-Working Titles is 67% owned by Universal- disadvantages and advantages
-Tim Bevan is co-founder of Working Title and is also the UKFC chairman.
Case study 2(http://www.harbourpictures.com/index.html)
Harbour pictures is a london based film and televison production company. Its has been working on feature films since 1999 (went into tele in 2006) Calendar Girls, which became the 7th highest grossing British film in the UK, with over £20 million at the UK box office and approximately $100 million internationally. produced films such as :calender girls, kinky boots and is workiing currently onfilms such as: Map of The Universe, First Impressions, and also Millionaire Donkeys and An Indian Wedding which are both Ealing Studios and funded by the UKFC.
Case study 3
Ealing Studios (1931) had made 60 films before they were taken over by Rank Organisation. In 1955 BBC bought them. (give advantages of having BBC backing) the fils then begaan to be made at MGM studios (USA production company) .in BBC films depaartment ealing films continued to be made using shot on 16mm and occasionally 35mm films, 16mm was gradually reduced use in 1980 as BBC developed PSC (portable single camera). in 1995 it was purcheased by National Film and Television School (uk), then sold to Fragile films (UK) in which valiant and shaun of the dead were produced.Other studies- (listed) ( http://www.deadline.com/?s=optimum+releasing )-Sam Mendes’s Neal Street Productions (Focus Features),
-Aardman Animations (Sony Pictures Entertainment),
-Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free ( RSA)(Twentieth Century Fox),
-James Bond factory Danjaq Productions (what's left of MGM).
-Harbour Pictures (Calendar Girls), DNA Films (Never Let Me Go) and Marv Films (Kick-Ass) once had first-look deals with Disney/Miramax,
- harbour.. signed a deal with Buena Vista distribution (aka. walt disney) also made kinky boots
Issues raised
-convergence :)
money :S
solely uk :S
advertising and use of name :)
Essay
Many, if not all entertainment media companies are re-owned or work with other corporate giants during some time in their existence. This change, or share in ownership can increase profits and marketing and make the initial company more sucessful. The UK film industry has many production and distribution companies. However, when these companies are bought or work with giant corperations (primarily based in the USA) they become not 100% British, and therefor not 100% of the profits go back into the UK film industry. One the other hand, working with US companies can increase awarness, scale of distribution and also the overall budget.
An example of a British produced film, that was distributed by a US giant production company is The full Monty. This was produced by RedWave, a UK production company, when The Full Monty was looking for a distribution company, 20th Century Fox snapped up the oppertunity. They tried to get the producers to change the name of the film because US citizens wouldn't understand the english phrase 'full monty'. Peter Cattaneo (the director) wouldn't allow this to happen. 20th Century Fox also wanted to change some of the content of the film, however- again this was not allowed to happen. The Full Monty became an English classic and a worl wide hit with a gross profit of $45,857,453 (USA)- (last updated 26 April 1998). In the first weekend alone it was released on to 387 screens.
Working Title is a perfect example of a convergence of a British production company with a US giant. Working Title is responsible for many english classics such as 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill and Hot Fuzz. In 1999 Universal Studios bought a 67% share in the company. Although Universal are the majority share holder, they don't make or autherise all the desisions. Each year Working Title produces around 4 films; one film by new talent(for example Shaun of the Dead, as Simon Pegg was an up and coming actor), one film by an established director (usually appealing to a niche market or arthouse cinemas), One film with european funding, and one major film (intended to appeal to the mainstream audience for example The Boat that Rocked). Universal Studios are only interested in this last film type. The rest of the films produced by Working Title have no imput, from Universal, and consequently Universal only receive profit from the fils they support. Any film produced with a budget of under $80 million can be greenlighted without having to notify Universal. Having Universal as a major share holder has many benifits such as; acess to higher budgets (up to $120 million), they can distribute to wider audiences globally because Universal in the top 6 companies of film production globally, also having a world reknowned name like Universal is almost like a guarrentee of quality, and therefor encouraging more of an audience. Tim Bevan is the co-founder of Working Title, and he has recently become the chairman of the UKFC, this connection allows Working Title acess and inside knowledge of what film ideas are coming to light.
Harbour Pictures is a London based film and televison production company. It has been working on feature films since 1999, (it went into television production in 2006). Over the years they have produced 2 major english classics: Calendar Girls, (which had the 7th highest gros profit in British films, it generated over £30 million at the box office and around $100 million internationally) and Kinky Boots. Harbour Pictures worked closely with Disney and Miramax, although these major companies dont own a share in Harbour, they still give all the benifits and advantages that they would do if they did own them. Harbour are currently working on films such as; Map of The Universe, First Impressions, and also Millionaire Donkeys and An Indian Wedding which are both Ealing Studios and funded by the UKFC. Media ownership can create many issues, however these can be the same as those companies just working (converging) together. Harbour Pictures is now working with Miramax, BBC Films Pathe and the UK Film Council and more, they receive the money, marketing and logo recognition from them whilst they still remain a 100% British- encouraging the UK film indstry.
A company which has been repeatedly re-owned- yet still 100% British is Ealing. It was first set up in 1931 and made 60 films before they were taken over by Rank Organisation. In 1955 they were bought by the BBC. This was a major advantage to the initiall company as they new they'd get marketing on the BBC website and even one the televison and radio chanels. The BBC film department continued shooting films on 16mm and occasionally 35mm films, however when PSC (portable single camera) was developed, the use of 16mm was reduced. In 1995 it was purchased again, by the Nation Film and Televison School (a UK company), and finally it was sold to Fragile Films (a UK production company) in which Valiant and Shaun of the Dead were produced. Ealing had many owners in its time, and each has contributed to its sucess. The main issue with this media ownership change is the lack of identity; the customer wont be able to reconise the company name or logo, as it has change so often. however in this specific example I think the change in ownership is an advantege; its possiby stopped them from bankruptcy, its increased awarness via large organisation names such as the BBC, and it has been able to create many rememberal films. The best aspect abput this company is that it has managed to stay solely in the UK- supporting the UK film industry.
Many other small UK production companies have converged with US giants, without out getting re-owned and therefor keeping the UK film indusrty alive.
-Sam Mendes’s Neal Street Productions (Focus Features),
-Aardman Animations (Sony Pictures Entertainment), -Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free- RSA(Twentieth Century Fox),
-Danjaq Productions, which produced James Bond (MGM),
-Harbour Pictures (producing Calendar Girls and Kinky Boots), DNA Films (Producing Never Let Me Go) and Marv Films (Producing Kick-Ass) all had first-look deals with Disney/Miramax
To conclude, the main issue raised by media ownership is the efect on the British film industry. Once companies are owned by US based orgaisations, most of the profit will go to them and not back into the UK film industry. There are however many appealing advantages to being owned by a US giant; Budgets seem limitles, famous actors associated with the US company are interested in being in the UK films and the US brand names and logos are like a guarentee stamp on the film, enticing a wider audience. Further more it allows the films produced to be distributed world wide- consequently turning over alot more profit.
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