Film bore

GNUFOTAINMENT

The Guardian also reports today that the Film Council has been "told to investigate how [British] movies are funded and produced" as part of a re-examination of its role.

As a worker in the industry in my day (and often night) job, I could tell them. Most 'British' films are funded by the big American studios with an eye on the American (not the international) market. The remainder of British films are funded by wealthy individuals (in a small number of cases) or the producers' credit cards (in the remainder).

The government has also hinted that the BBC would be required to invest in British film as part of the licence fee mechanism. The Beeb won't buy this for a minute, not when so much of its budget goes on ratings-chasing blockbusters at Christmas, Easter and Bank Holidays. And, frankly, even if the BBC comes up with a 'British film budget' to support domestic productions, it'll be eaten up by Pride and Prejudice-style costume dramas (co-funded by North American backers, no doubt) or 'socially relevant' kitchen sink dramas that won't have half the ingenuity or wit of something like Vera Drake.

The script for my vampire biker film will have to stay in the drawer...