UK film has had remarkable critical and commercial success in recent years with films as diverse as 12 Years a Slave and Skyfall. Our great directors are frequently courted by Hollywood, and Hollywood regularly visits these shores to make films like Gravity and the new Star Wars films. Why do audiences, both at home and abroad, enjoy British films? How do UK filmmakers appeal to these audiences?
This Study Day will examine these issues and relate it to case studies of two independent film companies – Vertigo and Warp Films. These two companies are producing and distributing films that are commercially successful but which also retain a uniquely British flavour - and a willingness to tackle themes and content that Hollywood usually avoids. In the afternoon there will be a film screening and a Q&A with the film-makers giving students and teachers a chance to ask questions about the state of UK cinema and how it will develop in the future. This event is particularly useful for OCR AS Media students for the ‘Audiences and Institutions’ exam unit.
Led by Matthew Hall, Head of Film and Media Studies, Seven Kings High School; author of the BFI’s Teaching Men and Film
