The British Film Institute plans to pump £273m of lottery money into British film over the next five years, spending a third more money on backing new films, digitising up to 15,000 movies from the enormous back catalogue of British films, and equipping up to 1,000 new venues including village halls with digital projectors so such films can be shown nationwide, as well as promoting training in film skills, and a chance for every school child to watch films and experiment in film techniques.
The BFI's New Horizons for UK Film, which incorporates many of the recommendations in Chris Smith's review of film policy launched earlier this year, now goes out for four weeks' consultation, but already has government backing.
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey welcomed the new approach, and said as well as promoting welcome inward investment from Hollywood studios, Britain should be looking to the new sources including China and India.
Amanda Nevill, chief executive of the BFI, rejected earlier speculation that the new focus for investment would be feelgood box-office hits – sparked by comments made by the prime minister David Cameron when he visited Pinewood studios – which would be a bitter blow to the long tradition of British filmic miserablism in rain-soaked streets.
"Obviously we want and will fund a mix of films," she said. "What makes a success is always elusive. The King's Speech took us all by surprise – and it needed a lot of support to get that film made."
Boosted by hits including the last Harry Potter film and The Inbetweeners Movie, she said the average market share for British films in cinemas had risen from 6% to 13% last year and to 25% in the first quarter of this year when The Iron Lady and The Woman in Black took off.
The BFI was interested in promoting more family films and films for children than historically, she said, but their policy would be to invest in the best talent – "and also to make certain that the people of Britain can get to see them".
Only 7% of screens currently show non-mainstream films, and almost all of those are London based.
The BFI plans over the next five years to invest £57m a year, boosted by higher than expected lottery revenues, divided between £17m for education and audiences; £28.2m for supporting British film; £3m for film heritage including the digitisation project; and the rest divided between research and statistics, a contingency fund and the cost of delivery.
Apart from work in schools, being planned with the Department for Education, a UK-wide film academy will spot and nurture talent in 16 to 19-year-olds and give them a chance to work with professionals.
As well as providing digital equipment to non-cinema venues including community centres and village halls, a network of hubs based on independent cinemas with links to schools, film societies and archives is planned.
Greg Dyke said that when he took over as chair of the BFI, he warned that it risked becoming the London Film Institute: London was superserved in every way including film, he said, the challenge was to expand that enthusiasm and access across the country.
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