"Peculiar Projects"

Posted by John Hoare on August 15, 2004 09:52 PM

Many thanks to Rad, who has pointed out this interesting BBC News article on the UK film industry. Of particular interest is the following:

However, Tony Earnshaw, head of film programming at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, believes the biggest problem the industry faces is the type of films that receive funding.

For example, the universally-panned Sex Lives Of The Potato Men received �750,000 from the Film Council.

"What seems to be happening over the past few years is that funding is being given to 'peculiar' projects, films that are not necessarily very good," says Mr Earnshaw.

"Many people want to make quality British films in the UK, but many say they can't get funding. It is OK if you want to make a gangster movie or a sex comedy, but otherwise funding is hard to get.

"Is funding given on the basis that the film might make money, or whether it is any good? I am not sure if the funding pie is being cut up into the correct slices and given to the right people."

Of course, this ties right back in with Doug Naylor's DJ statement:

"It's been rejected three times by the British Film Council. My favourite reason was when they told one of the Producers that they thought Red Dwarf the Movie was 'too commercial.' Let me repeat that - they rejected it because they thought it was too commercial. 'You'll get it made anyway you don't need our help,' they said. This from the people who brought you Sex Lives of the Potato Men, which they put nearly a million quid into, and that movie where the kid farts his way to the moon. Why did they put money into that? Maybe the readers' remarks simply said 'Fart Film' and they misread it and thought it said 'Art' Film.

'We're not in the business', they said, 'of helping people turn highly successful TV series into successful feature films.'"

To be fair, the UK Film Council probably can't win. But dammit, they should have helped fund the Movie, so fuck 'em.

Speaking of the Movie, here's what Andrew Ellard has to say on the subject on The Official Webboard about a month ago:

"...we haven't got the greenlight yet. When we have it, we'll have all trumpets blaring fanfare. If you read Doug's statement it should be clear why it's so hard to make 'not yet statements' - ever since this process began, we've ALWAYS been just a hair's breadth from go-ahead. And that's where we are now - mere millimetres away."

I think a bit of prayer is in order. Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya - everyone - Kryten! - Kumbaya, Kumbaya...

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