The document compares British and American films, highlighting the role of British Film Institute (BFI) in funding British films and promoting lesser-known works, which often depict realistic aspects of life, focusing on working-class experiences. In contrast, American films typically embody the 'American dream' with high budgets, special effects, and escapism, often produced by major companies known as the 'big six.' While British films represent diverse regional realities, American films often rely on stereotypes and lack the same focus on real-life struggles.

2. British film

3. British production companies
- This is England
- Tyrannosaur
- Submarine
- Shaun of the
Dead
- Attack the Block
- Harry Potter Films
- I am Legend
- Wild Child
- Atonement
- Hot Fuzz
- Love Actually
- Prometheus
- Sisters in Law
- Lucky Day

4. Commonly seen in British film

5. Funding
The BFI often provides funding for British
films. They provide money to help
promote less-known films and works
closely with the UK Film Council.
This is government funding that helps with
promotion, production, development and
distribution. It helps get small films into film
festivals and art houses and helps make the
non-mainstream films more accessible to an
audience. This is often a British film’s lifeline.
Most well known for TV, these companies have
produced several British films. They provide
funding and promotion and make small films
bigger. They often advertise cheaply through
their own channel and promotional bases.
Smaller production companies provide
equipment and funding for British film makers
and helps make the film a big success. Often
receiving funding from ‘The Big Six’ that often
own them.

6. British film often tends to focus on real life situations – mainly working class
people to show the harsh reality of life in urban Britain. They are usually
problematic and tell it how it really is. They often include swearing and drug
abuse also. However, in extreme contrast to this, some British films are
fantasy, include made up locations and exotic storylines, for example Harry
Potter, however, Harry Potter still includes hardship, bullying and the
struggles of life. In British film, they tend to show each area of the country
differently in according to reality, and represent their lifestyle in films.
Whereas, in American film, they take a small stereotypical percentage of
Britain (‘Londoners’) and tend to represent them negatively as posh and
stuck-up.

7. American Film

8. American production companies

9. Commonly seen in American films:

10. American films generally focus on the ‘American dream’/fairy-tale ending
storylines. American film companies tend to have large budgets in which to
produce their films from, so more often than not, CGI, exotic locations and a
large amount of advertising is often used. American films offer the audience
a sense of escapism, because, unlike British film, American film does not
show the harsh struggles of reality, rather quite the opposite. They are often
referred to as ‘Blockbusters’ and have covered every genre there is to offer,
unlike British film. American films get their funding from the production
companies, often known as the ‘Big six’ – Universal, Warner Brothers, 20 th
Century Fox, Paramount, Disney and Columbia – which own the majority of
the smaller production companies too, for example, Universal Studios owns
67% of Working Title films.