The damage: How much it costs to make a Young British Movie, by Melanie Clulow
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Only one in 10 British films makes it past the "development phase" - that nail-biting time between drafts when production company executives gaze into their crystal balls for clues as to whether this will be the next British blockbuster. Of the films that do make it to the multiplexes, only 15 per cent show a profit. But the siren song of success on a shoestring - think Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and The Full Monty - continues to attract would-be players to the industry. The average British film-maker contemplating a modest feature without US backing must be prepared to spend the best part of pounds 2m, even if Mum makes the sandwiches. But even this is no guarantee your oeuvre will garner a three-picture deal with Miramax while launching your gritty Brit actors out of TV soap hell and into Leonardo DiCaprio's income bracket. If you want your film to run for more than two weeks in a suburban flea pit, make sure it's "distribution-friendly" - ie, appeals to American audiences - the world's major distribution networks are mostly US-owned. This is how the money adds up:
The story Commissioning and development of script (including legal fees and a rainforest's worth of rewrites), pounds 50,000
The faces Three main cast members, pounds 150,000 (just enough to pay for a personal trainer, dental enhancement and a one-way ticket to Hollywood. If this film makes it, they'll never work this cheap again); minor cast members, pounds 75,000; extras, stand-ins, doubles, pounds 50,000
The power Director, pounds 80,000; assistant director, pounds 40,000; producer, pounds 80,000
The place Location facilities, pounds 250,000 (including finding and kitting-out the perfect country house or Notting Hill flat)
The life Accommodation and catering, pounds 150,000 (eight weeks of sandwiches and two-star hotels)
The nuts and bolts Celluloid film and video tape, pounds 200,000; post-production, pounds 300,000 (editing, special effects, music); production company overheads, pounds 100,000
Crew Technical staff, from cameraman to make-up artist to best boy, pounds 250,000
The unexpected Contingency fund for unexpected costs, pounds 200,000
Total pounds 1,975,000
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments