Tag Archives: british film industry

HOLLYWOOD – IS IT STILL THE CENTRE OF THE FILM MAKING WORLD?

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oscar winners 2013Following the success at the Oscars of both Argo, a big pat on the back of Hollywood, and Life of
Pi, an ‘international’ film with no recognisable big name star, Jonathan Brown looks at whether Hollywood is still the centre of the film Universe.

‘Domestic’

Hollywood is Cinema, right? After all, despite every country having its own awards ceremony, the
Oscars are still seen as the pinnacle of the film making world – at least to the studio marketing men.

Even though film wasn’t created in the US, it’s where it became what it is today. If fact, some of the
big original Hollywood studio are still around today, and, despite flagging profits, are as influential as ever. To be classified a big blockbuster, you need to take over $300m ‘domestic’ , ie in the USA.

Even if you flopped abroad, a good take at home could be enough to make a success. Even in Britain,
films like Skyfall are sold as the ‘Number 1 USA Box Office Hit’, even if they only spent one weekend at the top and just broke even.

The American box office was, and still is, the judge of commercial success, in the way the Oscars
were the mark of critical success (there’s an argument that the Oscars are way of the pulse of new
and exciting cinema, but that’s a different article).

But the tide is turning. America, as a country, is suffering more than most in the economic downturn,
and, while Hollywood continues to spend more and more on their blockbusters (the recent Twilight
movie cost £120m!), the people spending the most of their hard earned wages going to see these
blockbusters is moving.

‘Overseas’

While America still is the biggest single market for movies, and is far ahead of its closest rivals,
the ‘Overseas’ market is becoming a bigger cash cow.

Let’s have a look at the numbers. The usual ratio for a movie is around 40% of its takings from the
US and 60% from overseas – roughly. Ten years ago, in 2002, just four of the top ten highest grossing
movies took more than 60% of their box office from overseas, with two films (Signs and My Big Fat
Greek Wedding), taking less than half.

In fact, My Big Fat Greek Wedding took 76% of its taking from the US. And I’m assuming the other
24% from Greece.

Skip forward ten years, to 2012, and seven films took over 60% from overseas with Ice Age 4 taking
82% from overseas. Compare this to the first Ice Age move, which took only 54% from ‘foreign’ box
office and the swing becomes hugely noticeable, and important.

It’s the same if you compare 2011 and 2001. In 2001, there were just two films making over 60% of
its box office from foreign markets, while in 2011 there were nine films.

In 2009, box-office behemoth Avatar took 72% of £2.7bn from overseas. Ten years earlier, The
Phantom Menace, the new Star Wars movie the world had been waiting for, took just 54% from said
world.

If we go even further back, to the days of ET and the original Star Wars, the take is even slimmer,
with overseas counting for just 45% and 40% respectively.

Some of the shift can be accounted for by long term word of mouth, or even self-fulfilling prophecy.
Many of the big sequels, especially animations, have made huge amounts overseas, while their
domestic take, while still massive, hasn’t grow as fast.

When a film has been classed as a hit in the US, companies are a lot happier pushing the sequels
overseas. Also, while many overseas viewers might not have caught the original at the cinema, the
may have bought the DVD, seen it on TV, or downloaded it.

However, you don’t need to be a hit in the US to be a hit abroad. A textbook example of how foreign
markets can make a film a success is the recently released, and hugely divisive, Cloud Atlas. Directed
by the Wachowskis and Tom Twyker, the film has been classed a huge flop. On a budget reported to
be around $100m, it opened to just $9m in the USA.

As the US is so opening weekend focus (film takings tend to drop off by around 40-60% per
weekend), the chances of it making its budget back in America were pretty slim. It went on to earn
just £27m in total – domestic.

However, the film, set across various countries with a cast from across the world, has made a very
decent $80m overseas – so far. The $80m take does not include the UK, France, Japan and Australia.
This could easily add another £10-20m to its take.

Some of this change, especially from the 70’s/80’s, is the arrival across the world of the multiplex
cinema – meaning more films, more showings, and more attendees in the foreign markets. Factory
cinema, if you will.

However, this doesn’t account for the change in the past ten years. These changes are partly due to
two main factors – one is the new middle classes in the emerging markets like India, China and South
America, where people are starting to get some Rupees, Pesos or Yuen in their pockets, and having
the free time to spend it.

Secondly, is the move in America away from cinema to home viewing. Companies like NetFlix are
drawing people away from the multiplex and into the living room, despite desperate Hollywood’s
attempt to keep them with the introduction of the ultimate cinema experience – 3D.

This has seen cash intake increase slightly, due to higher ticket prices for 3D films, but attendances
are still dropping.

And why wouldn’t they, when you’ve had vast improvements and reduction of costs of home cinema
systems, or just a decent TV, and the reduction in time it takes for a film to go from the cinema to
online. People are realising they’d rather wait a couple of months and watch it on their home 3D
system, instead of paying $20 for a cinema ticket.

The Future

So, what does this mean for the future of blockbusters? I can see two possible outcomes.

The Hollywood studios could start to tailor their films more for foreign markets, using casts,
locations and directors from across the globe.

While Hollywood is keen on using foreign actors, they always tend to be the bad guy – maybe we’ll
see a few more leading actors from across the globe in mainstream Hollywood movies.

Or, more cynically, it could mean that distributors start to buy up more screen space in foreign
cinemas, pushing out locally made films.

However, on the evidence, especially in the foreign markets with an established film industry, this is
not the case. In 2009, four of China’s top ten grossing films where from China. China does however
limit the number of foreign movies able to be released a year.

In India in the same year, seven where from India (and one of the other ones was Slumdog
Millionaire).

So, maybe there is a balance to be struck. Maybe Hollywood can start to look outwards, taking
influence from a world of cinema, while still pumping in the big bucks to bring the big spectacle.

Jason Croot on Making Films | Frost Interviews

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I interviewed Jason Croot for the second time recently. Jason is an incredibly talented film director, writer and actor. He is everything the British film industry needs: a talented, hard-working, pro-active filmmaker who puts himself out there and just does it. I am in a few of Jason’s films, notably Meeting Place and Le Fear, Le Sequel, but I am not biased- honest.

Jason: Hello Frost readers thank you for the interview.
 
How easy was Le Fear to make? Le Fear was a world-wind my directorial debut post production was only 3 weeks. We filmed it in 2 days, and we had a few difficult situations, but when you are making films you have to give everything and think on your feet. It was an improvised feature around a basic script and all in all I was very pleased with the outcome

What is the most important thing you learned?  A reliable crew is vital on a film set, we had a few people who let me down last-minute, but the crew where fantastic

Where did the idea come from? I was walking to the supermarket in Peckham and I thought I’d love to make a film about a film. After I made it I found there were about 30 films that were similar film within films, I’ve watched most of them. Day for Night is my favourite

How do filmmakers make money in this new climate? Great question, I’ve decided to show Le Fear for free currently on vodo.net http://vo.do/lefear.  There are a few distribution deals on the table but I believe vodo will hit 10,000 plus views and that’s what excites me more than anything at present, but to answer your question Netflix, Love Film, Creatspace will make you some income but it really depends how good your film is. My saying is ‘Cream always rises even in cheap coffee’.  

What has the feedback been like? Brilliant, when you send your film to be critiqued, especially when you have a budget of £1550 and this is a feature film you expect to be slammed, but out of 7 reviews we got one poor one, but the guy did give us 4 out of 5 for comedy so that was a good positive.

You obviously enjoyed yourself as you made a sequel, tell us about that; when will it be released? I would love to tell you about the sequel, I want to make Le Fear in to a series and really believe if people watch the first 2 films that dream can become a reality. The sequel is a 100% improvised feature unlike the original. It will be 90 minutes plus feature-length comedy horror, I must say the cast and crew where brilliant and we have 24 hours of footage to edit, I’m really excited about the prospect, no plans for a release yet, my films tend to be world-wind in making but lengthy in post, simply because I believe that method really works, okay give me a million pound budget I might film over 2 weeks, but the edit would take the same time generally 12-18 months after the film wraps, If you rush often your left unhappy so it will be ready when it’s ready. Sorry to be so vague, we will have a trailer out there this year and I have my target on a former number 1 soundtrack if I win the lottery I will definitely have that song in there, if not we will find a good track music and sound is so important in film making

What is next for you? Since moving into film making my acting as been limited but I’m hoping to get back into it. I’m currently looking at finding a new agent, I love directing so will hopefully will be working on some other films soon, I’ve decided not to make anymore of my own films until the four our out there{Le Fear, Demons and Doors, Meeting Place and Le Fear 2} hopefully start making some noise.

What advice do you have for people making their own films? Find a good crew, have your own equipment if possible, and always have a back up, especially with locations, finally sound is just as important as visuals; Finally never panic even if the crap hits the fan.
 
How important is IMDB to you?  I was on a mission for sometime to get into the top 10,000 on there starmeter, I think I hit the dizzy heights of 10, 861 in 2010 but I’m way out at present mainly because I’ve produced some low-budget films which sent my starmeter the opposite way. Generally actors are in the top 10,000 not film makers/actors. Saying that I believe it does hold a lot of weight and fell free to check me out 
 
What is your favourite movie? I don’t really do favourites, so I’d say Night on Earth

Favourite actor? Same again but I’d go with Roberto Benigni

Favourite director? I’m a big Jim Jarmusch fan

Thanks Jason.  Thank you Frost for having me!!!

UK Film Industry Pioneers Sustainability Standard Developed by BSI

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The British film industry, in conjunction with BSI, is taking the lead in the global entertainment market with the announcement at the Cannes Film Festival of a new British Standard that will improve the industry’s environmental, social and economic impact. For example, in London alone, screen production accounted for 125,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2009, 40% of which came from studios and 28% from TV and film production.

After seeing how the British Standard, BS 8901, has helped the events sector address sustainability issues and save money ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games, the UK Film Council, whose funding responsibilities have now transferred to the BFI, asked The British Standards Institution (BSI) to work with it to develop a new industry standard for film.

The resulting standard, BS 8909, is a specification for ‘sustainability management’ in the film industry from production through to cinema exhibition and home entertainment that helps companies focus on how their activities impact the environment, the communities they work in and their wider economic influence.

Oscar winner Colin Firth, who is fully behind the new British Standard said, “As one of the founding partners of Eco Age, I’m delighted that Eco Age has project managed the trials of the new British Standard for sustainable filmmaking. BS 8909 is an exciting step forward – it gives the film industry a robust framework for managing our social and environmental impacts.”

Eco Age, Firth’s ethical retail organisation has played an integral role in the launch of the standard, having run three of the pilot schemes and offering support and guidance to the pioneering organisations who have adopted the standard – including Ealing Studios, Dogwoof, and the BFI.

BS 8909 can be applied across the film supply chain from planning to production, through to editing, distribution, screening and archiving. These extend beyond ‘going green’ and into areas such as the way filmmakers interact with communities where they film; for example, providing local employment opportunities or sourcing local products.

BSI’s Director of Standards Mike Low says: “The film industry has pockets of excellence around sustainability issues, however, the new British Standard BS 8909 provides a comprehensive framework for all parties involved in the development and launching of films to adopt. It encourages companies to address the environmental, social and economic impacts of their work – from the initial concept for the film right through the process, even down to any merchandising and advertising.”

Complying with the new standard shows that processes and protocols are in place so that a film company’s environmental impact is minimised and its social and wider economic benefits maximised. For example:

* Environmental: by reducing carbon emissions produced by wasteful travel arrangements; such as improved route planning, selecting vehicles with lower CO2 ratings, ensuring that more people travel together or adopting a more sustainable means of transport
* Social: by establishing clear guidelines for minimising the impact of the filming schedule on local communities; such as limiting hours of work, engaging early with communities about parking arrangements, noise, and catering, or by ensuring that child cast members are chaperoned are able to cope with the demands of a busy working environment. The entire supply chain can be considered too, which means, for example, that companies that produce a film’s associated merchandising will be able to adopt the standard too
* Economic: by helping communities benefit from film activities: for example, by hiring local people and compensating them properly or sourcing local props, extras and catering.

The introduction of BS 8909 is expected to be just the start of a process of assimilating sustainability management into film production. Whilst companies may be undertaking many activities that comply with the standard – such as recycling office supplies or running low-emitting vehicles, for example – they will need to examine their whole range of activities to achieve best practice. As the standard is adopted by the industry, the British Standards Institution expects to develop a certification scheme that could be offered through trade associations or supplier audits.

For further information on the standard please visit: www.bsigroup.com/bs8909