Film Industry Prezi

Green Screen

What's wrong with the British Film Industry?

What’s wrong with the British Film Industry?
Although Britain has a very successful film industry and it makes some amazing films, however, there is only a small amount of these films that are ‘amazing’ that are released.

The film industry is constantly changing and the films released 30 years ago, are most certainly very different to those released today. It very first began 118 years ago and in that time thousands of films have been released all of which suited for that time period. In the 1990s, the idea of ‘Cool Britannia’ began and this is where new technology and new voices began which obviously was very exciting for all Brits.

In the 1990’s there were 5 films that really made the British film industry stand out and put them on top of anywhere in the world:
The Crying Game
Sense and Sensibility
Trainspotting
The Full Monty
Four Weddings and  Funeral
These five films were extremely popular and everyone worldwide was watching them. This bigged up the British Film Industry and got everyone excited of what was to come! However, this was not the case. As from then on, the British Film Industry has deteriorated. Obviously not every film can be brilliant, some are, but majority are not.

There are only so many genres and storylines you can put in a film to make it good and yes they were successful the first time. However, the British Film Industry is now just repeating and repeating films that have already been released! Who wants to see the same film twice just with different actors, a different set and maybe, if they’re feeling adventurous, a different twist at the end? Intertextuality can be effective at times, however if you look into any film released by the British Film Industry today, you will discover that there is somewhere a film/book already with the same storyline, which is not effective.

Similarly, yes, genres are supposed to follow the same conventions but there gets a point where you can guess what it going to happen in a film. For example, a rom-com. A couple meet, they fall in love, there becomes a barrier, they sort it out and then they all live happily ever after. Bridget Jones and Love Actually are both perfect examples of this. The British Film Industry is becoming so predictable I could write down an idea of a film now and I’m sure it would be released within the next year.

However, some films do have to be congratulated which are very original and unique and have been big successes such as Harry Potter, Slum dog Millionaire and James Bond.

The British Film Industry used to be known for its individuality, gritty, gripping storylines within films and it would pull in many audience members to go to the cinema and/or buy these films. However, all they seem to be doing now is following in Americas footsteps and creating sequels and feature films of existing television programmes. The Inbetweeners- Yes, all teenagers loved the series but did the film do it any justice? One specific example of this is The Keith Lemon Film. After watching Keith Lemon on Celebrity Juice and multiple other TV programmes, I was expecting a, not good but, extremely funny, engaging storyline. However, I was extremely disappointed when I sat in the cinema to watch something that was not relatively funny and I found myself laughing at the poorly made film rather than the ‘comedy’ itself, if it can even be called that. Luckily, the film broke half way through and I got a refund. But, this is one great example of the irrelevant films that the British Film Industry are making rather than sitting down and spending a lot of time thinking up a new one that is like the old ones, but a NEW storyline.

Also, the sequels are becoming a bit too much! Yes, the first film was good, the second was okay, but the third and fourth were pushing it. Nobody wants to see the same film over and over but with a different storyline. It is just boring.

Another bad element of the British Film Industry is the way that they try so hard to make sure it’s a low budget film but then spend a ridiculous amount of money on marketing of a film. An advert on TV and some posters in extremely busy places will get enough attention. Some companies go ridiculously over the top in their marketing which is just wasting money and if the film does not appeal to the audiences’, well then they will be totally out of pocket.

It’s not as if the British Film Industry lacks great actors or talent because there is enough. But, there are more British actors working in America then there is American working in Britain. Obviously, this is a huge problem.

Overall, I think the British Film Industry need to find some good, upcoming actors like they used to have in their films and really think outside the box. Be brave and actually make something different, unique?! If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work. But I know that I would definitely go to see a film that was different, rather than the same film I previously watched but with a different name. They need to stop playing it safe and get their films back to the way they used to when the British Film Industry took over the film industry worldwide.