The UK Film Council: A Case Study of Film Policy in Transition

'Film matters. It matters because it is both a powerful engine of the creative economy, and a form of cultural expression which reaches huge audiences and influences lives. Yet without a well-structured set of interventions by Government, the UK film sector cannot begin to realise its potential. The UK Film Council was set up to provide a framework [for such] intervention[s]' John Woodward, CEO of UKFC (UKFC, 2004:4).

Established in April 2000 but wound up at the end of March 2011, the UKFC was the key strategic body responsible for supporting the film industry and film culture in Britain for over a decade. Set up by the Labour Government (1997-2010) with a remit to build a 'sustainable' film industry, the Council's agenda shifted and broadened over its lifetime reflecting differing expectations in relation to the underlying purposes of public support for film. While the model of support it offered ensured the funding of a wide range of films and was viewed by some as effective, the more ambitious aims with which the UKFC was originally charged - of making the UK film production sector sustainable and of securing a global position in distribution - were not achieved. After only a few months of coming to power in May 2010, the new coalition Government announced a general cost-cutting strategy, part of which was the abolition of the UKFC and a reassignment of its responsibilities, mainly to the BFI.

The UKFC's short-lived experience as lead support body for film raises fundamental questions about how strategic interventions for film in the 21st century may be framed and put into operation. While earlier research has addressed the history of film and film policy in the UK (Dickinson & Street 1985; Hill 2004; Murphy 2009; Richards 2009: Sargeant 2005; Street 2009), none has developed specific case studies that scrutinise how policy is understood and implemented institutionally and organisationally by public support bodies for film. The proposed research, focusing on the history of the UKFC from inception to demise, provides an exceptional and timely opportunity for such a case study and for in-depth investigation of the changing pressures on models of public support for film in the 21st century.

The project sets out to investigate the history of the UKFC, to examine its effectiveness as a model of public support for film and also to analyse the policy implications of its closure for film in the digital era. The research will examine how and why the objectives pursued by the UKFC changed over time; how competing economic and cultural objectives were negotiated; the performance of the UKFC in fulfilling its objectives; the role of the Council in helping the UK film industry adjust to a digital environment; and ask what strategic lessons may be drawn from its overall experience. The principal data-gathering techniques include the assessment of documents and texts, analyses of secondary statistical data, archival research, and interviews with key actors to whom the project team are confident of achieving excellent access. The PI (Doyle), Co-Is (Schlesinger and Boyle) and PDRA (Kelly) collectively bring multi-disciplinary expertise in media, creative and cultural industries and policy analysis. Whereas the Co-Is' input will be focused mainly on interviews, analysis of findings and dissemination, the PI and PDRA will work on all phases of the research programme.


Refs:
Dickinson & Street (1985) Cinema and State: The Film Industry and the Government, 1927-1984, BFI.
Hill (2004) 'UK Film Policy, Cultural Capital and Social Exclusion', Cultural Trends, 13(2).
Murphy (2009), The British Cinema Book, BFI.
Richards (2009), Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to the Present, I.B. Tauris.
Sargeant (2005), British Cinema: A Critical and Interpretive History, BFI.
Street (2009), British National Cinema 2, Routledge.
UKFC (2004), Our Second Three Year Plan: Funding and Policy Priorities 2004-2007.

Who will benefit?

Non-academic beneficiaries will include elected representatives (e.g. UK Culture Minister), policy-makers (e.g. DCMS), advisory bodies (e.g. Film Policy Review panel; BSAC) and regulators concerned with culture, media and esp film at regional, devolved, UK and international level, and also film support bodies (e.g. the BFI and UK regional screen agencies). In addition, the project is intended to benefit audiences and society at large who are affected by the quality and range of films to which they have access. A further set of beneficiaries will be those working in film industries.

How will they benefit?

By improving knowledge, the proposed study will increase the effectiveness of public policy and thus help foster an improved economic performance on the part of the UK film industry. The lack of sustainability of indigenous production industries is a pressing concern for policy-makers and screen support bodies in the UK and internationally.
Knowledge generated about the experience and performance of the UKFC will contribute towards a more informed understanding of how public agendas for support of film can best be implemented.
Policy-makers will benefit from enhanced knowledge about the efficacy of organisational cultures and practices within public bodies dedicated to the support of film, the effectiveness of specific support initiatives for film, as well as the strategic role that frameworks of public support for film can play in helping industry and audiences exploit the advantages offered by digitisation and growth of the internet. Improved knowledge in these areas is expected to contribute to a more informed, evidence-based approach to the design of policies and legislation intended to support film at regional, national and international level.
At a time of technological transition, those in the film industry require knowledge of how strategic support can affect their performance. They also need to know what impact growth of the internet and advances in digital delivery are having on the economics of making and supplying film and which forms of public intervention might assist the industry to adjust effectively. By contributing to improved knowledge in these areas, the project aims to foster a strengthened policy environment, and thus to improve the ability of businesses and organisations in the film sector to achieve creative and commercial success.
By engendering the conditions for more effective film support policies and therefore enhanced performance on the part of UK producers and suppliers of film, the project aims to help enhance the quality of UK film output, thus over the longer-term contributing to cultural enrichment and improved welfare for film audiences and society at large.

How will engagement and benefit be ensured?

The project team will use contacts and establish new links with film industry communities and policy-making and advisory bodies (incl the Film Policy Review panel) to create a dedicated network of stakeholders. Regular communication and exchange will be conducted via internet fora. The project's website will serve as a primary focus and access point for information. Target beneficiaries in policy-making communities and professional film industry circles will be proactively alerted to key findings as they emerge to encourage engagement and ensure impact is maximised. The project team will foster dialogue with target users via participation in consultations and public debate. CCPR seminars on key emerging themes will be used to ensure productive engagement with target users, e.g. the BFI, DCMS, Creative England and Creative Scotland. Engagement will also be achieved through targeted dissemination of published outputs, attendance at conferences and industry meetings, and an End of Project symposium. Accessible summaries of main outcomes will be posted on the project site and disseminated as a support resource at the final symposium.