The 1970s Project

The film industry in Britain during the seventies is usually seen as crisis-ridden and troubled, following the withdrawal of American money at the end of the 1960's. American funds had been propping up the British film industry for years and American influence pervaded all aspects of film production. But was this crisis a product of the 1970's or did it have its roots in a much earlier era? In examining the film industry in the seventies, I want to consider the industry in terms of its production, exhibition and distribution in order to evaluate exactly where the power in the industry resided. This evaluation will involve looking back to key moments of social and cultural change and how they helped cause and further the crisis that developed in the seventies. I shall also consider the impact of government policy on the industry and the support it offered, through the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC) and the Eady Levy. I will also look at the relationship between Britain's domestic film industry with other key players; America, British television and the newly formed EEC. This paper will explore more thoroughly the structure of the film industry and how dependence on external sources of funding affected what films were made.