What do you think constitutes a

‘British film’?

Mind-map it. Think about what you think is

important in British films and why

Learning objectives:

• To understand the requirements of Section B

and the marking criteria.

• To explore the classification and audience

attitudes to British films.

• To examine changes in the British film

industry and how this might have affected

British films.

Hand in homework: the detailed notes relating to

The Inbetweeners 2

Expectations

• Complete your homework on time and to the highest

standard

• Engage in all class discussions – nobody will be carried

• Keep your books neat. You can use them for notes but

these are also the primary record of your assessments

• There is a lot to learn and very quickly. Lessons will

cover a lot of information, so you will need to ensure

that you can apply and develop this in your study

periods.

Know your case study – everything we learn in class

has to be related to Bwark and The Inbetweeners 2

Assessed homework task

Some say that the British film industry is

approaching its death. Do you agree?

• Does your case study prove the industry is dying or is it successful?

• Do the classifications of British films offer any help to rejuvenate the

industry?

• Would Doyle and Lord Smith agree or disagree with this statement?

• What has helped or hindered the film’s success?

• How has the changing ways institutions can market the film been

exploited by your case study?

• How was the film’s success boosted by the TV programme and the first

film (pre-audience)?

• The British film industry is mostly independent. Is Bwark typical of an

independent film maker?

1000 words, 12pt typed by Friday 13th February, 2015

Keep this in mind as the lesson continues so you can

make appropriate notes and ask appropriate questions.

Level 4

Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks) Shows excellent understanding of the task Excellent knowledge and understanding of institutional/audience

practices – factual knowledge is relevant and accurate A clear and developed argument, substantiated by detailed reference to

case study material Clearly relevant to set question

Use of examples (16-20 marks) Offers frequent evidence from case study material – award marks to

reflect the range and appropriateness of examples from case study and/or own experience

Offers examples which are clearly relevant to the set question

Use of terminology (8-10 marks) Use of terminology is relevant and accurate

Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently. Sentences and paragraphs,

consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical

terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

• 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 and personnel are

British.

• Category C: films with mostly foreign (but not USA) and a small British input,

either financially or creatively.

• Category D: films made with the UK with (usually) British cultural content, but

financed fully or partly by American companies.

• Category E: American films with some British involvement.

Media institutions Your film company (Bwark) is a Media institution. Is it a commercial

institution or an independent institution?

Words for your glossary

Commercial institutions – institutions that are large and have huge

budgets. They are usually conglomerates

Conglomerate – when a larger institution is made up of smaller

companies that have been purchased or merged (e.g. 20th Century

fox).

Independent institutions – are independent of larger companies and

have smaller budgets. They do not follow tradition (.e.g traditional

Hollywood).

What are the advantages and

disadvantages of both?

What impacts the way films are made,

marketed, distributed and viewed by

audiences and institutions?

TerminologyIndependent company, commercial institution, studio system, social media,

audience consumption, technological convergence, digital revolution

• There is no coherent British film industry in the way that radio

programmes or books are produced, distributed and sold in Britain.

• There is no large film company which can, from its own turnover and

backers, finance movies – least of all for distribution on a global scale.

• Finance for British films is cobbled together from a variety of sources.

Predominantly, money comes from the US majors.

• Television may also provide some funding. Channel 4 has been a

relatively significant supporter of low-budget British films.

• The BBC puts only 1 per cent of its budget into film production.

• The British National Lottery has also given some money, to be

administered through the UK Film Council.

• What are legally defined as British films (and so eligible for certain tax

concessions) may be made largely by British workers, but often are

funded by US money – companies such as Miramax.

Doyle (2002)

‘The small size of the domestic UK market

and the disaggregated structure of the

industry prevent the indigenous

production sector [British film makers]

from growing beyond a cottage

industry.’

Doyle v The Lord Smith Report 2012

LORD SMITH REPORT (2012)

Bring film education into every school.

Encourage major broadcasters (on TV) to invest more in the screening,

acquisition and production of independent British films.

Stage an annual "British film week".

Ensure a more collaborative approach between producers, directors

and distributors and reinvest money from successful movies into further

production.

Strengthen investment in training and skills development.

Broaden access to films in remote and rural areas by providing

equipment and facilities to local film societies and community halls.

Renew efforts to combat piracy.

Doyle: the British film industry will never grow; it is a ‘cottage industry’.

Assessed homework task

Some say that the British film industry is

approaching its death. Do you agree?

• Does your case study prove the industry is dying or is it successful?

• Do the classifications of British films offer any help to rejuvenate the

industry?

• Would Doyle and Lord Smith agree or disagree with this statement?

• What has helped or hindered the film’s success?

• How has the changing ways institutions can market the film been

exploited by your case study?

• How was the film’s success boosted by the TV programme and the first

film (pre-audience)?

• The British film industry is mostly independent. Is Bwark typical of an

independent film maker?

1000 words, 12pt typed by Friday 13th February, 2015