The UK Government Film Policy Review

So the period for submissions to the government Film Policy Review (FPR - it already has its own accronym) is now closed. And the next phase in the troubled relationship between public subsidy and the commercially driven film industry begins.

Where are we right now? And what can we expect / hope for? Well more accronyms for a start.

There have been 100's of submissions from individuals and organisations claiming a stake in the new 'land grab' that has inevitably followed the cull of the UK Film Council (UKFC) and the (attempted) disbanding of the remaining Regional Screen Agencies (RSA's - those 9 public bodies charged under the UKFC to support film and digital media across the country).

As has been known for many months the British Film Institute, (BFI) is the 'Golden Child' politically annointed by a Right Wing government, tired of the continued existence of a New Labour Quango (the UKFC). The BFI will be the 'one stop shop' the all encompassing strategic and lottery distributing 'basket' for all things film, from preservation to Exhibition, from Production to Sales and Distribution. I hope the 'wicker work' is solid - and given the recent resignation of the Head of Production (Tanja Segatchian) and rumours of further discontent, you do wonder.

Well at least we know that the RSA's are now no more, their work to be taken on by a new national, er Quango, called Creative England.

Well no, actually we dont know that for certain either, since many of the RSA's incensed by the speed of the establishment of Creative England, are refusing to go quietely and are busy raging against the dying of the light, insisting that their 'brands' and their bases as regional centres and foci of regional screen activity built up over the past 8 years, should not simply be subsumed into a new body.

So. We have the BFI newly minted as the strategic force in film, looking to Whitehall around January for the direction they will be given to forge ahead, a bit like a surprised and slightly befuddled Queen Bee, irritated and wooed in equal measure by a series of suitors eager for some Honey.

Creative England (divided into Creative North, South and Midlands), Film London, the remaining Screen Agencies outside the capital, myriad trade Associations, and Training providers, are all eyeing warily the situation and each other, like nervous courtiers, newly arrived at Versailles, wondering which knife and fork to use at the new big table.

So no wonder we who work in the sector despair at the politics of it all.

What can we expect? More twists and turns before anyone will be in a position to actually DO anything to support Film in the UK.

What can we hope for? Maybe the sand pit could be raked over flat and we can all play nice. mmmm

A new (old) short film – the how, the why… and turning corners

From time to time I want to re-post here some short films from my archive and trace some thoughts about film-making and how I got here from there. First up is RM159 my tribute to the Routemaster Bus in London. I have put it into the VIDEO PAGE. Made in 2005 and filmed in the last few days of the Routemaster route number 159 in Brixton. This was a pivotal film for me to make as I had been in the doldrums for quite a time, having had a bad experience on a previous film and I had lost a lot of confidence and desire to make films. A competition came along and I responded as it was so open and I could make a film the way I wanted to make it. My friend Tom Miles composed the music, the first time we collaborated together (and we have worked together ever since), I borrowed a camera and just filmed. It was a wonderfully liberating experience, no script needed, no crew, no budget hassles, me, my brain and what was in front of the lens.

I think with this film, I turned a corner. Film-making became fun and something I was again passionate about, and more importantly I had found a way to play with the material of what was filmed, as raw material that I could do anything with – even to running sequences upside down. I think I also got to realize this was how I wanted to make films, I wasn’t a ‘Director’ with a career trajectory based on making short films, promo’s, commercials, some TV and then features. Nope, I was and am, an artist with an artistic angle on what I do, and what appeals to me is what I can achieve with what lies all around me. 

You can view the film here: Video Page