Prime Minister David Cameron has praised the British film industry for its ‘incalculable contribution to culture’ ahead of Lord Smith’s Review recommendations.
The film industry brings an estimated £4.2 billion to the UK economy each year, but we must help UK producers to make ‘commercially successful pictures’, to compete with the best international productions, Cameron claims.
2011 was a great year for the UK film industry, as The King’s Speech became the highest grossing British film of all time, collecting four Oscars and topping the box office charts for 20 weeks.
The praise for the industry comes ahead of Lord Smith’s Review, which is due to be published on Monday. The recommendations it makes will be aimed at building a stronger British film industry and developing and retaining the UK’s talent.
It is thought that the Review will recommend that Lottery funding is used to reward success and incentivise UK film-makers to develop ‘commercially successful’ pictures. Other predictions include recommending that the Government supports and prioritises a successful inward investment strategy in the industry, while the British Film Institute (BFI) will be encouraged to develop an ambitious international strategy and lead the way towards a more vibrant export industry in UK film.
Commenting, Mr Cameron said: “The UK film industry, the skills and crafts that support it and our creative industries more widely, make a £4bn contribution to our economy and an incalculable contribution to our culture.
“But in this year when we set out bold ambitions for the future, when the eyes of the world will be on us, I think we should aim even higher, building on the incredible success of recent years.
“Our role, and that of the BFI, should be to support the sector in becoming even more dynamic and entrepreneurial, helping UK producers to make commercially successful pictures that rival the quality and impact of the best international productions. Just as the British Film Commission has played a crucial role in attracting the biggest and best international studios to produce their films here, so we must incentivise UK producers to chase new markets both here and overseas.
“I am confident that Lord Smith’s Review will form an ambitious blueprint, and look forward to his recommendations next week.”
