Film 4

Today’s Lesson• Learn the ‘Nut’s and Bolt’s’ of Film 4• Understand the link with Channel 4

and it’s ‘Ethos’Section B – Audiences and

Institutions- The importance of cross media

convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing

- The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practise

What is Channel 4?• A British terrestrial TV channel

• A commercial broadcaster – funded entirely by advertising, programme sponsorship, merchandising and overseas sales.

• The owner of a number of digital UK channels including More 4, Film 4, E4 and Channel 4 HD

• The owner of independent film production company – Film 4 Productions

• Channel 4 IS NOT a television production company as it’s broadcasting license prevents it from making any programmes of it’s own. It commissions independent production companies (such as Endemol) to make it’s programmes or buys in programmes from abroad

Channel 4 REMITChannel 4 is unique as a commercial broadcaster as it has a public service remit. This means that rather than it’s primary concern being to make money for shareholders it exists to fulfil a public need.

The conditions of the Channel 4 Remit stipulate that they must:•demonstrate innovation, experiment and creativity in the form and content of programmes; •appeal to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society; •makes a significant contribution to meeting the need for the licensed public service channels to include programmes of an educational nature and other programmes of educative value•exhibit a distinctive character•broadcast programmes from many independent production companies, including a high proportion from Europe

History of Film 4• 1982 - Established as Channel Four

Films to produce diverse and challenging films for Ch4 (a small number got cinema exhibition)

1992-97• 1992-97 – Period of financial success:

The Crying Game (1992) – took $62m in US, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) - $240m worldwide, Trainspotting (1996) - $16m (US) £12m+ (UK)

• Introduction of Lottery money• UK Film Production rose to level not

seen since 1970s

1998-2002• Creation of FilmFour (production and

distribution company) • Part of Channel 4 (channels, websites)

which act as exhibitors and promoters • Unique to British Film – Why?• Twice the production budget of Channel

Four Films (now £32m)• International and domestic audience –

this model failed: Charlotte Gray (2001)

Now: Film 4 • FilmFour closed in 2002 – studio

model had failed in UK• Film production returned to Channel

4 with reduced budget (Film 4)• Return to realist roots• Recent successes: ???

FILM 4 ETHOS• To develop (new) British Talent and

be a leader of innovation in the British Film industry

• To invest around £500,000 per film, at a rate of around 20 films a year

• To support international (including American) independent film-makers by co-investing in innovative and interesting foreign films.

• To offer a platform for British and independent cinema on terrestrial television by commiting to showing each one of Film Four Productions films on Channel 4 and it’s sister station Film Four.

Are there any obvious advantages Film 4 has when compared to other independent production companies?

CROSS-MEDIA CONVERGENCE

Target Audience• What audience does Film 4 target?• What are the problems with this?• How do they target an audience?

Research Task• Watch the trailers for these films: - Brassed Off (1996) - This is England (2006) - Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

Research Questions• Research these films looking and answer

these questions: - Who are the target audience? (how do you

know this?) - What is the style of the film? - How did they do at the box office? (what

other films were they competing with?) -Who was the distributor? (in UK and US)