DB7

British film industry gets its own magazine

Dominic Timms
Tuesday April 26, 2005


British Film Magazine: first issue contains a diary by Stephen Fry and an article by Barry Norman

They've talked it up for decades but now some of the leading supporters of British film are putting their weight behind a new magazine extolling the virtues of the films made in the UK.

Tessa Jowell, David Puttnam, Stephen Fry and Mike Figgis have put pen to paper for the new publication, British Film Magazine, which goes on sale at the end of the month.

The brainchild of former PR-turned-journalist Terence Doyle, the magazine hopes to take on both industry titles like Sight & Sound and Screen International, and consumer stalwarts such as Empire and Total Film.

"There is a fantastic range and number of films being made in Britain today, yet nobody is shouting about them," said Doyle.
"The trade magazines are largely focused on Sexy Beast side, while consumer titles tend to be very Hollywood driven."

Doyle said he hoped to sell around 50,000 copies of British Film Magazine, more than the trade titles but fewer than the 205,000 that Empire sells every month.

"Over 5 million people go to the cinema in the UK every month; 50,000 is just 1% [of that]. I don't think that's a lot."

Doyle said the magazine had the support of organisations including the Film Council and the British Council but was being financially backed by unnamed individuals via film specialists Baker Street Media Finance.

"No British film gets made without the involvement of several backers and that's going to be true of any magazine about British film," he said.

He added that the company behind the magazine, Excellence in Media, was looking for about £500,000 from between 20 and 30 individual investors and planned to go monthly from September.

Distributed by Comag, the first issue goes on sale on April 28 through specialist film outlets and retailers such as Borders bookshops.

With launches in London and Cannes, the first issue is split 80/20 in favour of editorial.

Stephen Fry writes a diary in the first issue, which features Keira Knightley on the cover and additional pieces by Barry Norman and Nik Powell, the producer of Calendar Girls

Gibbie

Puttnam's article should be an interesting read.

It would be interesting to get a write up from Michael Apted on 49 Up.

Perhaps James Mason's son could set the story right about top 40 hits and being the child of a heavy weight actor.

Also, it would be nice to see a feature on one of my favorite TV/Movie actresses, Jane Merrow, who moved back from America to lead her ailing father's business. That shows character. A healthy vision of both sides of the proscenium arch gives a healthy dose of reality about the life of people in film.

Perhaps they can interview our very own Pam and land a leading lady position for her!

And, perhaps they can have a where are they now column. Like where are all the actors from To Sir With Love, etc.

Can't forget location - they need Marky B to be the reporter who writes articles about movie locations - I think he would prefer to be writing from a location pub.
And, Decks can be the film commentator about the latest filmings from the West Country. And, of course, DB and Steve, will give the history of it all with Dave's poolside commentary from Aus (BritFilm auslander).

Wetherby Pond

There's a Borders just down the road from where I work - I'll see if I can snap up a copy tomorrow.

Wetherby Pond

Tried two branches this lunch time with no luck - anyone else managed to get a copy?

Marky B

Can't forget location - they need Marky B to be the reporter who writes articles about movie locations - I think he would prefer to be writing from a location pub.

And what,pray,are you implying,sir
Marky B

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

The_Late_Peter_Cook

Sadly I don't live near a 'Borders' (I take it that's a book store chain ala Waterstones?) and my nearest WH Smiths doesn't even stock 'Sight And Sound' (well I guess it would take away space from the endless 'lifestyle' mag's with their totty filled covers) let alone this one.

AlisaRussianGoldielocks

Really?Does it worth reading?If it does,how can I subscribe for it?

Gibbie

Only in the best sense.

Your favourite travel stopovers. Gives the article more atmosphere.

Gibbie

[attachmentid=43]

http://www.britishfilm-magazine.com/

Steve Crook

But has anybody found a copy in the shops yet?

Steve

Freddy

Gibbie could be our very own Stateside reviewer as he's often in a state
Far too much grape juice.

Freddy
I have nothing to say but want to say it anyway

"What I owe you Colonel Lawrence, is beyond evaluation."

Gibbie

As a last resort, you can order online.

Gibbie

Gladly ole chum!

Wetherby Pond

I've finally got hold of a copy... and I'm distinctly underwhelmed.

It's clearly going for an Empire look and feel, and it's certainly very slick and glossy, but I can't see too many subscriptions being sold on the strength of the actual content, which is mostly a series of bland puff-pieces about what's currently happening in British cinema, a suspiciously high proportion of which are credited to editor Terence Doyle.

My biggest beef with it is the near-total lack of acknowledgement that British films existed before Keira Knightley came on the scene. There's a page reviewing the BFI Film Classics on If... and Withnail & I, a review of Matthew Sweet's Shepperton Babylon, plus a half-page piece on the Mitchell & Kenyon story - which is dominated by a massive still: the minimal text reads like a press release, which is what I suspect it originally was. There are also some brief reminiscences ('Admit One') by Barry Norman, David Puttnam, Melvyn Bragg and Colin Vaines... and, as Private Eye would say, "er... that's it".

You'd think an article entitled 'A Century of Loveable Brits in Film' would address this problem single-handed, wouldn't you? But... well, let's just list the titles it namechecks, in chronological order of release: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sense and Sensibility, The Full Monty, Bean, Billy Elliot, Chicken Run, Saving Grace, Bend It Like Beckham, The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - in other words, this "century" spans 1994-2005. Oh, and there's a brief acknowledgement of the existence of James Bond, but somehow I suspect the writer imagines him being played by Pierce Brosnan.

Enough carping - what are the good points? Well, there's a nice piece on how British actors often only achieve international fame late in life (Bill Nighy, Brenda Blethyn, Jim Broadbent et al, a curiously bland piece by Stephen Fry on hosting the BAFTAs (I suspect he didn't want to rock any boats), a too-brief interview with the director of Colour Me Kubrick (who actually knew the great man, and consequently has something halfway interesting to say), and I suppose some people might fancy a lavishly-illustrated seven-page rundown on the thirty hottest names in British cinema, though the text is an IMDB cut-and-paste job: lots of titles, precious little actual content.

Much the same is true of many of the articles - Nik Powell has had an amazing career, and is well worth profiling, but the actual piece tells you next to nothing other than that he's a very busy man and is the director of the National Film and Television School. Stuff I might actually want to know - for instance, how he's managed to keep afloat as a producer for 25 years despite taking some notable creative risks right from his very first film, The Company of Wolves - is almost completely ignored.

So I'd recommend actually leafing through a copy before parting with your four quid - though as a public service for those who might not get the chance, this is the complete contents list:

THE PROGRAMME
6. Batman Begins Gotham City UK
10. Barry Norman Admit One: Movie Memories
11. News The Biggest Hits This Summer
16. Mike Figgis Admit One: The Breakthrough with Bonnie

[b]THE BIG SCREEN
17. Britain's Thermal 30 The Hottest Actors in the UK ranked by BFM's Critics Corner
26. David Puttnam Dare to Dream
28. Those Spicy Guys in Brighton Two South Coast lads have big plans says Terence Doyle
32. Welcome to a Very Wacky World Q&A with the director of Colour Me Kubrick
33. Into the Red A ride on the scarlet carpet at the 2005 BAFTAs
35. "And the Winner Is..." UK talent conquers all-comers
37. Stephen Fry says "And I'd like to thank..."
38. A Very British Way of Killing Gangster expert James Mottram finds screen violence in good health
41. Clive Owen & Jude Law Head-to-Head with Matt Wolf
44. Ambitions Flourish Lifelong Quality actors triumph over time according to Henry Fitzherbert
47. Colin Vaines Admit One: Just the Ticket!
48. A Century of Loveable Brits in Film Underdogs make the best heroes, suggests Terence Doyle
50. Melvyn Bragg Admit One: Snow White to Vera Drake

MAKING MOVIES
51. Cheering from the Front Line How four adventurous filmmakers triumphed
54. Black and White is Beautiful Trevor Leighton, photographer extraordinaire
56. Spooky! Spooky! Aliens & Predators from Paul W. Anderson and Jeremy Bolt
58. Trailblazer Nick Moran goes round the world in a year
62. The Great Persuader Nik Powell shares his secrets with Philip Trevena
64. One Man Film Factory Michael Winterbottom is appraised by Jason Solomons
66. The Time is Right! Make your short film, says Clifford Thurlow
67. One Couple's Short Journey Mark Streets describes his long lesson in shorts
68. Confessions of a Serial Brand Placer Tork Shaw spots an opportunity
70. Securing the Sets Kay Brown talks about making Heidi look good
72. Music Man Knows the Score DJ Anni Hogan meets composer Barry Adamson
73. Hitting the High Notes with movie music magician Craig Armstrong
74. No Easy Way Out Agent Julian Friedmann makes scriptwriting sound easy
75. Danger! Beware! Enter at Your Peril! Terence Doyle's angle on scriptwriting
77. Love the Big Screen Tyrone Walker-Hebborn on the film fan's ultimate toy
78. Quentin Falk Admit One: Strangest Moments

SUPPORT SYSTEMS
79. Burning Celluloid Words of wisdom from the leading organisations serving the British film world

WORD UP
87. Films in Books The best new books to make movies better

BACK TO THE FUTURE
92. DVD News Reviews of the best DVDs out now and coming soon
96. Coming Soon A look ahead to the next big movies
100. Fade Out News Snippets, gossip and rumours

sanndevil

Leafed through it at Borders in Kingston and thought it was completedly Pony and Trap. Not worthy of four quid of mine, but did leave we wondering how they are going to flog their target of 50,000 copies a month. Don't want to sound negative but....my guess says it won't get to issue 12 in its current guise.

Mind you, I also reported after seeing an advance screening that BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM would disappear without trace and never make its money back. So, what do I know?