30 Questions Revision Task

What % of global box office was the British film industry responsible for? 17% (Approx. 75% of the UK industry is based in London, with an average of 35 crews shooting on the streets of London every day.)

What was this % in 2009? 6.8% (UK film contributes over £4.6 billion to UK GDP and supported over 117,000 jobs (up from 100,000 in 2009). 

What might this change indicate about British film? They are becoming more dominant and doing del at the box office. 

What films have been responsible for this change? The Harry Potter Franchis.. "Since the release of the first Harry Potter movie in 2001 the movies have made $7,706,147,978 worldwide. The Harry Potter books have profited author J.K. Rowling over one billion dollars since their release."

What % of the British film industry makes a profit? 7%

What % of Hollywood films make a profit? The percentage of Hollywood films that make a profit is 17%.

How does that % differ between £2m and £10m budget British films? lower budget films ($2 million) have a 4% chance of making  profit, higher budget ($10 million) have a 17% chance go making a profit.

What might we infer from this difference? We could infer that if films look more realistic e.g. have better special effects then people will be more inclined to buy/watch them.

Which age group makes up the largest % of UK cinema goers?  18-24 year olds are the most likely to go to the cinema and make up the largest percentage.

Why do you think this might be?  I think this may be because these people have more free time and more disposable income, they also fit into the majority of the 4 quadrants.

Which 'type' of film has seen an 18% drop in attendance? 3D Films.

Within that 'type' which genre has seen the biggest fall?  The films type that has seen the biggest fall is family films, films that don’t involve a lot of action/horror.

What did Charles Grant put this decline down to?  Charles Grant basically said that 3D films are just a little bit too expensive, with them not deserving the extra money over ordinary films.

Who is Paul Greengrass? Paul Greengrass is an English film director, screenwriter and former journalist. He specialises in dramatisations of real-life events and is known for his signature use of hand-held cameras.

How did he describe the British film industry? "British film is on a very positive journey. If you look at the biggest movies in the world, like Star Wars, Gravity– a hugely cutting edge movie - they’re being made in Britain. British technicians are world class and audiences are queuing up to see these films. Distinctive British voices, like Stephen Frears, and all the emerging voices on show here highlight where the industry is. Strong leadership from the British Film Institute helps too. There’s a real vibrancy among British filmmaking and all these elements have been growing for the last 10-15 years and it shows no signs of stopping."

What did a BFI spokesperson say was the point of less profitable low budget British films? "tiny budget films that, while commercial success is always hoped for, are successful and beneficial to the industry for other reasons like skills and training development and for artistic and cultural importance."

What was the budget for Filth and how much money did it take? (IMDb) $5,000,000, £3,849,986

What advantage did James McEvoy feel £100m films have over low budget films? James McEvoy said that the ones that are over $100 million, that sometimes "aren't very good" had an advantage over small films because they had a huge budget to sell it.

What is VOD? Video On Demand.

What % increase did VOD see last year? They have increased by 50%.

What impact might VOD have on distributers and Studios?  With recent rises of demand with Netflix love film and sky , there is a chance that the demand companies will out sell Hollywood studios.

What impact has it had on Blockbuster rental stores?  They have had to clos several stores in the UK and globally and move online . they are becoming extinct.

What was unique about Ben Wheatleys 'A Field In England'? ‘A Field in England' was special as it was released in several formats simultaneously, dvd cinemas demand.

What does director of The Machine Caradog James think is the toughest part of film making?     "The toughest thing is you make a good film but can you get it to reach an audience? It's events like this and individuals who champion independent cinema that give us a profile and any chance of a mass audience."

Why have rules been relaxed on what makes a film 'British'?  To encourage wider audiences so the profit percentage can rise.

How has the use of visual effects in films been encouraged?  Visual effects are used in films to make it more interesting for the audience, to aid boosting of ratings as a more attractive picture is a better seller.

Name five of these rules and link them to The Kings Speech, Kill List, The World's End  Keeping a British Theme through culture -Kings Speech
·         'LAD' culture - Worlds End
·         British director - The King's Speech
·         British leading Cast - Kill List, Worlds End
·         Location in Britain - Kill List, Worlds End, King's Speech 

    
What rules has chancellor George Osbourne announced for tax on British films?  George Osborne has announced tax relief would be increased from 20% to 25% on the first £20m of qualifying production expenditure. Productions will also only have to spend 10% of their budgets on UK expenditure to qualify - down from 25% - to help more independent production companies and make the UK a more attractive co-production partner. previously only films under £20m were eligible for the higher rate.

What is the highest grossing film in UK box office history?  Highest grossing film in the uk box office was  James Bond - Skyfall.

How much has it taken and how many screens was it available on?  $1,108,561,013 was taken and it was on 527 screens in he UK.

The Worlds End

The Basics
The World's End (Cornetto Trilogy)
Director: Edgar Wright
Producer: Working Title (Tim Bevan)
Distributor: Universal (Big Six)
Budget: $25 million
Box Office: $46 million

'Cornetto Trilogy' - repeatability for DVD and BluRay

The Audience
The target Audience is male 28-40 (who like sci-fi and comedy and indie music/britpop)
Links to soundtrack which is full of late 80s early 90s hits by bands such as: The Housemartins, Blur, Primal Scream, Pulp, James, Happy Mondays, Suede, The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets.
All star 'British' cast

Simon Pegg (Gary King): Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul - mainstream and niche appeal.
Nick Frost (Andy Knightley) : Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul - mainstream and niche appeal.
Martin Freeman (Oliver Chamberlain) : The Hobbit, Love Actually, The Office (TV), Sherlock (TV)
Paddy Considine (Steven Prince) : Dead Man's Shoes, Submarine, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (TV) - multiple acting award nominations. Target audience of film buffs/ aficionados
Eddie Marsan (Peter Page) : Tyrannosaur, Miami Vice, Happy-Go-Lucky, Sherlock Holmes (Inspector Lestrade). Target audience of film buffs/ aficionados.
Rosamund Pike (Sam Chamberlain) : Die Another Day, An Education, Made In Dagenham, Wrath Of The Titans, Jack Reacher
Other  notable cast members

Pierce Brosnan (Guy Shepherd): James Bond (1995-2004), The Thomas Crown Affair, The Ghost, Mama Mia
Bill Nighy (The Network-voice only): Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean
Rafe Spall (Young Man): Grindhouse, Kidulthood, Prometheus, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Life of Pi, I Give It A Year

The Director

Edgar Wright: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, The Adventures of Tin Tin (co writer), Spaced (TV)

Themes

The film focuses on uniquely British concerns: pubs, 'lad' culture, British nightlife, loss of British identity, the homogenization of the high street, American influence, school, sleepy market towns. The film is also about growing up, the potential of youth and the disappointment of adult life.

The film was a niche product globally and a mass market product nationally.

Figures
Only 7% of British films make a profit.
Of films costing less than £2 million only 45 make a profit.
Of films costing £10 million or more 17% make a profit
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes 89% approval rating
Metacritic 81 out of 100

Harry Potter World, Favourite Pictures

Sexuality

Definition of sexuality:

Sexual orientation is a romantic pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, both genders, neither gender or another gender.

Sexualities

Hetrosexual; Attracted to the opposite sex 

i.e. Male attracted to a Female

Homosexual; Attracted to a person of the same sex

i.e. A Woman attracted to another Women

Bisexual; Attracted to both genders

i.e. Men attracted to other Men and Women

Explanation of stereotypes associated with this in the media:

Common stereotypes of sexuality are used in the media to present a person's character. Examples of these include: Homosexual males (gay) being camp and overly feminine. Homosexual females (lesbians) being butch and man like. The media may choose to stereotype characters of a certain sexuality so that the audience can make assumptions of these people.

A selection of TV shows that include the stereotype:

• Doug Carter: Doug is a homosexual male character in the hit TV Drama Hollyoaks. He is presented as your 'stereotypical gay'  as he has a very high pitched voice and wears pristine clothing and hair styles.

•  Christian: Christian from the well known TV Soap Eastenders is presented as an overly sensitive homosexual with a love for other hetrosexual characters included in the show. 

• Bobby: Bobby from The Only Way Is Essex or 'TOWIE' is presented as your stereotypical homosexual as he cares for himself like a women would. He 'fake tans,'  wears make up, grooms himself including getting his eyebrows waxed and is overly sensitive and extremely emotional.

• Orange is the new black; this TV Drama features a group of lesbians inside a prison. They are stereotypical lesbians as they are presented as butch.

The issues that can arise through sexuality can be the misconception of the stereotypes. Not all gay men are feminine and not all lesbians are butch. Some homosexuals can become embarrassed of their sexuality as people can frown upon the thought of the same sex being together. 

Downtown Abbey, set in the early 1900's, does not include any characters that are homosexual as it was very much frowned upon in that era. People with mental illnesses were locked up in this time and being 'gay' was perceived as a mental illness. 

The King's Speech Case Study

The King's Speech

(sfgate.com)
"The king is George VI (Colin Firth), the upright naval officer who took the throne in late 1936 after his brother Edward abdicated. The speech refers not to one specific discourse (there are a couple of crucial ones), but to the man's tortured elocution in general. He had an unyielding stutter, a career that forced him to speak to the masses - and a speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) who helped him reconcile the two. That one is a commoner, the other a royal in the waning years of the British Empire adds a notable shudder of class tension to the mix."

What Makes A Film British?

According to the government (in 2003) the majority of people would define a film as 'British' with references to cultural elements including a setting in the UK, a predominantly British cast, a storyline about a British lifestyles or a focus on British people abroad. 

British Film 

There are now two key criteria for a production to qualify as a Brit pic: 70% of a film's budget must be spent in Britain, and 70% of the money allocated to labour must go to either European or Commonwealth citizens. The definition is significant because tax-breaks are available to producers and buyers of officially-recognised British films.

With regard to the revised definition, Films minister Janet Anderson predictably commented: 'our reforms to the definition of 'British film' should make it even more attractive to film in this country'

The previous ruling had allowed films to be defined as British even if they were largely filmed outside the UK, while debarring films which, though largely British, had non-British soundtracks. One such film was Mark Herman's Little Voice (pictured).

The move comes as recent evidence demonstrates an enthusiasm for 'British film' - official or otherwise - at the overseas box-office. US exit polls for Notting Hill showed that 14% of movie-goers rated 'I like British movies' as a top reason to see the movie.

British Box Office

£3,523,102 (UK) (9 January 2011) (395 Screens)

Critical Reception

According to IMDb 

8.1/10 

4/5 stars

Rotten Tomatoes

"Colin Firth gives a masterful performance in The King's Speech, a predictable but stylishly produced and rousing period drama."

94% or 98.6/10


Critical Review
(sfgate.com)

Amy Biancolli, Hearst Movie Writer

"The King's Speech" is a warm, wise film - the best period movie of the year and one of the year's best movies. It begins with the fear of a prince and ends with the courage of a king, finding room in between for terrific joy and drama.

Inception had trailed a blaze of its cleverness the size of a Parisian arrondissement. We were ready to be dazzled. If you had even heard of it, Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech looked no more than well-spoken Merchant Ivoriness optimistically promoted from Sunday teatime.

Awards and Nominations

The Kings Speech received nominations for 12 Oscars including best picture, best director, best supporting actor and actress, best screenplay, best editing, best art direction and costume. It won 4 Oscars for best picture, best director, best Actor (Colin Firth) and best original screenplay. It was also nominated for 14 BAFTAs of which it won 7. Mark Kemode comments that Oscar and BAFTA nominations and awards are often expected when playing a monarch for example with Judy Dench - Shakespeare in Love Helen Mirren - The Queen etc. and especially when the story is about humanising the monarchy. 

Production Companies

Weinstein Company, The (presents)

UK Film Council (presents)

Momentum Pictures (in association with)

Aegis Film Fund (in association with)

Molinare Investment (in association with) (as Molinare, London)

FilmNation Entertainment (in association with)

See-Saw Films (as See Saw Films)

Bedlam Productions (as Bedlam)

Filming Locations

All 19 film locations are in the UK including the following

- Halton House, Halton, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

(Buckingham Palace - King's office

- Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK

(Sandringham House - interiors)

- Draper's Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, Broadgate, London, England, UK

(Buckingham Palace - King's speech)

- Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

(Rolls-Royce driving scenes)

The finance

Budget: $15,000,000

Opening Weekend: £3,523,102

Gross Profit:$138,795,342 (USA)

Productions Issues

The King's Speech is an example of a film that can receive major global success without the help of a major Hollywood studio. See-Saw, a British/Australian company, financed and produced the film by getting deals with key distribution partners - The Weinstein Company (USA) Momentum Pictures (UK) Transmission (Australia) and Alliance Film (Canada). See-Saw faced a big decision when Fox Searchlight showed an interest in The King's Speech but they wanted worldwide rights to the film. This meant they would have to cut other partners See-Saw chose to turn down Fox Searchlight and keep the original partners to keep the control in their hands.

Marketing and Distribution

As an independent film, the King's Speech was not able to use a huge budget of Hollywood levels for the marketing, With a budget of only around £8million - £12 million, it could not compete with major blockbusters with backing from massive institutions such as Universal or 20th Century Fox. Instead, the King's Speech used viral marketing to draw attention to the film - and it proved just as effective, if not, more. The film was made just in time to enter it into several film festivals in the hope that national newspaper journalists will enjoy it and write about it in their papers. Luckily, the reception of the film was brilliant, and even before the film had been released in cinemas, people were talking about it and saying how good it was, whilst tipping it for many awards including some Oscars.