Comparison between hollywood and the BFI

1. HOLLYWOOD VS
BRITISH FILM
INDUSTRIES

2. HOLLYWOOD
Money:
The main ideology is that they make a profit on the
films they make. To make new films they use
money they have already got as the profit they
make from one film is enough to make a new one
with money left over. Hollywood is one of the
largest film industries and therefore has a whole lot
of money. With extreme wealth of capital, they can
afford the best equipment to make their films
professional. For one blockbuster film in
Hollywood, the average budget is $110 million.
However, spending so much money means they
have to appeal on a global scale so have certain
themes they stick to…

3. HOLLYWOOD
Genre/Themes:
To make sure their films go global, they stick to certain
themes: Loads of action, not much dialogue, CGI, Universal
themes that relate to everyone and a wide range of genres.
This way people can not only relate to the story and
understand it clearly, they can also relate to some characters.

4. HOLLYWOOD
Production/Distribution:
Hollywood films are produced by the “Big 6”. The Big 6
includes companies like: Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, 20th
Century Fox, Paramount and Columbia. Each of these
produces between 10-20 films every year. They usually
advertise its release date early on and will release it all at the
same time per country. They will have big premieres which
are always very popular for fans to see their favourite
celebrities which brings in more money. Each of the Big 6
have vertical integration so keep 100% of profits in house.

5. HOLLYWOOD
Synergy:
Usually big companies within the Big 6 create toys, posters,
action figures and basically everything under the sun that is
linked to the film they are making. This way people buy their
products which again makes them even more money.

6. BRITISH FILM
INDUSTRY
Money:
Money used to come from funds given by the National
Lottery. Now it is has three funds:
New Cinema Fund
Development Fund
Production Fund
These three funds give money to roughly 25 films a year
within the UK.
They have a budget of around £6.2 million

7. BRITISH FILM
INDUSTRY
Genre/Themes:
Within the UK, the film industry base their films on what the
British people can relate to most. This idea is called
glocalisation. Films made in the UK are usually based on
class and other issues within our society. However, they
make such broad films that it is so difficult to put them into
one genre.

8. BRITISH FILM
INDUSTRY
Production/Distribution:
One major difference is that films here are not studio
controlled. Usually there are several companies of similar
production working together to coproduce films as well as
working with British Broadcasters such as the BBC. This
idea is called Horizontal Integration. The BBC Films company
coproduces around 8 films each year. However, this does
mean profits are spread out across the companies and
organisations that worked on the film. These films are
usually more challenging so have a rough age range of 15 or
18.

9. BRITISH FILM
INDUSTRY
Production/Distribution:
These films are never aimed for mainstream audiences so
usually have small screen releases that are usually limited
but will have a wider audience when it comes out on DVD’s.
They spend very little on any marketing because that means
it is less profit that they get as they have to spend a large
some of money to market for a film that to start with will only
be screened in certain cinemas.

10. WHAT CHALLENGES
DO THEY FACE?
Hollywood:
Hollywood faces problems
with illegal piracy of their
films. Being very popular
films, people often want to
get the best deal so may
pirate them for free online.
They do have strategies
such as: Implanting
tracking devices into
physical copies of the film,
making people sign a legal
document saying they
cannot copy this film.
British Film Industry:
They don’t have the issue of
Piracy as the films they make
are usually for niche markets
and these people are usually
willing to buy the DVD. One
problem it does face though is
getting enough money to
continue making films.
To counter act this, the show
films on TV on channels such
as BBC and Film 4 and the
production team get money
based on views.

11. THE FUTURE
I think that the future is looking brighter and more promising
for both companies. They both have their way of making
films and it has worked for a long period of time. People
always love a night out to watch a film in the cinema and that
will never change. I believe that the way the make the films
may change depending on circumstances within the world
and films may be based more on todays society as
sometimes we need to be challenged. This is something the
British Film Industry has done well and Hollywood might
start adopting into their films. The only way the industry
could change is if they decided to go Online. This is to fit
with the technological generation however there would be
many issues with this as it would be easier to pirate the film.