UK Film Production Falls

Films starring Jude Law, Keira Knightly and Johnny Depp are all forced to flee abroad or shut down production altogether.

Jan 20 2005

The number of movies made in the UK fell by 40% in 2004, with John Madden's 'Tulip Fever' and a big screen adaptation of 'Brideshead Revisited' both becoming victims of the closure of important tax loopholes.

According to Screen Daily, 45 films were made in the UK in 2003, yet only a measly 27 went into production last year.

UK and US co-productions also fell in the same period, from more than 100 in 2003 to 81 in 2004.

The depressing figures are mainly due to a drop in tax-based financing following the closure of loopholes that encouraged investors to put their money into UK production.

The expiration of the three National Lottery franchises is also thought to have contributed to the downturn in production, as home-grown projects are increasingly being forced abroad.

The sudden and immediate drop in funds last year saw Johnny Depp's 'The Libertine' head to the Isle of Man for relief, and 'Tulip Fever', which was to star Jude Law, Keira Knightley and Jim Broadbent, forced to shut down production altogether.

It is unclear if this distressing turn of events will continue in 2005, but much depends on the replacement legislation for Section 48, which dealt with film tax relief in the UK.

In the meantime the government has introduced sizable subsidies (worth up to £4 million) for less expensive productions, but whether that will be enough to stop the rot remains to be seen.