Warp Films is an independent UK film production company based in Sheffield and London. It was established by Warp Records founders Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett, initially creating short films with financial support from NESTA. In 2005, Warp Films launched its own film distribution arm to distribute both its in-house productions and acquisitions from other European markets. It has a distribution alliance with Optimum Releasing and helped set up the UK Film Council's digital cinema network in 2005.

2. Warp Films is an independent UK film production company. It
is based in Sheffield & London, UK with a further office in
Melbourne, Australia
Warp Films was established by Warp Records
founding partners Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett.
Warp Films was initially created with financial
support from NESTA and had a remit to produce a
number of short films.
NESTA (formerly NESTA, National Endowment for
Science, Technology and the Arts) is an independent charity
that works to increase the innovation capacity of the UK.
The Hollywood domination over the film industry
continues to reign, although the British film
industry has managed to develop, and move
closer, to matching Hollywood’s superiority.

3. The First Film…
The first film by Chris Morris, starring Paddy Considine as a mentally disturbed man taking
care of a friend's Doberman Pinscher (named Rothko, and voiced by Morris) while she's away.
It was released on DVD in 2003, on a region 0, PAL disc. The disc featured a false commentary
track, among other bonuses. The packaging included a handwritten list of various wrongs
committed by the protagonist, although one would have to destroy the case to read them all.
The title comes from this tendency of the protagonist to record his sins: the film depicts
numbers 8245–8249 in the timeline, and number 117, which was an unguarded comment
made as a small boy, in a flashback.
It was also edited into the ‘Cinema16: European Short Films’, a DVD featuring European
Short Films.
In 2003, the film won a BAFTA for best short film.

4. The digitalization of film makes it cheaper to
produce distribute and exhibit. Independent film
makers can therefore produce larger numbers of
prints at a smaller cost, thus they will not lose as
much money if the film doesn’t attract such a
large audience in the cinemas. This should ease
the path for more independent British films into
more cinemas across the country.
However, the digitalization of film (cameras, cinemas, screens) and the effect on
production costs has resulted in increased accessibility, resulting in piracy.
-The advances in digital technology have made piracy easier, cheaper and has improved
the quality of the content
- Electronic files can be leaked in advance of a film release
- The internet allows pirate materials to be distributed all over the world very quickly

5. In 2005, Warp Films (the film division of music label Warp
Records) launched a distribution arm. The distribution label
will be DVD driven, although it aims for most films to have a
theatrical life. Mixing in-house films and acquisitions, it will
sub-distribute to companies in other European markets as
its sister company does with music. It is designed to make it
more attractive to filmmakers due to the company’s ability to
The reason for release in other markets. It will focus on independent cult
Hollywood’s distribution and classic films and will spawn an online distribution site in
domination is down to May 2005. However, Warp do not always distribute their own
two key factors, money films.
and status. Money Optimum Releasing – Warp Films has a secured distribution
enables them to hire alliance with Optimum Releasing.
better distributors, while The digital screen network set up in 2005 by the UK Film
the ‘Hollywood’ status Council and the arts council England. A 12 million
grabs the distributor’s investment to equip 240 screens in 210 cinemas across
attention. the UK with digital projection technology to give UK
audiences much greater choice.

6. Warp X, founded in 2005, digital
Budgets usually The intent of the
film studio that is designed to
between £400,000- film studio's
shake up the way feature films
£800,000 creation was to
can get financed and produced in
add energy and
Britain.
vitality to the film
industry in Britain.
The film studio
backed by £4.5 Produces feature films.
million of funding
from the National
Lottery, Film Four Unique initiative to
and regional screen generate and sustain a
agencies and by low budget film
using the latest industry in Britain for
digital production the first time.
methods
The studio serves as a format for new film
Secured a distribution directors to create movies for the first time
alliance with on a lower budget scale with less
Optimum Releasing. expectation for high box office revenues on
their initial feature foray

7. The Launch of
It comes at a time when the British film industry is beginning to explore the implications
of digital technology for traditional production and business models. The harnessing of
cutting edge digital technology with low budget production methods, namely high
definition, will enable Warp X to be well placed to take advantage of the coming digital
transformation of film distribution and is allied to Warp Films and Warp Records
The creative and commercial success of Shane Meadow’s Dead Man’s Shoes, produced
by Warp Films and released in 2004, influenced the setting up of Warp X to make low
budget films that are distinctive and market orientated. Warp X‘s business model is also
innovative in the way that creative talent, cast, crew and producers will benefit from the
commercial success of a film as they will be able to participate in revenue from ‘first
dollar or pound’.
“Warp X wants movies that can be made faster, leaner, lighter – with no excess baggage.
And then to use that freedom to ‘re-tox’ British cinema with an injection of adventure.
Our ideal is to make films which audiences find exhilarating, whether they be original
interpretations of marketable genres or stories with a passion and hook that gets them
noticed in the marketplace.”

8. UK film production company Warp and Australian indie distributor Madman, in 2008
announced a collaboration whereby the two companies will seek to broker the best UK
talent with the best Australian talent, with the focus on making at least 2 films together
over the next 3 years.
Madman is a vertically integrated distribution company in Australia & New Zealand
which are committed to productions which widen the audience choice.

9. Budget: £1,500,000
Worldwide Gross: £5,058,000 This shows This Is England wasn’t
UK Distributor: Optimum Releasing successful in USA due to the lack
Opening Weekend: of money available to them in
UK- £207,676 (62 screens) order to distribute and exhibit
USA- $18,430 (1 screen) widely across the USA. Also as
Hollywood is dominant in the
This Is England had limited distribution and was film industry, American cinema
approximately exhibited in 150 digital screen network chains generally only show
screens across the UK. American films as the Hollywood
production companies own the
Warp Films produced and distributed This Is cinemas and therefore exhibit
England. their own films.
The digitalization of cameras and projectors allow British cinema to operate in a more
cost effective way and target national audiences.

10. This Is England had no star actors marketing Trailers - contextualizes the
opportunities, unlike the story with pop
conglomerate, Pixar/Disney. Due to the limited music, documentary footage of
money smaller British Independent Companies Prime Minister Margaret
have access too, juxtaposing the large amount Thatcher, the Falklands War and
of money the large Hollywood companies the National Front. The
generate. This allows them to spend a lot of soundtrack is an important part
money on hiring famous actors in order to of the trailer and has been
create popularity and excitement about the marketed as a
film and also ensuring there will be a reliable standalone product that can be
audience. purchased
As Warp Films worked with Film4 to produce This is England. This gave Shane Meadows'
production exclusive access to their TV channel, where they show, analyze and
preview productions. Film4 channel can be seen either on Sky or free view channels
making it available to a wider audience. Warp Films also created a website for This is
England where you can download various things such as desktop backgrounds, and iron on
print outs.

11. The title of the film also suggests it
will challenge the best It also has quotes from more high-end
known representation of 80's and left leaning newspapers, as well as
Britain. Again, this would appeal to specialized film magazines.
an audience group opposed to
more common films and seek
challenging texts.
The poster also has
Meadows name on
the poster which
would appeal to
The main poster of the both alternative film
film clearly promotes it as fans as well as
a a film which would be of regular fans of his
more interest work
to committed alternative
film fans.
The poster also appeals to a
The fact the film boasts no more alternative film
stars would also be an audiences, as it shows that it is
appeal to an alternative clearly of the social realist
audience. genre.

12. This Is England - Website
This Is England website offers many areas to visit
within the website and many options for the visitors
to take. A sense of exclusiveness is created for the
viewers as they find out more information presented
on their website. By creating a website solely
dedicated to the film, it allows potential fans to
access exclusive insights and also to make them more
involved. The website takes pride in the success of
the film as ‘quotes & reviews’ and ‘awards & festivals’
links are presented. The option to buy the DVD online