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 REMIT
Channel 4 is unique as a The conditions of the
Channel 4 Remit stipulate
commercial that they must:
broadcaster as it has a •demonstrate innovation, experiment
and creativity in the form and content
public service remit. of programmes;
This means that rather •appeal to the tastes and interests of
a culturally diverse society;
than it’s primary •makes a significant contribution to
concern being to make meeting the need for the licensed
public service channels to include
money for programmes of an educational nature
and other programmes of educative
shareholders it exists value

to fulfil a public need. •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)