Major new report shows that UK film contributes over £4.5 billion to UK GDP, supports 100,000 jobs and is weathering recession well

The Film Agency for Wales has welcomed figures released by the UK Film Council showing that the UK film industry contributes a total of over £4.5 billion a year to UK GDP and more than £1.2 billion to the Exchequer.

The Economic Impact of the UK Film Industry – an independent report published by Oxford Economics and commissioned by the UK Film Council, Pinewood Shepperton plc, Framestore, Cinesite and Double Negative – concludes that the UK film industry is substantial, is weathering
the recession well, and its long-term trend is one of strong growth and expansion.

The report also concludes that the UK’s film tax relief is vital to sustaining current levels of global competitiveness and job creation. Without the UK film tax relief in place, UK GDP would be reduced by around £1.4 billion a year. That compares with a current cost of the film tax relief of around £110 million a year, meaning that an extra £13 in GDP is generated for every £1 invested.

Commenting on the report’s findings, Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales, Pauline Burt said, “The creative industries are a British success story and an on-going significant opportunity. In Wales, we are seeing an increasingly strong film sector, supported both by Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to the creative industries and lottery funding, distributed by the Film Agency on behalf of the Arts Council of Wales. Together this support encourages significant spend in Wales, with major features such as Robin Hood, Clash of the Titans and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows amongst the 13 features that have shot in Wales between March 2009 and April 2010, bringing an investment of some £11.5 million. In addition to which, we are building on the infrastructure for film – supporting Welsh writers, directors, producers and production companies who originate films from Wales; supporting company sustainability with business programmes such as Film Junction; working with cinema exhibitors across Wales to facilitate the roll-out of Digital Cinema across the Principality; and developing film education programmes, that build our audiences of the future. It is a holistic approach to an industry that has widespread economic, cultural and educational value.”

As the lead body for film in and of Wales, the Film Agency works with partners including BBC Wales, S4C, Film London, Film4, UK Film Council and the Wales IP Fund along with international co-producers, financiers and sales agents. Recent successes include Hattie Dalton’s Third Star, from debut Welsh writer-producer Vaughan Sivell of Western Edge Pictures, which has been selected as the prestigious closing night film at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. Other recent successes include the multi-award winning Mugabe and the White African from Welsh producer, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock of Arturi Films; and Welsh director, Gideon Koppel’s Sleep Furiously, which has travelled the world and culminated in winning The Guardian First Film Award, whose short-list of 100 films from around the world, included two Oscar contenders.

Tim Bevan, Chairman of the UK Film Council, concludes: “The report by Oxford Economics highlights the financial and cultural benefits of a vibrant British film sector, driving growth and productivity across the creative industries. With world-class film facilities, a highly-skilled workforce and effective government support, including a film tax relief that provides certainty for business, the British film industry is firing on all cylinders and is well-placed to play an increasingly valuable role helping the UK economy grow in the years ahead.”

Film courses are available at manu universities in Wales; Aberystwyth offers courses in Film & Television Studies; at Bangor University's National Institute of for Excellence courses are available in Media, Film and Cinema Studies; Swansea Metropolitan University offers courses in Computer Animation; the University of Glamorgan's Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries housed in the redesigned and refurbished building ATRiuM, is part of the £35m development plan which opened in October 2007. The School is the first of its kind in Wales and the UK to be specifically created to service the needs of the creative industries, and will position the University of Glamorgan as a leading provider for this growing sectoroffers a range of courses related to the film industry; University of Wales Lampeter courses include Screenwriting and Film & Media and the International Film School of Wales at University of Wales Newport is the leading institution for the promotion and development of the film and performance culture of Wales through high-level education, research and training, and celebrated 40 years of quality filmmaking in 2006. The Screen Academy of Wales (SSAW) and its partner institutions the University of Wales Newport, University of Glamorgan, Swansea Metropolitan University and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama offers a unique appraoch to teaching film by allowing students the opportunity to study for degrees whilst working in the film industry.

Further information on all courses is available here