British Cinema

To succeed in this section of the Key Media Concepts exam you need to develop a case study on a particular studio or production company.

This institution must be located in a contemporary film industry and it must produce and/or distribute films to the UK. The focus will be on how this institution relates to:

• Production: making films

• Distribution: promoting films and getting them into cinemas and out on DVD/UMD, as well as any spin offs/related media products

• Consumption: people paying at the cinema, renting or buying DVDs/UMDs and downloading and purchasing related products.

What does it mean to be British?

What things do we associate with Britain?

Put things under the following headings:

Food and Drink

Sports

Culture (TV, Film, Music etc)

Beliefs, Values and Attitudes

Landmarks

Language / Phrases

What makes a film British?

What do you expect from a British film?

Defining British Film

The British Film Institute divides films into the following categories:

• Category A: films made with British money, personnel and resources

• Category B: films co-funded with money from Britain and from foreign investment, but the majority of finance, cultural content & personnel are British

Defining British Film

• Category C: films with mostly foreign (but non-USA) investment and a small British input, either financially or creatively

• Category D: films made in the UK with (usually) British cultural content, but financed fully or partly by American companies

• Category E: American films with some British involvement

How many British films can you think of?

British film has always had its ups and downs

Unfortunately, the British film industry has never been capable of generating worldwide commercial success on its own.

This is partly down to the major power, success and control of…

The basic fact is that the British cinema market is too small for the British film industry to successfully produce Hollywood-style blockbusters over a sustained period

UK Film Industry

Hollywood

Task…• In pairs you will be given a decade from the 30s to the 00s

• You will produce a short presentation about British Cinema in your decade

• You must look at at least 2 of the major films from your time period

• Who produced them? Who directed them? Who starred in them? What genre of films were they? Were these type of films popular during that decade and if so why?

• How commercially & financially successful were British films during this time? Can you find any stats and facts to back this up?

• Were there any government laws or acts passed during your 10 year period that were designed to help the British film industry?

The 1930s

•The 39 Steps•As You Like It•The Edge of the World•The Man Who Knew Too Much

1940s

• The Red Shoes

• The Third Man

• Brief Encounter

• Kind Hearts and Coronets

1950s

• The Bridge Over The River Kwai

• The Dam Busters

• The Lady Killers

• Richard III

The 1960s

•Saturday Night and Sunday Morning•Carry On Cleo•Dr. No•Lawrence of Arabia

The 1970s

•A Clockwork Orange•Don’t Look Now•The Life of Brian•Kes

The 1980s

•Chariots of Fire•My Beautiful Laundrette•Withnail & I•Educating Rita

The 1990s

•Trainspotting•Four Weddings and a Funeral•The Full Monty•Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrells

2000 and beyond…

•Bridget Jones•Slumdog Millionaire•This Is England•Shaun of the Dead

Useful Websites

• http://www.screenonline.org.uk/

• http://www.bfi.org.uk/

• http://www.imdb.com/

• http://www.britmovie.co.uk

• http://www.britishcinemagreats.com/