The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985

The Money Behind the Screen maps the changing landscape of film finance in Britain during a transformative period for the film industry. It is the first book to document the sources of finance for film-making, the relations between film producers and financiers, and the wider fiscal and economic landscape of the British film production industry. It covers a period characterised by recurrent crises for the British film industry which also saw profound and far-reaching changes in the provision of film finance, including the establishment of state support mechanisms for British producers (the National Film Finance Corporation and the Eady levy), the shift from producer-finance to distributor-finance, and the growth of American investment in the British production sector. The book explores three interrelated aspects of the history of film finance: the institutional and economic structure of the production sector of the industry; the sources of production finance, including private and public capital and British and foreign investment; and the role of government in providing support for film production. It is an essential reference work for anyone studying the British film industry.

Author: James Chapman
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Published: 02/12/2024
Pages: 416
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.61h x 6.69w x 0.85d
ISBN: 9781399500777

About the Author
Chapman, James: - James Chapman is Professor of Film Studies at the University of Leicester. His previous books include Licence To Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films (3rd edition 2024) and The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985 (2022).