Announcing 'British Thursdays'....

Dear members, 

The British Film Industry is often spoken about as being 'in crisis'... no funding, no opportunities for actors and filmmakers, students being churned out at an enormous rate, all looking for their place in a saturated arena, a general criticism over the type of films being made.....

But the truth is that more films are being made than ever before.  Why...? 

The technological advancements in digital filmmaking, the price and availability of DSLR cameras, the availability and accessibility of at home software for editing and other post production outlets combined with the sheer will and determination of filmmakers and actors who know it's a fruitless effort to wait for opportunities to land at their feet and have taken the initiative of engineering their own projects, has meant that these days the filmmaker is more like the poet and the artist, able to take ownership of their own creative output and give their talent its chance to shine.

As Dr Stephen Gerrard says in our documentary 'Fires we're Starting...' microbudget films really are keeping the industry afloat.  With further enforcement from writer, director and producer Paul Hills, 'What used to be considered low budget, is now microbudget'.  It's a whole new sub section of the industry.

So is this thunderous outpouring of talent the answer to the problems we all know exist?  Yes, and no.  The advancements mean there are now more British Films being made than ever before.  The problem -  no one is seeing them. 

Very much inspired by our interview for 'Fires we're Starting...' with our patron - the wonderful Paul Hills - we announce 'British Thursdays' our campaign to encourage the exhibitors to pay more attention to independently made 'British Films' and devote one day of the week to giving them a cinematic screening. 

A cinematic screening, even for one night, is the car showroom for a film, meaning that the film, the filmmakers behind it and the actors involved will be considered, discussed, reviewed, critiqued, and their talent given its chance to be noticed and careers to progress. 

It's a long term goal which we aim to make a recognised norm in times to come.
 
Starting with our films:

THE SPOILER (view trailer)
http://vimeo.com/80752378

(and brochure)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n5jko3fly44ldi4/The_Spoiler_Brochure%28online%29.pdf?dl=0

FIRES WE'RE STARTING... (view trailer)
http://vimeo.com/72512763

and the forthcoming:

DROWNING ROOM ONLY (view teaser trailer)
http://vimeo.com/66076483

and the forthcoming 'Misadventure' (view brochure)

MISADVENTURE BROCHURE:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sexvjhfhapixlyn/Misadventure_brochure_online.pdf?dl=0
 

...all films which have aimed to address the problem of the independent filmmaker (F.W.S...) or given showcase platforms to actors and filmmakers alike.

Your involvement as members can start now.  A picture speaks a thousand words.  This newsletter will self generate on the BFA's facebook site - please feel free to put links to your trailers and showreels or post your stills or headshots there to show the country what is being done by those who refused to give up on their life goals.

But more importantly . . .  it is our intention to close 'Fires we're Starting...' with a montage of clips of the work from you, our members, and other indepdentment filmmakers and actors, all of whom made opportunities happen in the face of great obstacles.  The closing montage aims to demonstrate the plethora of acting and filmmaking talent that exists but is not often given the platform it so deserves.  A platform which we aim to create with our new campaign 'British Thursdays'.

Send your clips to the usual address if you'd like them considered for inclusion in the documentary - or post to the Facebook page.  Please keep clips to a few mins only so send your best bits along. 

The 'British Thursdays' campaign reinforces what is fundamental at the core of the BFA's manifesto - being that our geniuses of cinema and our acting greats will not come from sitting in a conference room being 'taught' what it is to be a filmmaker or actor, they will come from us seeing the films they make and being moved and transfixed by their performances.

Microbudget films take a lot of stick. And indeed, at their worst, they can be a breeding ground for badly run productions and exploitative producers wanting to cash in on the ambition of filmmakers and actors in these difficult times. 

But, with care, safety and concern, and by standing together, there is a way through the quagmire.  When organised and executed with fairness and respect for all involved they can also be arenas where independent and alternative filmmakers can explore more diverse and sometimes dangerous ideas and produce work which is challenging and uncompromising.  They're also the place where a future generation of talent can take its first step.  Something that cannot be taught but has to be experienced. 

A remind of the BFA's manifesto at the link below:

http://britishfilmmakersalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/The-BFA-Manifesto.pdf

yours