Annex 1
UK FILM COUNCIL—DEFINITION OF SPECIALISED
FILM
The UK market, in common with most others around
the world, is generally driven by mainstream, US studio-originated
material, In such a context, specialised films offer audiences
a different experience of cinema. Such films are often characterised
by an innovative cinematic style and by an engagement with challenging
subject matter. As such, specialised films will challenge and
educate audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
The UK Film Council's definition of "specialised"
in this context, therefore, is quite broad and relates to those
films that do not sit easily within a mainstream and highly commercial
genre. They may be characterised as being predominantly from the
independent production sector (although they may be being handled
by a mainstream, studio-based distributor), or made with a relatively
low production budget (eg as compared to a Hollywood production),
and have a focus that is more script and character than effect
and event driven and might be expected to appeal at present to
a more narrow audience segment than a more mainstream film.
Specifically the UK Film Council will consider
the following criteria when assessing whether or not a film qualifies
as Specialised.
FOREIGH LANGUAGE
WITH SUBTITLES
In almost all circumstances a film of this type
will be classified as "specialised". Examples include:
Hero, Downfall, The Consequences of Love, Aaltra, etc.
DOCUMENTARIES
Again, under almost all circumstances documentaries
will be classified as specialised. Examples include: Fahrenheit
9/11, Touching the Void, Super Size Me, Tarnation etc.
ARCHIVE/CLASS
FILMS
Notwithstanding the focus of the original film
or the language it is presented in, and the audience which today
it might appeal to, archive or classic films will be regarded
as specialised. Examples might include: The Leopard, Gone With
The Wind, The Big Red One, etc.
For films that do not fall into these categories,
other criteria will be appliced. Specifically consideration will
be given to:
GENRE
Whereas mainstream films might be regarded as
falling within popular and recognisable genres (eg Comedy, Romance,
Period, Crime/Thriller, Horror, Actioln, Sci-Fi). Specialised
films are often less easy to define and thus more difficult to
categories in this way. Examples include: 21 Grams, American
Splendor, Enduring Love, Somersault etc.
HOOK OR
USP
With mainstream films, the subject matter is
generally immediately obvious, appealing and easy to communicate
to audiences. Specialised films often deal with more complex and
challenging subject matters that are less easy to communicate.
Examples include: the Station Agent, Garden State, Solaris,
Palindromes etc.
CINEMATIC STYLE
Within the mainstream genre, the film's narrative
and conematic style are generally quite straightforward, uncomplex,
conventional and with high production values. Specialised films
are often characterised as having a more innovative or unconventional
storytelling style or aesthetic and may deviate from the straightforward
narrative structure found in mainstream cinema. Overall, the film
is more dependent on story, character development and a challenging
subject matter than on high production values, effects and star
names. For example: Sideways, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind, I Heart Huckabees, Elephant, Dogville etc.
|
