The Contemporary British Film Industry - Essay Example

The Contemporary British Film Industry I. Introduction The contemporary British film industry has attracted a lot of attention recently. The 2000 s have been quite successful for British cinematography as many British films made at that period are seen as financial successes. Many British people see the British film industry as a way to explore various cultural issues existing in the society as well as in the entire world. It is also seen as a way to promote the British culture in the world arena. It is noteworthy that the major debate on the matter focuses on two primary aspects. These are financial and cultural issues. It is possible to explore these aspects when considering two films to be able to understand the role of the British film industry in the society. One of the major concerns of researchers and officials is the commercial value of the British film industry. It has been estimated that the UK film industry contributes over £4bn to the British economy annually (Statistical year book 2014). This is achieved through international investment and production grossing. In the first place, it is necessary to note that many British filmmakers “have complained that there is no UK ‘industry’ as such” (Branston & Stafford 2006, p. 437). Clearly, Hollywood is seen as a well-established and even exemplary film industry as it has penetrated the world as well as the British market. Consumers all over the world prefer Hollywood products (James 2009). At the same time, it is clear that Britain has also become an attractive destination for various foreign (especially American) companies. For instance, the country attracted more than £1bn in 2010 (Branston & Stafford 2006). This interest shows a great potential of the country and its film industry. To facilitate development of the UK film industry, the government implemented quite dramatic changes in the 2010s. For instance, the UK Film Council that functioned as a body supporting the development of the industry ceased to exist and the British Film Institute (FBI) is now performing its functions (Higson 2010). Thus, the government has launched a policy that is aimed at increasing funding of the industry. These changes and increased attention to the industry are also associated with a desire to contribute to development and promotion of the British culture. This is also regarded as a way to protect the country from globalisation and preserve its rich cultural heritage (Higson 2010). Of course, it is difficult to trace the line between commerce and culture especially when it comes to cinematography. Some argue that filmmakers often disregard the value of the cultural impact and focus on such concepts as consumerism and profits. Thus, commercially successful products are often seen as too American or too non-British. Independent films are often regarded as the last bulwark of the British cinematography aiming at preserving cultural identity of the British. In these films, filmmakers explore various issues and trends that are important for the British society. However, these films are often the product for quite a narrow audience, which makes them less efficient in terms of the cultural impact. Therefore, it is important to understand peculiarities of both types of films (blockbusters and independent films) to see the way they can contribute to development of the British culture. II. Skyfall as an illustration of the commercial aspect of the British film industry Skyfall (2012) can be regarded as one of the illustrations of the commercial aspect of filmmaking. The film can be called “the UK’s most successful ever release” as it grossed twice as much as “the top film of 2013” (Statistical year book 2014, p. 11). The action film, which was a long-awaited part of the famous franchise, attracted a lot of attention and people flooded multiplexes in the UK as well as in the entire world. Thus, the UK box office gross was around 9% of total theatrical revenue in 2012 (Statistical year book 2014). This is unpreceded and only a few films have achieved similar results. It was estimated that action was the top genre that contributed to high box office earnings of such films. People were eager to visit cinemas to plunge into the atmosphere of adventure and action. It is also important to remember that the Bond films are one of the most successful franchise. Action and adventure films are often turned into franchise, as people are eager to see their favourite characters in new settings and facing new challenges (Higson 2010). Therefore, new episodes often attract significant attention and each episode is often long-awaited. Of course, this involves extensive marketing effort, as filmmakers have to promote their film to stir up the public’s interest. In the vast majority of cases (especially when it comes to Bond films) a large budget enables the filmmakers to promote the film and make it a commercial success. Skyfall is regarded as the UK/US production and it did combine elements of the two film industries. As many other Hollywood action films, its budget was quite significant. Thus, the filmmakers managed to produce the film with the budget that was around $200 million (Galloway 2012). It is necessary to note that all Bond films are characterised by big budgets and they are always seen as blockbusters. Chapman (2009) refers to the opinions of the crew who stress that in Bond films the sky is the limit as each of these films is all about lots of tricks, special effects, and action. Skyfall is no exception and the budget of the film ensured that all elements people were expecting to see were present in the long-awaited Bond film. It is also necessary to add that Skyfall as any other Bond film is characterised by abundance of exotic and beautiful places everyone would like to visit. Of course, abundance of tricks, special effects and majestic views can hardly be the major reason for such a high popularity of the film. High production values made the film stand out. Chapman (2009, p. 111) argues that Bond films are characterised by “a universal filmic language that transcends national and cultural boundaries”, which makes the film so popular worldwide. Admittedly, the film enjoyed wide popularity across the globe. Skyfall as well as any other episode of Bond films appeal to the mainstream global audience. Notably, this is often assigned to the US side of the film as Hollywood films are seen as mainstream products that have major elements consumers need: spectacular views, loads of tricks and special effects, high-quality performance and high production values. However, Tasker (2014) argues that action as well as adventure genre have deep British roots and British films (Bond films, Harry Potter films and Guy Ritchie’s Holmes films) also appeal to the mainstream British and global audience. Notably, the franchises mentioned above are all based on purely British stories and, hence, the British element of Bond films contributes considerably to the films success. This popularity translates into a significant commercial success. Admittedly, the wide appeal of the film can be explained by its formulaic nature. The mainstream audience is accustomed to a number of patterns (Higson 2010). Thus, in Skyfall, Bond is as strong and witty as usual. He knows how to handle various types of weapons. He can chase and defeat everyone. Of course, he never dies even if he is presumably shot. There is a woman who accompanies Bond in his endeavour (or, at least a part of it). The woman is very attractive and quite strong and empowered. However, she is not strong enough to resist Bond’s charm as well as the villain’s cunning mind. Of course, she has to die. The villain in the film is also quite emblematic as he is driven by revenge. Notably, revenge (to the government, the world order, a particular person) and personal enrichment are central motifs for villains in Bond films (as well as any other action/adventure mainstream film). The set of these patterns is what the vast majority of people are waiting from a film. They are eager to pay (to go to the cinema or buy DVDs) to see Bond as they expect him to be. All these features of the film make it commercially successful and, at the same time, vulnerable to criticism of those who are willing to see cinematography as a platform for promoting cultural peculiarities and values. Nonetheless, even being quite formulaic and appealing to the mainstream global audience does not prevent the film from being culturally loaded. In the first place, Skyfall is one of the stories about a purely British character, a secret agent of the British secret service (Tasker 2014). Chapman (2009) stresses that Bond films including Skyfall embody certain British cultural values that came into existence in the 1960s. These values (which are still up-to-date) include “the prominence of science and technology” as well as “the increasing permissiveness in sexual attitudes and behaviour” (Chapman 2009, p. 112). Of course, British sense of humour and wit are also quite typical of Bond films. It is noteworthy that Britishness of Bond films is often lost behind global patterns as the vast majority of viewers would say that it is a conventional Hollywood blockbuster while some viewers (mainly critics and researchers) will trace elements of the British culture. Hence, it is possible to note that the film is still global / mainstream though it has numerous elements of Britishness. III. The Selfish Giant as an illustration of the total cultural load The Selfish Giant (2013) is a British film that was directed by Clio Barnard. This is a very special independent film, as, being a low-budget film, it earned valuable awards and drew attention of the wide audience. More so, although it was released simultaneously with such blockbusters as Gravity (2013), it was still noticed and appreciated. The director of The Selfish Giant Clio Barnard notes that she is touched by the fact that many voted for her work even though it was “a small film among these giant films” (as cited in Youngs 2014, para. 5). At Cannes Festival (May 2013), the film received the Europa Cinemas Label for Best European Film (Statistical year book 2014). It was also named the best film by the London Critics’ Circle at the South Bank Awards (Youngs 2014). It is necessary to take a closer look at some commercial and cultural aspects of The Selfish Giant to understand such success of the film. As has been mentioned above, the budget of the film was very small compared to such blockbusters as Skyfall. The budget of The Selfish Giant was only £1.4 million (Singh 2014). It starred young novice actors and it was set in an ordinary British city. The major focus of the story is made on certain social and psychological issues rather than on entertainment. These are all features of an independent film. It is noteworthy that the government is trying to facilitate the development of UK independent films. Thus, there are certain quotas for independent films to be shown at multiplexes. It is quite clear that independent films do not gross significant money as they have small budgets and little or no promotion is available. The Selfish Giant is an exceptional case as it received quite a lot of attention. To achieve this result, the film was simultaneously shown in the cinemas (for quite a short period) and it was available online (Youngs 2014). Although this did not translate into large grossing, the film received significant publicity as well as valuable awards. It also showed new ways of promoting independent films. The Selfish Giant can be regarded as a conventional example of the art cinema. It is not intended to appeal to the mainstream audience as it targets at the niche audience (Higson 2010). Art cinema is characterised by attention to serious aspects of the human life as well as experimental techniques. For instance, the film in question provides insights into the life of adolescents who live in impoverished areas of a British city. These young people have their problems at school and at home. They have to think about earning money, breaking laws and dealing with adults in the world that is quite hostile. The two main characters are exposed to quite adult problems and it is clear that they cannot handle them without support that never comes from the society that remains hypocritical. The film is also about such concepts as friendship, loyalty, courage, betrayal and hope. The life of teenage boys is not embellished in any way, and viewers are exposed to true issues and true feelings that make them feel uncomfortable. Clearly, social realism does not interest the mainstream audience that seeks for entertainment. The Selfish Giant as any other independent film (or art film) stands out against mainstream films due to the focus on very real things that exist in the society. The major aim of the film is to draw people’s attention to certain issues, to make them talk about those problems. The life is shown as it is. Of course, the vast majority of people see cinematography as a way to escape from reality and, hence, they prefer such films as Skyfall and often avoid such works as The Selfish Giant. The niche audience, on the contrary, is not interested in the artificial world but needs to observe pieces of real life that are hidden from them due to their age, social status or cultural peculiarities. The Selfish Giant unveils some hidden (or rather neglected) sides of the life of British youth. The auteur of the film, Clio Barnard, uses the famous story by Oscar Wilde that goes under the same name. However, the film is far from being a screen version as it has become a totally different story. The director wanted to show the real life of many teenagers in impoverished areas. She encountered many boys who had to live the life shown in the film. The director also wanted to draw people’s attention to the political aspect and responsibility of the society (Youngs 2014). Of course, the story raises many questions and people are invited to answer them. In other words, the film starts an important debate that is aimed at making a difference. It is clear that The Selfish Giant can be regarded as a purely British film. It is produced in the UK, British filmmakers are involved, and British investors funded the film. The film also dwells upon the British real life. It is necessary to add that it is culturally loaded. There are no clichés in the film and it shows the life as it is. Admittedly, this film can satisfy the needs of those who see cinematography as the reflection of the real life and the tool to promote cultural values as well as the way to familiarise other nations with cultural peculiarities of the country. The film shows the ways of certain groups of people. It also depicts values that are promulgated and neglected in the British society. However, it is necessary to remember that The Selfish Giant is an independent film, which means that it has quite a narrow audience. The film can tell a lot about the British but only a limited group of people (mainly British people) are able to see it. Therefore, the cultural goal of the film is still unattainable as it cannot reach mainstream audience. IV. Conclusion To sum up, it is possible to note that British films play quite different roles. On the one hand, they can entertain global audiences and be a great commercial success that brings more investment to the industry as well as the country’s economy. On the other hand, they can draw people’s attention to specific issues, familiarise people with cultural peculiarities but have little or no profit. In the former case, large mainstream audience is involved while, in the latter case, such films will reach only niche audience. In the former case, the major focus is made on profitability and financial effects while, in the latter case, filmmakers are more interested in the cultural impact. Nonetheless, it is also possible to note that in both cases the two types of films contribute to the development of the British society in certain ways. However, it becomes clear that these two quite different roles can be combined within particular films. Thus, Skyfall, which is one of the most successful mainstream films of the 2010s, is also a carrier of certain British values. Unfortunately, they often remain unnoticed, as there are too many global concepts that enable the film to appeal to the global audience. At the same time, The Selfish Giant is a conventional independent film that contains elements of action, which is typical of mainstream works. The way the film obtained publicity is also remarkable as it makes it accessible to the global audience. Therefore, it is obvious that British films can be very different but they can perform quite specific roles including one of the most valuable goals, which is to promote the British culture and the British film industry. Clearly, the industry needs funding and governmental support. This may lead to the rapid development of the industry that can become a serious rival to Hollywood. Numerous co-productions as well as purely British films have become iconic and are seen as best examples of cinematography. This idea should be leading in attempts to develop the industry and the UK government has started to pay more attention to particular issues existing in the field. It is clear that the British culture still interests people worldwide and films, as one of the most popular and accessible type of art, can stir up this interest. Of course, this can be achieved if filmmakers integrate elements of mainstream and independent films in their works. There should be a balance of formulaic concepts and elements of Britishness in the British film. It is also important to look for new ways to promote films or attract investments to the industry. Finally, it is important to add that this does not mean that mainstream and independent films as different types of works should blend completely and cease to exist. The two types of films should be produced to fit the needs of different types of audiences. However, it is important to add more Britishness to mainstream films, which will be beneficial for promotion of the British culture in the world arena. Reference List Branston, G & Stafford, R 2006, The media student’s book, Routledge, London. Chapman, J 2009, ‘A licence to thrill’, in C Lindner, (ed.), The James Bond phenomenon: a critical reader, Manchester University Press, Manchester, pp. 109-116. Galloway, S 2012, Billion-dollar Bond breakdown: who’s making what from Skyfall, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 November, viewed 15 May 2014, . Higson, A 2010, Film England: culturally English filmmaking since the 1990s, I.B. Tauris, London. James, N 2009, ‘British cinemas US surrender - a view from 2001’, in R Murphy, (ed), The British cinema book, Palgrave Macmillan/British Film Institute, Basingstoke, pp.21-27. Singh, A 2014, Gravity gets spoofed by The Selfish Giant, The Telegraph, 12 February, viewed 15 May 2014, . Statistical year book 2014, viewed 15 May 2015, . Tasker, Y 2014, “British action and adventure: a national take on a global genre’, Frames Cinema Journal, vol. 6, viewed 15 May 2015, . Youngs, I 2014, The Selfish Giant hopes to defy Gravity at the Baftas, BBC News, 13 February, viewed 15 May 2014, . Read More