1. Submarine Revision Notes
Institutional Factors | Distribution
Submarine was written and directed by Richard Ayoade and released at UK cinemas in March 2011
after significant critical success at festivals including the London Film Festival (LFF) but particularly
the Toronto Film Festival.
Toronto success secured the film a distribution contract with the Weinstein Company (formerly
Disney owned Miramax) – Bob and Harvey Weinstein’s company in essence can be described as a
‘Mini Major’ film distributor, large enough to cope with the distribution of academy award winning
The Artist (2012) and The Iron Lady (2012) but not competition for the oligopoly of Hollywood
distributors including 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios and Paramount.
The Weinstein Company and previously as Miramax have also specialised in distributing challenging
films by independent film makers and directors over the years like Pulp Fiction (1994) and Kill Bill
(2003-04) and with Submarine The Weinstein Company would consider this new British film to move
carefully into that equation.
Although The Weinstein Company distributed Submarine this was only in the US with Optimum
Pictures as the independent UK distributor – Optimum themselves are associated with award
winning success having been responsible for distributing This is England which was a surprise
commercial success with its release spawning two television sequels and securing strong DVD sales.
Optimum also distributed Four Lions which received mixed reviews potentially as a result of its
controversial political content but sustained their losses through being owned by larger production
company and television channel Canal + who have been involved in features such as Pan’s Labyrinth
(2006) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004). Like This is England, Submarine had a limited release and was
only distributed to 60 screens in the UK and only 28 in the US confirming the reluctance of The
Weinstein Company to invest too heavily in this British, low production value project. Like much
British film that uses the theatrical release as a marketing platform for the DVD, a ‘revenue drip’
from this area of sale has been apparent but not a revenue ‘stream’. Despite the limited release
however in the UK the film made nearly £250,000 in first three weeks (typically taking most of this in
the opening weekend) and an impressive $467,000 in the US from a small number of screens.
Audience appeals and the reasons for this success will be explored later but suffice to say that film
festival success and industry hype all contributed.
Institutional Factors | Funding and Production
Submarine also attracted distribution cynically on the strength of the unusual involvement
as Executive Producer of Hollywood actor, Ben Stiller who also secured a cameo in the film
but as a British film had further pedigree and investment from a number of companies who
collaborated on the project – Film4, on the back of the success of Slumdog Millionaire
(2009) invested development money in the film while the film is one of last projects
invested in by the UK Film Council who devoted New Cinema Fund money to Submarine.
This created a pattern that had previously and since been much repeated with many

2. ‘Film4/UK Film Council collaborations’ achieving a significant degree of positive, critical
success including This is England (2006) and Looking for Eric (2009).
Additional funding reflecting the regional aspect of Submarine came from The Wales
Creative IP Fund and the Film Agency for Wales mirroring an often complex funding pattern
for British film over a significant period of time – a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster
would he highly likely to be funded mainly by the distributor/studio involved. Warp Films
physically made and shot the film who themselves are a British Production Company who
have a reputation for involvement in innovative films like again This is England (2006) and
the second Channel 4 television spin off, This is England: 88 and Four Lions (2010). Warp
Film are part of a company whose media and creative interests extend into film with the
respected independent record label part of their niche, business interests.
Submarine released with a BBFC 15 certificate (sexual references, swearing) offering at least
some promises of pleasure for those audiences hoping for something more that what
initially may have seemed to be an innocent ‘rites of passage’ film but its main driving force
and original creative input was writer and director Richard Ayoade.
Ayoade has industry ‘pedigree’ but primarily in television having been responsible for co-
creating and writing The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley and The IT Crowd which he also
starred in. Ayoade developed the film from a book by Jo Dunthorne about a young boy who
struggled to come to terms with his parents’ own relationship and also struggled to develop
a relationship with the opposite sex himself.
Ben Stiller, when interviewed after the red carpet premiere admitted and paid homage to
Ayoade stating that this film was his brainchild and any credits or plaudits should be
directed at Ayoade. Richard Ayoade has now predictably been touted as potentially a
director that could be ‘picked up’ by a Hollywood studio to direct a production in the future.
The film has relatively low production values with a production budget of $1.5 million (£1.2
million) with mainly on location shooting in Swansea and on the Gower Coast (in Swansea)
avoiding the need for costly studio sets. Realist representations ensured limited funding was
required for costume design but some innovative visual effects were employed by the
Director and a soundtrack was written for the film by ex Arctic Monkeys lead singer, Alex
Turner evidencing a form of synergy as the tracks were released as an EP, also in March
2011. Despite casting newcomers Craig Roberts and Yasmine Paige in the central roles as
Oliver and Jordana, Submarine attracted a known British cast including Sally Hawkins
(Happy Go Lucky, Made in Dagenham, Never Let Me Go) as Oliver’s Mother, Noel Taylor
(Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Vanilla Sky) as Oliver’s long
suffering academic Father and Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, Dead Man’s Shoes) as ‘Graham’
the sleazy neighbour. The film has a very ‘British’ regional feel but without the common
grainy, drab mise-en-scene associated with so many independent UK dramas.