This is England (Case Study)

• 
• Written and Directed by Shane Meadows (UK)
• Shane Meadows films include Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, Dead Man’s Shoesand Northern Soul
• Produced by EM Media (East Midlands)
• Distributed by Optimum (Independent UK Distributor : Brick, Vera Drake, Dead Man’s Shoes, 9 Songs)
• Additional Funding – Film4 and UK Film Council (£668,000 – New Cinema Fund, £90,000 P and A Fund)
• Theatrical Release: April 2007
• Independent British Film
• Genre/Tradition: Social Realism
• Critical Success: Film Festival Awards
• UK Box Office:  £1.3m (gross), Casino Royale £55m (gross), The Queen £9m (gross). Projected successful DVD sales
• Production Costs: £1.2m
• Limited Distribution: UK Release (approx 100 Screens)
• BFI Category 1 (Culturally and Institutionally British)
• Low Production Values, no Star Marketing

Why significant:

British films became much more successful by appealing to British culture with independently made films, such as, “This Is England”. “This is England” is not the first successful film in Britain to appeal to British culture, but it is, certainly, one of the most iconic.

Meadows has made “This Is England” institutionally British by implementing themes of community, father figures, respect, friendship, local atmosphere, British icons, social realism, working class, ordinary people and his own childhood.

Shane Meadows gained funding for “This Is England” via multiple routes, all British, with Film 4 and the UK Film Council contributing a total of £758,000. By accepting funding from only British contributors, “This Is England” becomes even more iconic as a propeller to the British film industry.

Independent British films tend to use no star marketing and low budgets. “This Is England”, being institutionally British, agrees with these tendencies. The film uses actors which have not gained any attention for their talents. The no star marketing of the film allows the audience to be more engaged to the film more easily. However, despite adding to the British feel in the film, the low budget may not have been intended. The low budget shows that, although British film is catching up with Hollywood, they are seen as much more risky than the typical American mainstream film.

http://film.edusites.co.uk/article/this-is-england-case-study/ 

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