Researching production companies

Here is a scan of some of my notes on companies that have produced/distributed British film in order to prepare for a case study.

The British Film Institute

The BFI (British Film Institute) promotes understanding and appreciation of film and television heritage and culture. Established in 1933, the BFI runs a range of activities and services. On a current media trip, we visited the BFI in London, and here are some notes I have taken during the lecture.
http://www.bfi.org.uk/

What kinds of films are made in Britain?
-Drama
-Bleak
-Social Realism
-Heritage Drama
-Low-budget films

British films:
Four Weddings and a Funeral
London to Brighton
Elizabeth
This is England
The Bourne Ultimatum- Unlike typical British films, but sold 442 million.
The King's Speech- 130 million gross in the first two weeks of the release date.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince- Nearly 302 million gross.
Shifty- $90,658 UK gross.

Is British film (cinema) in crisis?
British film is perpetually in crisis. In the 1930's there was new 'talkies' Americanised cinema. 1990's was the demise of Film4, but the return of public funding with the UK film council receiving lottery money; the US success of 'Trainspotting'. In 2010, the UK film industry contributed £4.5 million to the UK's GDP and more than £1.2 billion to the Exchequer. The UK film industry also provides jobs for some of the UK's most highly qualified workers, with 58% of the production workforce university educated.

Heritage Cinema:
-Costume drama
-Presents the past as 'spectacle', 'museum aesthetic'
-Victorian/upper middle class
-Older, 'intelligent' audience
-Romanticised mise en scene of costume, architecture and transport
-Nostalgic fashion
-Late 20th century

Urban Fairytales:
-Romantic comedies
-1990's
-Contemporary London setting
-Middle class
-Urban and tourist landmarks

Gritty Realism:
-Opposite of Heritage cinema
-Critical of British life
-Doesn't reinforce patriotic values
-Challenges audience's comfort zone
-Shocking behaviour (smoking, drinking etc)
-Often filmed using a hand-held camera
-Unflattering location
-Example; Trainspotting- "It's shite being Scottish!"

Post-Heritage:
-Claire Monk
-Historical dramas
-Interrogates the past
-Questions how the past is represented
-Explores contemporary themes
-Enjoyed by fans of Heritage films
-'Dirty realism'
-Examples; 'Elizabeth' and 'Atonement'

Stereotypes of 'Britishness':
-Historical continuity- leads to a great respect for tradition and traditional values
-Politeness, a strong sense of decorum and of unwritten social rules (which are actually satisfying to obey)
-An ability to control emotion in order to preserve the status quo
-Respect for the social hierarchy
-Sense of nobility and pride in their own position
-The expectations of society are taken seriously instead of rebelled against
-If these rebellions occur then they seem to just reinforce the social order
-Pervasive sense of 'doing the right thing'- conforming to your responsibilities and not 'breaking rank' even when this is personally painful