Jeremy Hunt gave his first public speech since taking over as culture secretary, and though he conceded spending cuts were necessary, “culture will not be a soft target”.
Hunt delivered his speech at the Roundhouse in London, in front of an audience of invited guests from various quangos, museums, theatres and arts organisations. He announced that a larger portion of lottery profits will be allocated to the arts, but that probable cuts would result in a gap in spending next year.
Meanwhile, there is speculation on website The Knowledge that the new coalition government – albeit one which has only Conservatives in the DCMS – may look to limit Ofcom’s role, and review the Digital Economy Bill.
Read more here and here.
Friday, 21 May 2010
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
TV leads the way in piracy fight, according to The Economist
Two interesting article appeared in The Economist last month, detailing the impact of piracy on television compared to film and music.
Whilst piracy is similarly rife in all three industries, and the availability of torrents for popular shows such as Lost widespread, The Economist believes measures taken by the television industry – such as broadcasting shows to foreign audiences faster, and embracing services like Hulu - coupled with the nature of the medium in comparison to film and music, means there is cause for (cautious) optimism for the future.
The article also notes that, unlike with film, audiences have often already paid for programmes through subscription services such as Sky, so have no need to watch illegally. “Television has”, according to The Economist, “endured because it has responded better to such threats than other media businesses...and other outfits are learning from [it]”.
Read more here and here.
Whilst piracy is similarly rife in all three industries, and the availability of torrents for popular shows such as Lost widespread, The Economist believes measures taken by the television industry – such as broadcasting shows to foreign audiences faster, and embracing services like Hulu - coupled with the nature of the medium in comparison to film and music, means there is cause for (cautious) optimism for the future.
The article also notes that, unlike with film, audiences have often already paid for programmes through subscription services such as Sky, so have no need to watch illegally. “Television has”, according to The Economist, “endured because it has responded better to such threats than other media businesses...and other outfits are learning from [it]”.
Read more here and here.
Candid at Cannes: Frears and Walker speak about their new films
Two articles and interviews with two very different British directors showing films at this year’s Cannes appeared in the press today.
Firstly, Stephen Frears spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about his latest film Tamara Drewe, which had its debut screening at the festival (out of competition). Frears talks about how he took Tamara Drewe from the pages of The Guardian to the big screen, and what it is people love about British films.
"What people really like about British film is the loonies on screen. Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, maybe John Cleese -- that's what people like in British films, the dottiness...It's good, because personally I have dottiness in spades." (More here
In The Times, documentary-maker Lucy Walker gives an interview about her shocking new film Countdown to Zero. The doc, which explores the threat of nuclear warfare facing the world today, features interviews with a notorious nuclear smuggler from Russia now in a Georgian prison, and Walker explains how she managed to gain access.
" To get into the prison, she had to spend many nights in the bars and restaurants of Tbilisi, drinking wine out of animal horns and making endless toasts about things she couldn’t understand, and can’t remember, with Georgia’s nuclear investigators and top cops. “Drinking in Georgia goes on all night long until people start falling over,” she notes."
Read the rest of the article here.
Firstly, Stephen Frears spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about his latest film Tamara Drewe, which had its debut screening at the festival (out of competition). Frears talks about how he took Tamara Drewe from the pages of The Guardian to the big screen, and what it is people love about British films.
"What people really like about British film is the loonies on screen. Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, maybe John Cleese -- that's what people like in British films, the dottiness...It's good, because personally I have dottiness in spades." (More here
In The Times, documentary-maker Lucy Walker gives an interview about her shocking new film Countdown to Zero. The doc, which explores the threat of nuclear warfare facing the world today, features interviews with a notorious nuclear smuggler from Russia now in a Georgian prison, and Walker explains how she managed to gain access.
" To get into the prison, she had to spend many nights in the bars and restaurants of Tbilisi, drinking wine out of animal horns and making endless toasts about things she couldn’t understand, and can’t remember, with Georgia’s nuclear investigators and top cops. “Drinking in Georgia goes on all night long until people start falling over,” she notes."
Read the rest of the article here.
Monday, 17 May 2010
Landis and Fiennes show two sides of British cinema
A tale of two filmmakers appeared in the press over the weekend, with American John Landis and Brit Sophie Fiennes recounting differing experiences of the UK film industry.
Whilst Landis struggled to get Hollywood to finance any of his films, he found British indies were more receptive, "because they still take risks and make interesting movies." Landis was offered the opportunity to remake Burke and Hare, which is released later this year.
Fiennes’s experience was less satisfying however, with the director unable to secure British funding for her documentary Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow, which is now at Cannes. She instead turned to France and the Netherlands, and said in an interview, “there is nowhere to go in Britain”.
Read more here and here.
Whilst Landis struggled to get Hollywood to finance any of his films, he found British indies were more receptive, "because they still take risks and make interesting movies." Landis was offered the opportunity to remake Burke and Hare, which is released later this year.
Fiennes’s experience was less satisfying however, with the director unable to secure British funding for her documentary Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow, which is now at Cannes. She instead turned to France and the Netherlands, and said in an interview, “there is nowhere to go in Britain”.
Read more here and here.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Jeremy Hunt appointed as Culture Secretary
Jeremy Hunt has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.
Mr Hunt, who is a member of the Conservative party, takes over from Labour's Ben Bradshaw.
In an interview on the DCMS website, Mr Hunt spoke of his delight at taking on the role - having previously held the same position in the Shadow cabinet - and gave his views on the creative sector.
“Our sectors – particularly creative industries, culture and tourism – are vital elements in the UK’s economic recovery. I know there is an incredible appetite for change across the country and I want the department to be at the forefront of making it happen.”
More here.
Mr Hunt, who is a member of the Conservative party, takes over from Labour's Ben Bradshaw.
In an interview on the DCMS website, Mr Hunt spoke of his delight at taking on the role - having previously held the same position in the Shadow cabinet - and gave his views on the creative sector.
“Our sectors – particularly creative industries, culture and tourism – are vital elements in the UK’s economic recovery. I know there is an incredible appetite for change across the country and I want the department to be at the forefront of making it happen.”
More here.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Julie Noon documents Tobacco's Child Workers
Channel 4's Unreported World is renowned for uncovering global issues that would otherwise go unnoticed, and this week the series focuses on the illegal employment of Malawian children in the tobacco industry.
Julie Noon, the director of Tobacco's Child Workers travelled to the impoverished African country with reporter Jenny Kleeman, to discover how children as young as three are producing tobacco, which is then bought by British tobacco companies and smoked by British smokers. Julie sent us some pictures from her time filming there, which we are including here.
Tobacco's Child Workers is broadcast at 7:35pm on Friday 14th May. Click here to find out more. If you've directed a programme you'd like to tell us about, please get in touch.
Julie Noon, the director of Tobacco's Child Workers travelled to the impoverished African country with reporter Jenny Kleeman, to discover how children as young as three are producing tobacco, which is then bought by British tobacco companies and smoked by British smokers. Julie sent us some pictures from her time filming there, which we are including here.
Tobacco's Child Workers is broadcast at 7:35pm on Friday 14th May. Click here to find out more. If you've directed a programme you'd like to tell us about, please get in touch.
Slumdog success, but who are the Millionaires?
Just how British is Robin Hood? Or Slumdog Millionaire? The Independent explores the issue today in an article that reveals the relationship between British productions and the American money that funds them.
The feature, which includes an interview with director J Blakeson, deconstructs the distribution of profits from co-pros such as Slumdog..., and what it is that constitutes a "British film".
Blakeson, whose film The Disappearance of Alice Creed is in cinemas now, said: "We just have lots of little companies: producers rarely actually make any money. British film technicians often work on blockbusters to pay the mortgage, then British films for fun."
Read more here.
The feature, which includes an interview with director J Blakeson, deconstructs the distribution of profits from co-pros such as Slumdog..., and what it is that constitutes a "British film".
Blakeson, whose film The Disappearance of Alice Creed is in cinemas now, said: "We just have lots of little companies: producers rarely actually make any money. British film technicians often work on blockbusters to pay the mortgage, then British films for fun."
Read more here.
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