Film Four Questions

1. What is Film4's remit (its reason and purpose for being)?

Film 4 is a production house and a channel that produces and broadcasts alternative films. They offer a distinctive range of mainstream and independent films; 'Alternative, and challenging films.' Their aim is to be 'committed to enhancing the British film making industry by nurturing and funding new talent.'

2. What types of films are green-lighted by Film4? Give examples of films and genres.

Film 4's biggest films to date are; 'Slumdog Millionaire' a British drama about a young Indian man from he slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of 'Who wants to be a millionaire?' the movie combines elements of crime and adventure, it is an alternative film. Also '127 Hours' which is a biographical survival drama film about a canyoneer that becomes trapped by a boulder in an isolated slot canyon, and was eventually forced to amputate his own arm in order to set people free, this would also be classed as an alternative story. And also 'The Inbetweeners movie' which is a British comedy film based on the E4 series. The film is about four teenage lads going on a lads holiday to Crete after their final year at school together.

3. Why is Tessa Ross regarded as "the mother of British film-making" and therefore instrumental for Film4's success?
Tessa Ross is a 47 year old woman who is the controller of Film Four. She has become like a mother figure to Britain's film industry, nurturing new talent and nursing more established directors who might be feeling unloved. She is not uncomfortable with being seen in a maternal role. "I'd like that, I think that's the right way, isn't it?" she says. "It's all about nurturing. This should be a very cosy place, it should be the safe place. If you can't make mistakes here at home, where can you?" Her hard work and pioneering achievements were recognized when Slumdog Millionaire won all of it's awards.  Tessa Ross, more than anyone else, was responsible for making this remarkable film project happen. It was Ross who brought all the ingredients together and had the vision to imagine what might result: the originality of Vikas Swarup's novel Q&A.

4. How much is Film4's yearly budget and how much of it did "Slumdog Millionaire take up? ( Be careful with this one as co-productions, UK Lottery money and deals with Pathe, etc. helps make Film4's budget stretch further!)
Film Fours annual budget is £15m, Slumdog millionaire cost them???

5. Why does Film4 form partnerships with other companies/individuals?
Film Four forms parternerships with other companies/individuals in order to gain funding through synergy, spreading the cost of making a film as they have a very low budget. A perfect example of this was when Film Four made 'Slumdog Millionaire' where Film 4 worked along side with Celador Films (an independent production company) and Warner Bros in order to make the film.

6. What is the future for Film4 - budget and film-wise?If this question would've been asked 5 years ago, then I would've said bleak. However due to the recent success of films such as The Inbetweeners, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, Film Four have received a slight financial boost, and they have proven to the film industry that they can make multi-national successful films. All that needs to happen now, is for one very wealthy British entrepreneur to take a risk and invest in the British film industry to really get the ball rolling. Richard Branson would be the perfect man to do so.