Farewell film finance?
The axing of the UK Film Council sent a shock wave through the industry. Trawling the internet to hear the debate going on it is clear that for many this was not their favourite funding body.
But it was not just a funding source. The UK Film Council was also there to promote and develop the British film industry.
That the Con-Dem government thought so little of the film industry that it would axe a major support body without consultation sends dangerous messages around the world. Film financing and producing is a long haul business. We’ve seen before that the threat to tax incentives can lead to a bad employment year.
The film industry bucked trends in the last years to show steady growth in revenue and in film attendance. This means employment. And employment means taxes are paid.
Is this government so enamoured of making sure government is ‘small’ that it will rush it’s way into destroying hard realised gains?
Unfortunately the answer is turning out to be yes.
19 August 2010
Categories: Film
