The British Film Industry: Elitist, Deluded or Dormant? (2014)

An independent self-funded feature documentary about the real state of the so called 'British Film Industry' in light of the recent closure of the UK Film Council and the uneven playing field of the current tax credits set up for the UK. The film starts with a warning from the film maker, Sir David Lean in 1990, about the future for young new film makers. The documentary meanders through a cast of contributors. This ranges from upcoming new UK film makers from the grass roots to film maker veterans, politicians, Hollywood insiders, and personnel entrusted to nurture, support and promote new film makers from various parts of the UK. The thread of the story questions the measuring of attainments from bureaucracies such as the UK Film Council, to the gateways now available to British film makers, access to a paying market, and recognising the true value of culture in reflecting our own unique stories. How does Britain compare to smaller economies such as France, Denmark, India, Australia and South Korea when it comes to film? Issues pertaining to the installations of subsidised digital projectors into the mainstream cinemas, the crippling virtual print fee alongside the void of any vertically integrated studio in the UK are highlighted as part of a crucial dialogue in respect of what we need and what we mean by the term 'British Film Industry'. The film concludes with an astonishing revelation about why we are where we are in relation to other countries when it comes to cinema in Britain and whether there is any real desire to change the status quo. You decide!