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JANET ANDERSON
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What is more, British film is developing a following as a genre. An exit poll of the American audience of one screening of Notting Hill (the most successful British movie of all time) revealed that 14% of them had gone to see it because ‘they liked British movies’.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the UK is a pop- ular place to film. This was clear when I visited Los Angeles recently to launch a DVD guide for filmmakers on what the UK can offer them. The American majors are keen to continue to bring their productions to the UK and form alliances with UK companies to make more indigenous films.
Inward investment has soared, largely thanks to the efforts of Steve Norris, the British Film Commissioner and his team. In 1992 it was a mere £58.5m; last year it was a staggering £336.37m. Only the other day, I was down at Shepperton Studios where they told me business has never been better. 102 Dalmatians is currently shooting there, to be followed soon by The Mummy 2.
We have always believed that we have the best tal- ent both in front of the camera and behind it, so it is indeed good to know that the UK is now recognised internationally as being a centre of excellence for film.
There are, of course, those who say that the dominance of the US distribution/exhibition chain is squeezing out domestic product in the UK market but those putting up the investment and taking the risk want to reap the rewards - we can hardly blame them for that.
I don’t think we are yet at the stage where vast amounts of British investment are about to flow into distribution and exhibition, and that British films are set to be as lucrative as the Hollywood blockbusters,
“We may never be able to compete fully with Hollywood, but I firmly believe we can become a pretty good No 2”
but if the UK has a product that people want to buy, the investment will come and the current structure of the industry will change. It is something we have to do for ourselves, and I am sure the Film Council is gripped of the need to do that.
The value of the film business, across all media, is over £3 billion in the UK, so the Film Council’s resources, substantial though they are, cannot by themselves transform that market. But if the Council can target its funding carefully, levering in commercial backing, and can, at the same time, use its expertise and influence to bring in further private-sector invest- ment in the film business, then it may be possible to create a virtuous circle which will start a process of real structural change.
That process may take a long time, but, in the meantime, there should also be widespread benefits as a result of raising the profile of British films.
We are also helping to develop a film culture by supporting the work of the British Film Institute, under the able chairmanship of Joan Bakewell. When the Film Council is fully operational, the BFI will become a sec- ond tier body funded by the Film Council (the produc- tion arm of the BFI transferred from the Film at the beginning of April).
The Film Council will develop the overall cultural strategy in close consultation with the BFI, which will deliver objectives in its specialist areas: film preserva- tion, education and cultural exhibition. And with the recent publication of the BFI’s report, Making Movies Matter, film culture and moving image education is set to play a key role within the National Curriculum as a teaching medium, and to develop understanding of and widening audiences for film.
Together, Government and the film industry have laid some important cornerstones for the Film Council to begin its work of delivering a coherent strategy for the development of UK film culture and the UK film industry.
It is a challenge to which we know Alan Parker and his team will rise with enthusiasm and consummate skill. And I, for one, consider myself to be very privi- leged to be the Minister for Film during such an excit- ing time for the British industry. We are doing well but I know that, together, we can do even better. ■
“An exit poll of the American audience of one screening of Notting Hill revealed that 14% of them had gone to see it because ‘they liked British movies’”
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“I don’t think we are yet at the stage where vast amounts of British investment is about to flow into distribution and exhibition”
(MONTAGE COURTESY OF THE FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE BROCHURE • WWW.FCO.GOV.UK)