Film Indusrty

What is wrong with the British Film Industry?

There are multiple things wrong with the British film industry. The first is that although allot of British films such as Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, 2007) and This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2006) are filmed and aired first in England they have to go through the American multiplex before they are even considered to be shown here or anywhere else in the world. As demonstrating in the book: The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex. As they have to go through America first films are often tainted to fulfil an Americans view of Britain. This is why films like The Kings Speech (Tom Hooper, 2010) and Sherlock Holmes 2 (Guy Ritchie, 2011) are the most successful as these films are on topics that Americans see Britain to be all about.

This leads to films like Adulthood (Noel Clarke, 2008) and Attack the Block (Joe Cornish, 2011) having falls in global sales. This is as although they are very good quality films they don’t show the stereotypical side of Britain with classic British accents and red buses and monarchy etc. Although we British tend to love these kinds of films only a small majority are made due to lack of global interest.

Another reason that the British film industry is going wrong is that allot of British actors for example Hugh Laurie and Ben Kingsley are going overseas for careers as they aim to be in big Hollywood blockbusters as this is seen as ‘making it’ in the film industry. This then leaves a lower standard of standard of acting in Britain which leads to worse films being produced.

The cutting of the British film funding has also caused huge impact on our films. A government grant for British films has recently been stopped negating the cash flow producing high quality films. The main problems with this come with being unable to actors, exotic locations, and perform on set stunts. Currently leaps in technology mean that it is easy to produce decent C.G.I and special effects. As all film makers need to produce Hollywood effects is easily accessible equipment such as an Apple Mac and HD Camera only costing about £7000.

Piracy can also cause a massive impact on the British film industry. This is due to gaining access to pirate films online is now more easy than ever and simple for everyone to do. Due to new ‘Torrent’ software and torrent hosting sites like the piratebay.org it is virtually untraceable and unstoppable by global justice systems. This isn’t as big a problem for Hollywood films as they can still make a reasonable profit on those who do pay to see and merchandising. However with smaller audience British films any audience lost to piracy can send a great film into becoming a financial flop at the box office.

The current economic climate has also been a big issue. With cinemas now charging obscene prices for films a once loyal audience are opting out of going to see it on the big screen as the cannot afford to. This can then turn them to piracy in order to see those films they can’t miss out on.

The older generation are also opting out of paying for cinema due to cramped seating conditions some can’t physically sit through. Also leaps in technology to Blue-Ray and DVD offer new systems they may not be able to understand how to use or afford to update from VHS. As VHS tapes are no longer made this audience is now lost, consequently reducing the flow of money going back into the industry.

An aging youth also means that kids want more violence and profanity which when offered is certificated too high therefor obliterating their entire target audience from being able to pay to see it.

Arthur Christmas brings the Regent Street Christmas lights to town

 

Join in the festivities on Tuesday 8th November with Sony Pictures and Aardman as Regent Street’s festive activities celebrate the 3D cinema release of ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

World famous shopping and lifestyle destination Regent Street, London W1 is pleased to announce its annual switch-on of Christmas lights, this year adorned with extra festive flair as it celebrates the eagerly anticipated release of the 3D family movie, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, starring a stellar line-up of UK talent including Bill Nighy, James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie and Ashley Jensen.

From 5pm on Tuesday 8th November 2011, there will be fun and entertainment for all the family, culminating with the countdown to the all-important switch-on moment when the skies will be lit to herald the start of the Christmas season. Hosted by Jamie Theakston & Emma Bunton from London’s Heart 106.2, the full line-up of stars attending the event will be announced shortly.

After the event shoppers will be able walk the Mile of Style under a canopy of glittering lights whilst they seek out that special Christmas gift from the wide array of flagship stores along Regent Street, including Omega, Gant, Ferrari, Banana Republic, Armani Exchange, Anthropologie, Jaeger, Liberty, Apple and Michael Kors. Visitors can then extend the Christmas cheer in one of the many restaurants and bars on offer and even enjoy a cocktail with a roof top view of the lights at Aqua.

Released on 11th November 2011, the 3D, CGI-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, reveals the incredible, never-before-seen answer to every child's question: “So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?” The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero: Santa’s youngest son, Arthur. When this amazing operation misses one child out of hundreds of millions, the least capable Claus embarks on a hilariously exciting rogue mission against the clock to deliver the last present before Christmas morning dawns.

Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation present an Aardman production, Arthur Christmas. Starring; James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Ashley Jensen. Directed by Sarah Smith. Produced by; Peter Lord, David Sproxton, Carla Shelley and Steve Pegram. Written by; Peter Baynham & Sarah Smith.

Clooney Kisses Babies Premier



George Clooney and Evan Rachel Wood at The Ides Of March premiere (Picture: Getty)

The 51-year-old actor, who plays a US presidential candidate in the film, claimed he wouldn't be interested in giving Barack Obama a run for his money in real life.

He said: 'Is there anything tempting about [politics] if you were to look at it right now? Is there anything that would be tempting about it? Not for me.

'Washington and Hollywood are both one-industry towns, so they are very similar in that way, there are sort of pecking orders - theatre actors look down on film acting and that kind of thing, and the same thing with senators and congressmen.'

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood and George Clooney at a photocall for The Ides Of March at the London Film Festival (Picture: Getty)

Clooney, who is currently dating wrestler Stacy Keibler, joked that shots of him starring in 1997's Batman & Robin would be used to ruin his chances of running for office.

'They just need shots of me in a rubber suit in the Batman film. For your consideration - ass.'

He added he was happy to 'dip' his toe into political issues without having to compromise. 

George Clooney's girlfriend Stacy Keibler stayed away from The Ides Of March premiere last night (Picture: Getty0

'I have a very good life and I have a very comfortable existence and if I want to dip my toe into issues that involve politics, like Sudan, or Darfur, where I can actually have some involvement and I'm happy to do it and I don't have to compromise as a politician would.'

Clooney stars alongside Evan Rachel Wood, Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman in the movie, which he also directs.

The star wore a shiny blue suit and black shirt to the premiere while Evan looked sensational in a black knee-length dress and chic jacket with a slick of red lipstick.

Keibler was absent from the red carpet last night after accompanying George to the Paris premiere of George's other film The Descendants earlier in the week and the New York Film Festival at the weekend.

Clooney is due to walk the red carpet again tonight for the UK premiere of The Descendants at London Film Festival.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/film/879136-george-clooney-kisses-babies-at-the-uk-premiere-of-the-ides-of-march#ixzz1bJpivlGo

 

(Reuters) - The 24th Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off on Saturday with a diverse slate of art house and mainstream fare, but the biggest theme at the annual event may be the country's real-life struggle to recover from the massive March earthquake and tsunami. Organizers at one stage even pondered whether the Oct 22-30 show could go on after the devastating disaster threw the nation into a period of "jishuku," or self-restraint, which resulted in many events being cancelled. In addition, the Fukushima nuclear crisis scared away many foreign tourists.
But organizers decided to carry on, to send a message about Japanese strength to the world, festival chairman Tom Yoda told Reuters in an interview.
"We had some difficulty getting people to understand that Tokyo is safe, but I think we overcame that problem," he said.
In fact, entries totalled nearly 1,000 films from 76 countries, up 17 percent over the previous year, and participants at TIFFCOM, the contents market which runs alongside the main festival, are up 10 percent with all booths sold out, he said.
Director Paul W.S. Anderson's 3D swashbuckler "The Three Musketeers" and Jackie Chan's historical drama "1911" get the festivities started in a special double opening, with Chan, Anderson and "Musketeers" star Milla Jovovich set to walk the ecology-themed Green Carpet in central Tokyo's Roppongi Hills.
The festival will also hold a day of screenings in the northeastern city of Sendai, in the coastal area that suffered major tsunami damage, as well as show films that were shot after the disaster such as "Tokyo Drifter" and "Women on the Edge."
In the main com(Reuters) - The 24th Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off on Saturday with a diverse slate of art house and mainstream fare, but the biggest theme at the annual event may be the country's real-life struggle to recover from the massive March earthquake and tsunami.
Organizers at one stage even pondered whether the Oct 22-30 show could go on after the devastating disaster threw the nation into a period of "jishuku," or self-restraint, which resulted in many events being cancelled. In addition, the Fukushima nuclear crisis scared away many foreign tourists.
But organizers decided to carry on, to send a message about Japanese strength to the world, festival chairman Tom Yoda told Reuters in an interview.
"We had some difficulty getting people to understand that Tokyo is safe, but I think we overcame that problem," he said.
In fact, entries totalled nearly 1,000 films from 76 countries, up 17 percent over the previous year, and participants at TIFFCOM, the contents market which runs alongside the main festival, are up 10 percent with all booths sold out, he said.
Director Paul W.S. Anderson's 3D swashbuckler "The Three Musketeers" and Jackie Chan's historical drama "1911" get the festivities started in a special double opening, with Chan, Anderson and "Musketeers" star Milla Jovovich set to walk the ecology-themed Green Carpet in central Tokyo's Roppongi Hills.
The festival will also hold a day of screenings in the northeastern city of Sendai, in the coastal area that suffered major tsunami damage, as well as show films that were shot after the disaster such as "Tokyo Drifter" and "Women on the Edge."
In the main competition section, 15 films will vie for the $50,000 Sakura prize, before the festival wraps with baseball drama "Moneyball," starring Brad Pitt.
The festival used to lean more towards art films, but for the past few years has been trying to screen more mainstream movies with commercial possibilities, especially in its opening and closing selections, in a bid to reach younger audiences, said Yoda, who is also CEO of Japanese film company Gaga.
But he also acknowledged that Tokyo's coming at the tail-end of the festival circuit makes it hard to compete, after heavyweight events like Venice and Toronto in September attracted filmmakers looking to showcase their works ahead of awards season.
"Tokyo is the last major film festival in the calendar year, therefore many major films have been taken by other film festivals," Yoda said.
South Korea's booming Busan festival, which runs earlier in October, has also become one of the hottest venues for Asian filmmakers and has no doubt stolen some of Tokyo's thunder.
Busan earlier this month opened a new Busan Cinema Center, a massive $140 million complex, where it screened over 300 movies, including 89 world premieres. By contrast, Tokyo will screen 126 films and 22 world premieres.
Yoda stressed that Tokyo is not competing with Busan and said the festival would make do with its current scheduling.
"We try to work together and we have no intention to schedule the festival earlier than October, because there are already festivals every week in September and October," he said.
"Japanese filmmakers send a lot of films to Busan," he added.
petition section, 15 films will vie for the $50,000 Sakura prize, before the festival wraps with baseball drama "Moneyball," starring Brad Pitt.
The festival used to lean more towards art films, but for the past few years has been trying to screen more mainstream movies with commercial possibilities, especially in its opening and closing selections, in a bid to reach younger audiences, said Yoda, who is also CEO of Japanese film company Gaga.
But he also acknowledged that Tokyo's coming at the tail-end of the festival circuit makes it hard to compete, after heavyweight events like Venice and Toronto in September attracted filmmakers looking to showcase their works ahead of awards season.
"Tokyo is the last major film festival in the calendar year, therefore many major films have been taken by other film festivals," Yoda said.
South Korea's booming Busan festival, which runs earlier in October, has also become one of the hottest venues for Asian filmmakers and has no doubt stolen some of Tokyo's thunder.
Busan earlier this month opened a new Busan Cinema Center, a massive $140 million complex, where it screened over 300 movies, including 89 world premieres. By contrast, Tokyo will screen 126 films and 22 world premieres.
Yoda stressed that Tokyo is not competing with Busan and said the festival would make do with its current scheduling.
"We try to work together and we have no intention to schedule the festival earlier than October, because there are already festivals every week in September and October," he said.
"Japanese filmmakers send a lot of films to Busan," he added.

 

Sherlock Holmes 2 New Set News

For my research on the film industry i have gathered some infomation about one of our case studies sherlock holmes 2. The following link contains some videos, images and an article about the new set...

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/125577-new-behind-the-scenes-from-sherlock-holmes-2

Smoking in films 'encourages uptake in children'

Tuesday 20th September 2011

Researchers have blasted "irresponsible" film makers, "incompetent" regulators and "insouciant" politicians for failing to control smoking in films.
The criticism comes as studies show smoking in films "remains a major and persistent driver" of smoking uptake among children and teenagers.
Dr Ailsa Lyons and Professor John Britton of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies have both called for the reclassification of films that depict smoking to mirror the same restrictive categories applied to those depicting sex and violence.
However, they have described their efforts to do so as "futile".
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) guidelines were updated in 2005 to include the following passage on drugs:
"No work taken as a whole may promote or encourage the use of illegal drugs. Any detailed portrayal of drug use likely to promote or glamourise the activity may be cut. Works which promote or glamourise smoking, alcohol abuse or substance misuse may also be a concern, particularly at the junior categories."
When approached by the Lyons and Britton, the BBFC said its guidelines are "proportionate, take due account of the available evidence of harm; and reflect the clear wishes of the public".
The regulator went on to say reclassification was "unlikely to happen" in the absence of a public complaint or a directive from the government.
This directive appears a long way off as a spokesperson from the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) told Nursing in Practice that a total ban on smoking in films would be a "disproportionate interference".
"The government believes the current arrangements provide sufficient control on the depiction of smoking in films," said the spokesperson. 
"[A total ban] would undermine the credibility, and therefore the quality, of domestically produced films."
While the researchers may not have the backing of the BBFC and the government, Cancer Research UK has thrown its weight behind their argument.
"There is a large and growing body of evidence that children's exposure to smoking in films encourages them to have a positive view of smoking and to try smoking," said Jean King, Director of Tobacco Control at Cancer Research UK.
"Anti-smoking adverts should be shown before films that feature smoking and smoking scenes need to be a part of the classification of films."
A recent study undertaken by researchers from Bristol University underpins Lyons and Britton's argument.
Through analysing the smoking behaviour of 5,000 15 year olds, researchers concluded teens exposed to movie content with the most depictions of smoking were 59% more likely to have started smoking than those exposed to the least, after taking account of other influential social and family factors.
The study also points out that UK teens are exposed to "considerably more" smoking depictions in films than their US peers, as 79% of films rated as 'adult' in the US are deemed suitable for young people in the UK.
"Protecting children from an exposure that is so potentially damaging is a national governmental responsibility and the solution to the problem is simple: for the UK and indeed other film classification agencies to apply a default 18 classification on all films containing smoking," said Lyons and Britton.
"Smoking in films remains a major and persistent driver of smoking uptake among children and young people, which the actions of the irresponsible film makers, incompetent regulators, and insouciant politicians are abjectly failing to control."
Centre for Tobacco Control Studies

We asked if you think films that feature smoking should be reclassified. Your comments (terms and conditions apply):

"I do not believe this, the biggest factor in teens taking up smoking is peer pressure and always will be" - Marie, Lancs
"At the end of the day, we are not mindless automatons. We do have the free will to choose whether we smoke or not. It is just another example of Do Gooding at its worst. Is there not other more pressing matters that these people can turn their attention to?" - Tony Moran, London
"Anyone stupid enough to be influenced by a film, especially fictional films, to take up smoking needs serious help. Violence isn't banned from films and the vast vast majority of us are wise enough not to copy that" - James, Magdeburg
"Would happily see smoking banned altogether in films. The literature on smoking is vast and unequivocal, and to do so little on this topic is ducking the moral responsibility of regulation/government" - D Merrick, Edinburgh

3D Filming at Home

http://www.tested.com/news/the-state-of-consumer-3d-camera-technology/156/


How Special Effects Are Made

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question295.htm