^ I saw about this earlier.

So what would it's impact be on film makers in the UK like you Mike?

Well, the UKFC hasn't been helpful to me. If anything they've been a hindrance (which is a story in itself). On occasion I've been left feeling like I've been used as a statistic on a spreadsheet as part of justifying someone's job somewhere. That's why I've chosen not to apply to any kind of funding for quite a while. This is despite, in an independent report commissioned by North West Vision and Media (our regional screen agency), that we were given a glowing report - our only negative being we didn't have any capital.

But to be quite honest, the abolition of the UKFC doesn't affect me at all because we're working outside of the system. It may have a positive effect on the industry in the long run, it may not. I may benefit, I may not. I don't think I can lose anything personally as I don't really have anything to lose. Anything I did have, was lost years ago thanks to the UKFC. All I can do is continue down the alternative path we've been given, and hope there's a future in it.

All the UKFC has done with me is taken, and given very little in return. Which, is quite disgusting given that I'm not flush with money and the salaries that these middle management types are on, are huge. And for what?

Today it's been said that they spend £3million on bureaucracy alone, and these changes will mean that this money goes towards filmmaking rather than someone's over inflated salary in an expensive office (some of these offices are crazy in their excess). To be quite honest I'd rather give that £3million to the national health service.

David Puttnam has come out and stated a load of twaddle as usual, but that's expected as he knows where his bread is buttered. The likes of him have been annoying filmmakers for decades with their agenda laden views. As you can see in this piece of documentary from a while ago...



I don't see how someone who genuinely loves the idea of their country having a successful sustainable film industry, can say the UKFC will be missed. The UKFC is an organization set up with mainly American interests with a board that includes a member of Rupert Murdoch's family. It's quite frankly, despicable and reeks of the worst kind of selling out.

The sad thing is that if Hollywood's interests aren't protected, they may decide to pull out of making films in London, and there will be less work for our technicians and suchlike. However, if we want a working film industry in this country we cannot continue to be a service industry to Hollywood, that makes a few art pictures every year.