1) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British.
A film can be considered British if the people making the film are British, it is funded within Britain, the cast is British and if the subject matter is about Britain or British culture
2) What is the difference between a Hollywood production context and production context of a British film?
The Hollywood production context means that most films made by Hollywood studios have high budgets and a heavy reliance on celebrities both in the cast and crew and spectacle driven stories. However, the British film production context does not have as many clearly defined characteristics but they can be large budget, high concept films
3) When did the James Bond franchise start?
In the 1960s
4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s?
In the 1970s, the British film industry was dominated by the subject of censorship and that continued into the video 'nasties' banning of the 1980s. The 1980s also saw a dramatic decline in American investment in British film that did not increase again until the 1990s
5) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.
The youth is often represented (e.g. 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971) and 'Attack the Block' (2011)). In 'A Clockwork Orange', the youth is presented as violent and anti-establishment but on the other hand, 'Attack the Block' attempted to portray a more realistic view of young people
6) What does the Factsheet suggest might be the audience appeal of British film?
Class, social realism, education, British culture and the actors
Factsheet #100: British film industry
1) What is the 'cultural test' to see if a film counts as British?
Must score at least 16 out of 31 to classify as British
2) Complete the task on the Factsheet - choose three of the films listed and research them to work out what they score on the cultural test: The Sweeney (2012), Attack The Block, The King's Speech, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Skyfall.
Attack the Block (2011)
Set in the UK= 4 points
Lead characters British citizens/residents= 4 points
Based on British subject matter/underlying material= 4 points
Original dialogue is mainly recorded in the English language= 4 points
Film represents/reflects diverse British culture, heritage or creativity= 4 points
British studio and/or location shooting, visual effects or special effects= 2 points
British director= 1 point
British lead actor= 1 point
Majority of cast are British= 1 point
Majority of crew are British= 1 point
26/31
The Sweeney (2012)
Set in the UK= 4 points
Lead characters British citizens/residents= 4 points
Based on British subject matter/underlying material= 4 points
Original dialogue is mainly recorded in the English language= 4 points
British studio and/or location shooting, visual effects or special effects= 2 points
British director= 1 point
British lead actor= 1 point
Majority of cast are British= 1 point
Majority of crew are British= 1 point
22/31
The King's Speech (2012)
Set in the UK= 4 points
Lead characters British citizens/residents= 4 points
Based on British subject matter/underlying material= 4 points
Original dialogue is mainly recorded in the English language= 4 points
British studio and/or location shooting, visual effects or special effects= 2 points
British director= 1 point
Majority of cast are British= 1 point
Majority of crew are British= 1 point
21/31
3) What is the main problem for the British film industry?
It has been production-led rather than distribution-led so filmmakers must sacrifice the distribution rights of their film to a distribution company which means that the filmmakers lose a lot of revenue
4) What are three of the strengths of the British film industry?
- The outstanding creative skills of practitioners displayed by intellectual property by the likes of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter books
- The outstanding facilities such as British studios, camera companies and digital post-production houses
- The films produced are in English --> which is the most widely spoken language worldwide which makes it accessible to audiences globally
5) What are the two options for the future of the British film industry?
1. Filmmakers choosing to rely upon co-productions with American companies- but this could mean that regional accents, dialects, cultural and political references could be lost essentially removing the things that make a film British
2. Attempting to make low budget films targeted at a niche, British audience- though production costs will have to be lower which means that profits will also be lower but the filmmakers will be able to retain what it is that makes British films so distinctive without compromise
6) In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?
In my opinion, the second option will better safeguard the future of the British film industry because they are low-budget and still keep the essence of British film (which is lost with the first option). Despite the decrease in profit, the standard and quality of British film is maintained which may even draw in a larger audience because it is what the audience desires
