Case Study

The Kings Speech – Max Hill

The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Awards:                  Academy Awards:                  Best Picture

Best Actor (Colin Firth)

                                                                                          Best Director (Tom Hooper)

                                                                                          Best Original Screen Play (David Seidler)

                                    Golden Globe:                                    Best Actor (Colin Firth)

                                    Screen Actors Guild:                  Best Assembled Cast

                                                                                          Best Actor (Colin Firth)

Director: Tom Hooper (recent Director of film, more TV series, risk)

Writer: David Seidler  (current Writer of film and TV, slight risk although storyline based on fact)

Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter (huge actors in the business)

Production:                   The Weinstein Company

                                    The UK Film Council

Funding:                   “The UK Film Council awarded The King's Speech £1,021,080 of Lottery funding. The UK Film Council stands to recoup 100% of its investment plus significant net profits, all of which will be reinvested in the British film industry, creating jobs and supporting UK businesses.”

                                    UK Film Council (National Lottery)

“London’s Prescience Film Finance stepped in to provide two-thirds of the film’s £9 million ($14.5 million) budget using its £25 million Aegis Film Fund.”

London’s Prescience Film Finance & Aegis Film Fund

See Saw Films

Momentum Pictures

Bedlam Production

Fujifilm

(Shares and Quango/UK Film Council)

Figures:                   Budget:                                     £9,000,000

                                    Opening Weekend:                   £3,523,103 (395 screens)

                                    Gross:                                                      £44,407,313 (UK March 2011)

                                                                                          £86,000,000 (US May 2011)

The King's Speech was an iconic british film of last summer. However the funds weren't necessarily there for this film to be a guarantied hit! However is it great to see that there are still funds being donated tot he arts and the turnaround can be extraordinary, like this film for example. Using this we are able to see that we could apply for fund to help the production and distribution of our film, being quaintly british. Hypothetically of course, but we do not dwell on large sums of money for our film to be produced, a low budget look is what we need to convey a realistic atmosphere, however new media technology is expensive and for our film to compete with the likes of main stream, high budget films these may be needed.