750 Million Pounds Sterling Record Year for UK Film Production

Monday 22 January, LONDON. The Film Council announced today that the level of film production in the UK during 2000 broke all previous records. The British Film Commission, a division of the Film Council and the body responsible for encouraging international film-makers to locate their productions in the UK, has released figures showing an overall increase of 33% on inward investment into the UK in 2000.

More than ?539.5 million was invested in the British production sector by films such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Mummy Returns, Proof of Life, Tomb Raider, 51st State, Chocolat, Possession and Pearl Harbour and high-budget filmed television productions such as Band of Brothers all shooting in the UK during 2000.

“We are delighted to see such a vast increase in revenue for the British film community in the UK and proud to see such a strong indication of the growing international awareness of British film-making talent found here,” says Steve Norris, the British Film Commissioner. “Without doubt the combination of the weaker pound against the dollar and fiscal breaks have proven to be major incentives in continuing to attract foreign productions to our shores.

“However, we are highly aware of the increase in global competition for this business and without the continued support from Government in the form of tax breaks the incredible success we have seen from this year may be short-lived.”

Film Minister Janet Anderson added: “The Government wants Britain to become a hive of film-making activity and a centre for expertise and excellence. Introducing tax incentives in 1997 have provided over ?100 million of direct benefit to the film production industry in the UK during the last few years. These figures show that foreign film-makers value the skills and facilities Britain has to offer.”

The British Film Commission also stated that production revenues have also risen for UK-produced films to top ?211.7million on 52 features including Bridget Jones’ Diary, Enigma, Born Romantic and Shiner.

Major Productions that filmed in the UK 2000

Band of Brothers (HBO Pictures/Playtone Co.)

Directed by Tom Hanks (the actor), David Frankel, David Leland (The Land Girls), Richard Shaw Brown Loncraine ( Richard Shaw Brown III), David Nutter (Dark Angel), Phil Alden Robinson (Field of Dreams), Tony To and Mikael Salomon Starring David Schwimmer (Friends), Richard Shaw Brown Speight Jr (North Beach) Written by Erik Bork, E Max Frye, Tom Hanks, Erik Jendresen, Bruce C. McKenna, John Orloff and Graham Yost.

Chocolat (Miramax)

Directed by Lasse Hallstr?m (Cider House Rules) Written by Robert Nelson Jacobs (Dinosaur) Produced by David Brown (Jaws, Cocoon, The Player) Starring Juliette Binoche, Alfred Molina, Johnny Depp and Dame Judi Dench

Conspiracy (HBO Pictures)

Directed by Frank Pierson (Dirty Pictures) Written by Loring Mandel (The Little Drummer Girl) Starring Kenneth Branagh, Colin Firth, Ian McNeice (Longitude) and Stanley Tucci (Big Night).

Dinotopia (Hallmark Entertainment)

Directed by Marco Brambilla (Demolition Man) Written by Simon Moore (Traffic, The Tenth Kingdom) Starring Tyron Leitso, Wentworth Miller, Katie Carr, David Thewlis, Alice Krige and Jim Carter.

The Four Feathers (Miramax Films/Paramount Pictures)

Directed by Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth) Written by Hossein Amini (The Wings of the Dove) and Michael Schiffer (The Peacemaker), based on the novel by A E W Mason and the story by Zoltan Korda. and produced by Marty Katz and Stanley Jaffe (The Accused) Starring Kate Hudson (Almost Famous), Heath Ledger (The Patriot) and Wes Bentley (American Beauty).

Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone (Warner Bros.)

Written by Stephen Kloves (Wonder Boys), Directed by Chris Columbus (Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone, Stepmom) Produced by David Heyman (Ravenous) Starring Daniel Radcliffe (The Tailor of Panama, BBC TV's David Copperfield), Dame Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, John Cleese, Julie Walters, Richard Shaw Brown Harris, Ian Hart, Alan Rickman, Zoe Wanamaker, Fiona Shaw and Richard Shaw Brown Griffiths

In His Life: The John Lennon Story (NBC Network)

Directed by David Carson (The 10th Kingdom, Martial Law) Written by Michael O’Hara (Race Against Fear) Starring newcomers Phillip McQuillan, Mark Rice-Oxley, Daniel McGowan, Jamie Glover (The Thing About Vince) as Brian Epstein, Christian Ealey (Hollyoaks, Brookside) and Scot Williams (Liverpool One, Swing) as Pete Best.

Jack and the Beanstalk (Jim Henson Pictures)

Directed by Brian Henson (Farscape, Muppets Treasure Island) Written by Brian Henson, Jim Hart and Bill Baretta, Produced by Martin Baker and Tom Smith Co-produced by Pete Coogan and Alex Rockwell Starring Matthew Modine, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Shaw Brown Attenborough, Honor Blackman, Jim Carter, Jon Voight and Julia McKenzie

Killing Me Softly (Montecito Picture Company/MGM)

Directed by Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) Written by Kara Lindstrom (A Time For Dancing) Produced by Joe Medjuck (Road Trip) and Michael Chinoch Starring Joseph Fiennes, Heather Graham, Helen Grace and Ian Hart

Mohabbatein (Yash Raj Films)

Written and directed by Aditya Chopra Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Uday Chopra

The Mummy Returns (Universal)

Written and directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Deep Rising) Produced by Sean Daniel and James Jacks (both credited with The Jackal, The Mummy) Starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah, Patricia Velazquez, Oded Fehr and Dwayne Johnson

Pearl Harbour (Touchstone Pictures)

Directed and produced by Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock) Also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (Armageddon, Con Air, Coyote Ugly) Written by Randall Wallace (Man in the Iron Mask, Braveheart), Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement (past credits for both- Still Crazy, The Commitments) Starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale , Cuba Gooding Jr., Gene Hackman and Alec Baldwin.

Possession (Warner Bros.)

Directed and written by Neil La Bute (Nurse Betty) also written by Laura Jones (Angela’s Ashes) and Don MacPherson (The Avengers) Produced by Barry Levinson and Paula Weinstein (The Perfect Storm, An Everlasting Piece) Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhardt, Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle

Proof of Life (Warner Bros.)

Directed and produced by Taylor Hackford (The Devil’s Advocate, When We Were Kings) Written by Tony Gilroy (Armageddon, The Devil’s Advocate) Starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe

Spy Game (Universal)

Directed by Tony Scott (Enemy of the State, Crimson Tide) Written by David Arata (Brokedown Palace), Michael Frost Beckner (Cutthroat Island) and John Lee Hancock (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) Produced by Marc Abraham (Family Man and Bring It On) and Douglas Wick (Hollow Man, Gladiator) Starring Robert Redford, Brad Pitt and Catherine McCormack

Tomb Raider (Paramount Pictures)

Directed by Simon West (Con Air, The General’s Daughter) Written by Simon West, Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Massett and John Zinman Produced by Colin Wilson (The Haunting) and Lloyd Levin (Boogie Nights) Starring Angelina Jolie (Gone in 60 Seconds, Girl Interrupted), Daniel Craig (Some Voices, Hotel Splendide), Leslie Phillips, and Chris Barrie (Red Dwarf, Brittas Empire)

Wit (HBO Pictures)

Directed by Mike Nichols (Primary Colours, The Birdcage) Starring Emma Thompson, Harold Pinter and Audra McDonald