Commissioner Fact file

Who is the company?

Film four productions produce, distribute and exhibit films.  They have produced many films in the past, such as helping in the funding for 127 hours and attack the block, they have distributed films such as Gangster No 1 and Fever Pitch. On film 4 they usually show films that have been produced and distributed by themselves as well as films they haven't produced or distributed such law abiding citizen and karate kid (2010).

Film 4's parent company is Channel four television company limited which is a publicly owned company informally referred to as Channel four. They are are solely based in the united kingdom, the benefits of having a company like Channel four as a parent company allows film four exposure onto their sister channels whether it be on television or a music channel, the exposure from this allows them to obtain a wider audience and in turn produce more revenue, as well as having the sister channels, Channel four itself is a major television channel which would also obtain more viewers for film 4 seeing as channel four displays some of the same types of shows that would go on film four.

What do the company produce?

Film four are a company that co-fund a co-produce their films, with a certain amount of films they are looking to produce each year. It is quoted on the FAQ page of the film 4 section saying:

We aim to fund eight feature films a year with a mix of licence fee and equity and all our films are co-financed with other financing partners.

They also reveal on this page that they are not a solo producing company quoted by saying: 

'Film 4 develops and co-finances feature length films for theatrical release in cinemas. Although ultimately we are looking for films that will eventually play on both Channel 4 and Film 4'
(http://www.channel4.com/info/commissioning/4producers/film4-faqs)

Some of film 4's recent successes are slumdog millionaire, four lions and 127 hours. All of which went on to be played on their channels. On average film 4 fund around £500,000 on each production

Film 4 contributes vastly to the development of the BSR genre. Seeing that that Film 4 is essentially British and owned by a British company, connoting that a majority of the films aired or produced will be British. For example they have produced films such as Trainspotting, my beautiful laundrette and east is east. As well as producing films for the BSR genre they also produce films in the horror, action and adventure.

Where is the company based?

A majority of the films funded by film 4 are British, though sometimes they do co-fund some US films such as 127 hours. The reason as to why they fund mostly British films is that they are a British company looking to attract the main British audience.

Why is the company important to the UK film industry?

The ethos of Film 4 is to produce new British talent and be a leader of innovation in the British film industry, this is ethos is incredibly important for the UK film industry because Film 4 is a British company that wants to bring bigger and better films from the UK to broadcast world wide as a blockbuster as well as making it a hit in the UK.

A key success in the British film industry would be the inbetweeners movie and the kings speech.

They have also launched the careers of people like Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison.