How does the funding for 'This is England' illustrate the way convergence of different institutions is crucial in the UK film industry?

How does the funding for 'This is England' illustrate the way convergence of different institutions is crucial in the UK film industry?

This is England was released on the 27th of April 2007, written and directed by Shane Medows. It was a Warp X production, and had backing and funding from: UKFC, EM Media, Screen Yorkshire and Film 4. I will look at each of these individually later on in this essay. First i would like  to look briefly at the figures and appearances This is England made with in the first 5 weeks.

Week 1

-Screened in 62 cinemas

-Total takings: £2700

Week 2

-Screened in 83 cinemas

-Total takings: £500,000

Week 3

-Screened in 128 cinemas

-Total takings: £927,000

Week 4

-Screened in 151 cinemas

-Total takings: £1.1 million (this was the peak week for both profit and screenings) 

Week 5

-Screened in 86 cinemas

-Total takings: £1.3 million

There overall profit from 10 weeks was £1.5 million, a large proportion of this would go towards advertising and the distribution company, however they would continue to gain sales from: art house cinemas, DVDs and T.V screenings.

Convergence in media is where something is only possible where companies entwine, and are all inter-linked. In the case study of This is England, all of the companies converged with each other.


The UKFC is the main source of money. They receive £27 million annually from the Lottery, and another £27 million from government money. The UKFC have 4 separate funds within, and also they have 6 regional screen agencies- this is where all of the money is divided into. The 4 funds are: 'Film Fund', 'Innovation Fund', 'Prints and Advertising Fund' and the 'International festivals Fund'. The 'Prints and Advertising Fund' focuses on helping the distribution and marketing strategy of specialised films. Many films have been supported by this for instance; 'A Prophet', 'The Lives of Others', 'An Education', 'Red Road', 'This is England' and many more. This fund alone has a budget of £2 million.

Film 4 are the other big contender of providing money. They receive £10 million a year from Channel 4's revenue from advertising. Film 4 invest in many films independently for instance Slumdog Millionaire.

EM Media and Screen Yorkshire are 2 of the 6 regional agencies that the UKFC funds. Screen Yorkshire relies on the UKFC 'rife' fund. It distributes this money, with the aim of inspiring and promoting the media sector in Yorkshire and Humber. It  has financed films for example The Damned United, Unforgiven and wuthering heights. These films are aimed at a wide audience range.  In 2008 Screen Yorkshire set up a Film Friendly Partnership, this is where local organisation(with in Yorkshire and Humber) work in alliance "recognise the benefits and value that film and television production can bring to the cultural and economic wealth of the region." This is an example of convergence on a smaller level, however this smaller level convergence also contributes greatly to the larger scale convergence. EM Media have co-financed films such as The Unloved, Bronson and Control. They are a non profit organisation, and specialise in developing talent with in the East Midlands. Since 2002 they have invested in over 700 film projects, which have generated £175 million for the economy in the East Midlands. To get financial support from this organisation you have to be either an East Midlands resident, or the film must be filmed in East Midlands. EM Media put in £250,000 in to a film production company called Warp Films. Warp films receives money from the Film 4 budget, EM Media, Screen Yorkshire, and they also receive around £668,000 from the 'new cinema fund' from the UKFC. This is England is a Warp Films production, consequently it was funded by the convergence of all the agencies above.

The distribution company for This is England is Optimum Releasing. Optimum Releasing receive money from the 'Prints and Advertising fund' from the UKFC, of around £90,000 annually- of which some was put toward the film This is England. Optimum Releasing managed to release this particular film in 62 cinemas in the UK, they marketed the campaign, and also released the DVD.

If only one of these agencies has funded This is England then it would not have been the hit that it was. The companies had to converge together to make it possible. This is England is a good example of the concept of conversion being crucial as all of the companies rely on another, for instance Warp Films is funded by Screen Yorkshire and EM Media, which are in turn funded by the UKFC.