The axe has finally fallen on Film Four, the film production arm of Britain’s Channel 4, responsible for box office successes Four Weddings And A Funeral and the Ewan McGregor vehicle Trainspotting.
Losses suffered by the company are obliging it to make significant cutbacks. Film Four will go completely, while the channel’s budget is to be reduced from £30 million to £10 million and layoffs are expected.
"We are moving away from our recent focus on larger-budget, international projects and towards the kind of cutting-edge British films that have been part of Channel 4’s cultural and creative success," said the channel’s new chief executive Mark Thompson.
“As soon as existing projects such as Once Upon A Time In The Midlands and Buffalo Soldiers are complete, the distribution arm, international sales department and up to 60 jobs will go,” he added.
Channel 4 first started to become involved with Britain’s barren film industry 20 years ago by investing in low-budget but challengingly creative pieces. Early spawnings included Stephen Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette and Local Hero.
Up-and-coming young filmmakers like Danny Boyle, Andrew MacDonald and Working Title duo Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner were drawn into the coterie of talent. Soon gritty home-grown flicks such as Shallow Grave and Trainspotting were earning box office bucks on both sides of the pond.
The last two years have been a lean period for the company, however, which has not enjoyed any real success since East Is East. Since then it has lost £8 million, a drop in the ocean in film making terms, but enough to ensure it is no longer financially viable.
Despite a commitment to continue to back its experimental, low-budget unit FilmFour Lab, it is unlikely Channel 4 will ever be able to make feature length films again. “It is really a black day,” said Fever Pitch producer Stephen Woolley, upon hearing the news.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
