prove the industry is dying or is it successful?
• Do the classifications of British films offer any help to rejuvenate the
industry?
• Would Doyle and Lord Smith agree or disagree with this statement?
• What has helped or hindered the film’s success?
• How has the changing ways institutions can market the film been
exploited by your case study?
• How was the film’s success boosted by the TV programme and the first
film (pre-audience)?
• The British film industry is mostly independent. Is Bwark typical of an
independent film maker?
1000 words, 12pt typed by Friday 13th February, 2015