Channel 4 and the British Film Industry, 1982-1998 - by Laura Mayne (Hardcover)

About the Book

A comprehensive study of Channel 4's film production, distribution and broadcasting activities from 1982 to 1998.

Book Synopsis

This monograph offers the first ever comprehensive study of Channel 4's film production, distribution and broadcasting activities and represents a significant contribution to British cinema and television history. The importance of Channel 4 to the British film industry over the last 40 years cannot be overstated. The birth of the Channel in 1982 heralded a convergence between the UK film and television sectors which was particularly notable given that the two industries had historically been at loggerheads. In addition to its role as a broadcaster and curator of feature film programming, since its inception Channel 4 has funded or co-funded hundreds of feature films through its film commissioning arm, Film4. The Channel's commitment to financing between 15-20 films per year helped form the backbone of the ailing film sector throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, while Film4 funding has also been instrumental to the success of many companies which have become vital to the British film industry.

From the Back Cover

In addition to its role as a broadcaster and curator of feature film programming, since its inception in 1982 Channel 4 has funded or co-funded over 500 feature films through its film commissioning arm, Film4. Film4's commitment to financing films helped form the backbone of the ailing British film sector throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, while Film4 funding has also been instrumental to the success of independent companies which have become vital to the British film industry, some of which (most notably Working Title) are still operating today. Film4-backed productions have helped to define the identity of British national cinema, while the transatlantic popularity of films like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Slumdog Millionaire and 12 Years a Slave have helped forge an identity for British cinema on the international stage. This book is the first comprehensive study of Channel 4's film production, distribution and broadcasting activities from 1982 to 1998, and as such represents a significant contribution to British film and television history. Laura Mayne is a Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Hull.

Review Quotes

It is precisely this breadth of perspective that distinguishes Mayne's book from earlier studies of Channel 4's activities.--Nathan Townsend "Journal of British Cinema and Television"

"With this book, Laura Mayne offers a compelling assessment of the role that the iconic British television network, Channel 4, played in British film culture from its inception in the 1980s up until the late 90s. Pooling from a wealth of primary materials and written in engaging prose, this is a detailed, accessible, and much-needed work of British media historiography."

--Johnny Walker, Associate Professor of Media and Film at Northumbria University, and author of Rewind, Replay: Britain and the Video Boom, 1978-92

About the Author

Laura Mayne is a Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Hull