The document discusses the British Film Institute and how it funds script development, film production, and distribution for British films through various funds and tax breaks. It also examines different production companies in the UK and case studies of successful British films like Harry Potter, The King's Speech, and Four Lions that received partial funding and tax incentives from British organizations. The challenges of producing and distributing British films that need to appeal to both domestic and international audiences are also addressed.

1. 1
What is a British Film?

2. • British Film Institute (was UK Film Council)
– fund script development, film production, short films, film
export and distribution, cinemas, film education, culture
and archives, festivals and audience support schemes
– Film Fund 15 mil per year (90% of applicants will be
rejected) and money from Lotteries
– Innovation Fund – to help move to the digital age
esp in rural areas
– Export Fund – British films shown at key international film
festivals
Funding for British Films

3. • Co Production deals which BFI can help set
up
• Tax Breaks - Film Tax Relief (25%)
Need to spend at least 10% of the budget
in the UK
Can be a co production but must pass the
Cultural Test
Funding for British Films

4. What else do they do, how do they
help, etc.
• Production
• Distribution
• Exhibition
• Export
• ‘Britishness’
http://industry.bfi.org.uk
Look at the website

5. • Very different to the US set
• Govt support
• Independent Film Production Houses
– Warp Films, Bedlam, Pinewood, Between the
Eyes, Hammer, Aardman Animation
The UK’s top 40 Producers
Go and find out about some of these
companies
Producing British Films

6. • Need to team up with a distribution
company
– ‘British’ Distribution Companies
• Can be very hard to get films made in
Britain and they are not necessarily very
profitable (Harry Potter/James Bond)
• Need to be distinctively British.
Producing British Films

7. ‘Distinctively British’ – what does
this mean?
7

8. • Do British films have to say
something to their audience about the
‘British experience’ to be a success?
Possible Questions

9. • What obstacles or problems do you
think a British studio would face in
trying to find an audience for it’s
films? What might stop that film from
being a success?
Possible Questions

10. • How important for the British Film
industry is the use of UK 'talent' in
films financed outside Britain?
Possible Questions

11.  What strategies do you think can be used
to create a successful British Film
Industry?
Possible Questions

12.  How important is it for the British film
industry to have internationally
recognised stars?
Possible Questions

13. • Harry Potter was primarily funded by Warner Bro but did
include a British production company – Heyday Films
• They received tax breaks (unclear how much but overall
there have been £8bn… This includes the HP films, Gravity,
Maleficent. There were 222 films that received tax breaks in
2014)
• Budget - $250m (shared with Part 2)
• Box Office - $960.3 (wiki – in American cinemas for 140
days, 147 in UK)
Case Studies – Harry Potter

14. • The UK Film Council awarded The King’s Speech
£1,021,080 of Lottery funding. They were included in the
title sequence and give Producer credits.
• The films was also produced by See Saw Films and
Bedlam Productions (Producer credits)
• London’s Prescience Film Finance stepped in to provide
two-thirds of the film’s £9 million ($14.5 million) budget
using its £25 million Aegis Film Fund
• Total Budget - $15m
• Box office – $414.2m (in American cinemas for 126
days, 147 in UK)
Case Studies – The Kings Speech

15. • BBC and Channel 4 rejected this film as they saw it as
being too controversial. Both BBC and C4 are required to
support film making….
• Film 4 finally ended up funding this along with Warp Films
(2.5 mil). Film 4 is owned by Channel $ but does work
independently. Film 4 have worked with Fox Searchlight,
Pathé; France’s cinema giant, and niche producers like
Warp Films.
• Total Budget - £2.5m
• Box Office - £6.9 m
Case Studies - Four Lions

16. • As a micro budget film there were several Production companies
involved - BBC Film, BFI, Creative England, Emu Films, iFeatures
• Production Budget £450,000
• Box Office – Very hard to find information on. It seems to have
been in release for for 4 weeks (from 29 May to 21 June) Weekend
box office - £10,110?????
• Rotten Tomatoes gives it 92%
Case Studies – The Goob

17. What are the consequences of funding
in the UK?