Working Title and Warp Films - The Culture show Notes

The Culture show - October 2009
Mike Goodridge was talking about what you call "Tent Pole films". These are basically films which have a lot of action in them, they could be sci fi. These are also what we call "Four Guadrent", it means it can appeal to men, women, children and OAP's. This means that they have a very wide audience. He also goes on to say how Middle ranged films are going to start becoming in trouble, because audience's are becoming more focused on who is in the film, rather than what is in the film.
Tim Bevan (Working title films) says that it is easier to sell a comedy film or a scary film rather than to sell a drama film or a thriller. This is because a comedy or scary film sells itself, because a lot of people go to the cinema to relax (Escapism), and don't particularly want to go and watch a film where they will have to really think about. He also talks about having a bulls eye. This means the more risk's you take on a film, the smaller your bulls eye will be. For example, having a simple script, with huge actors in, and a massive amazing set would have a big bulls eye. Because it is more likely to strike big. On the other hand, spending a lot of money, on a sophisticated script, with no big actors in is taking a big risk which means the bulls eye is smaller, because it is less likely to strike big.
Lord Puttnam is a film director who stopped because he felt that he was boxed in on what he could and couldn't do. He didn't like the idea of Securitasition, which is where you bring a star to a film even though they might not fit the role completely.
Sandra Hepbrum says that there needs to be some more thoughtful films around, and that since the credit crunch Box Office's money and income has increased, again because of Escapism.

Film Network
Shane Meadows is a film director from Warp Films. He says that he never realised that he had a routine to creating films. He says that having big actors in a film doesn't tell the story, so therefore shouldn't help. He also found it cheaper to buy cars off ebay than to rent them. This is a way of keeping down costs down, so he is lowering the risk's in the film and making the bulls eye bigger. He also said that he works more around the actors than they do for him, because he thinks his relationship with the actor's is very important. He use's very little lighting as well, which is again, cutting cost and also make's it look more realistic. He also directs film's on sets that are already there, e.g "This is Enlgand".