Film and TV Briefing: Friday 8 March 2024
Welcome to this week’s round-up of news, commentary and industry announcements that you may have missed from the past week.
If you are looking for advice in relation to any of the issues mentioned, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
In the news
Spring Budget: new 40% tax credit for independent film sector announced (Pact)
UK film industry welcomes “momentous” film tax credit (ScreenDaily)
Bectu's Philippa Childs’ response to the Spring Budget (Bectu)
BBC Studios announces that it has acquired full ownership of BritBox International (BBC)
‘Rust’ armourer found guilty of involuntary manslaughter (BBC)
The Oscars continue to widen their scope to include more international filmmakers (Variety)
New report shows the Indian media and entertainment industry has reached $28 billion (Variety)
Adam Sandler reported to be Hollywood's best-paid actor in 2023, according to Forbes (BBC)
Colin Firth’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ shirt sells for £20,000 (The Guardian)
ITV records 60% drop in its annual profits amid advertising slump (The Guardian)
‘Jurassic World 4’ to be filmed at Sky Elstree Studios (ScreenDaily)
New BBC Chair, Samir Shah, warns of hard choices amidst “tough financial position” (The Hollywood Reporter)
The UK Casting Directors Association condemns fake self-tape audition invites (Deadline)
New major film and TV complex to be built in Sunderland (BBC)
BBC Studios increases its debt facility to £600 million (Deadline)
GB News’ pre-tax losses grew by nearly 40% over the past year (BBC)
Figures show that European directors worked on an average of 1.4 films between 2015-2022 (ScreenDaily)
Petition to save the UK’s oldest working cinema to be presented to councillors in Birmingham (BBC)
Features and commentary
Peter Bradshaw’s predictions for this year’s Oscars (The Guardian)
54-time Oscar nominee John Williams on his legacy (Variety)
Apple spent $700 million on three films but has it paid off? (Variety)
Dakota Johnson on ‘Madame Web’ criticism (The Hollywood Reporter)
Industry announcements
CAS Awards 2024: full list of winners (IndieWire)
Ravi Ahuja named as President and COO of Sony Pictures Entertainment (Deadline)
STV posts record-breaking £168 million in revenue (Broadcast)
Resources
Pact/FAA agreement travel rates increase (Pact)
SXSW: this year’s must-see films and TV (IndieWire)
BFI announces dates for the 2024 BFI London Film Festival (Variety)
Legal updates
Dan Wootton broke broadcasting rules on an episode of GB News’ ‘Dan Wootton Tonight’ (Ofcom)
Defamation trial against Roman Polanski begins in Paris (Variety)
Head of France’s national film board to stand trial for alleged sexual assault (The Hollywood Reporter)
