Submarine and Warp Films

G322B Case Study

Production and Funding

• Released March 2011• Institutions:– Film4– Warp Films– Film Agency of Wales– Red Hour Films (Ben

Stiller)

• £1.2m• Shot in Wales• Based on Welsh novel• Directed by Richard

Ayoade

About Warp Films

• UK (Sheffield)• Independent• Low budget films (under £1.5m)• Develops directors and talent• Aims at UK and European audience• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H_e72WYGlo

History of Warp

• Warp Records 1989 Sheffield– Shop– Electronic music record label (Aphex Twin;

Squarepusher)

• Late 90s – music videos (Chris Cunningham)• Set up Warp Films ~2000– Startup grant from government - £150k

• This is England 2005

Warp Films Warp Records

UK Film Council

National Lottery

Madman Ent.

Warpmart

Channel 4 OptimumBleep

WarpFilmStore.com

Film 4

Fund

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Prod

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strib

ution

Can you apply any of these terms to Warp?

•Vertical/ horizontal integration

•Synergy•Independent•Autonomy•Conglomerate•Cross-Media Ownership

•Parent Company•Sister Company

Selected Releases2003 - My Wrongs #8245–8249 & 117 (Dir: Chris Morris)2004 - Dead Man's Shoes (Dir: Shane Meadows)2005 - Rubber Johnny (Dir: Chris Cunningham)2005 - Scummy Man (Arctic Monkeys short film/music video)2006 - This Is England (Dir: Shane Meadows)2007 - Dog Altogether (Dir: Paddy Considine)2008 - At the Apollo (Arctic Monkeys Dir: Richard Ayoade)2010 – Four Lions (Dir: Chris Morris)2011 – Submarine (Dir: Richard Ayoade; starring Paddy Considine)2011 – Tyranosaur (Dir: Paddy Considine)

Warp’s Aims

• Warp = “cutting edge, innovative, interesting, independent”

• “We don’t want to have carbon-copy, Hollywood big blockbuster film”

• “It’s important to raise the profile of British filmmaking worldwide and get a larger voice out there”

• “An artist-led company”

Warp Films’ partners

• Film4 and Channel4

• Optimum (now StudioCanal)

• Madman Entertainment

What does each side get out of this arrangement?

Technology and Warp Films

• Digital Production– Focuses on use of digital photography (cheaper)– WarpX – digital studio

• Digital Distribution– Lower budget films exhibited in more cinemas

WarpX• Set up after 2005 – digital studio in WarpX– Funded by UK Film Council New Cinema Fund– Backed by Film4, ScreenYorkshire and EM Media (East

Midlands Media), and Optimum Releasing• Distribution arrangements:– UK cinema and DVD distribution: Optimum– UK TV rights: Channel 4

• Low budget• Entirely digital• Risktaking• Developing talent and developing UK film industry

Submarine

Production and Funding

• Released March 2011• Institutions:– Film4– Warp Films– Film Agency of Wales– Red Hour Films (Ben

Stiller)

• £1.5m• Shot in Wales• Based on Welsh novel• Directed by Richard

Ayoade

Distribution – Cinemas (Exhibition)

• Multiple independent distributors

• UK: Optimum– StudioCanal

dominating UK indie market?

– USA: The Weinstein Company• The King’s Speech• Inglourious Basterds

Distribution – Cinemas (Exhibition)

Promotion (marketing) at film festivals

Priority target audience?

Distribution – Cinemas (Exhibition)

Distribution – Cinemas (Exhibition)

• Box office = £3.1m– UK £2.3m– USA £467k

Distribution (Home entertainment)

• LoveFilm with StudioCanal• DVD Sales– £40k

Marketing

• Film Festivals– Toronto; London; Sundance; Seattle

• Literary adaptation (British novel)• Nostalgia• Soundtrack– Alex Turner, Arctic Monkeys

Warp: Compare to Working Title

Submarine: Compare to Tinker, Tailor