Harry Potter success celebrated as UK film breaks records
The The “astonishing success” of the Harry Potter series – which was partly filmed at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and received support from Northern Film & Media – has been highlighted by the BFI in a record-breaking year for film.
The BFI's 2011 Statistical Yearbook said that the series provided an "indelible legacy on the UK reaching far beyond the box office” by boosting tourism, skills and the UK’s reputation as a world class film hub.
Based on British source material and shot in the UK with a British producer, cast and crew, the franchise has to date grossed £442 million at the UK box office, $7.7 billion at the worldwide box office, sold over 30 million copies on all video formats in the UK and has been watched over 212 million times on UK television.
The Yearbook shows that UK films and talent excelled on the world stage in 2011, taking $5.6 billion at the global box office (a 17% market share). Production activity and inward investment from film both broke records at £1.27 billion and £1.1 billion respectively.
Overall, the film industry makes a £3.3 billion contribution to the UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has a trade surplus of over £1.5 billion.
The number of people employed in the UK in film production, distribution and exhibition increased by 9,000 in 2011 to 62,328.
“UK film is punching above its weight on the world stage, with British stories and talent captivating global audiences, the British public embracing film-watching in increasing numbers, and British independent films enjoying unprecedented levels of success,” said Amanda Nevill, the BFI’s chief executive.
“But while 2011 was undoubtedly a fantastic year, we are far from complacent; it’s still a tough economic climate in which to raise finance for film production, and digital technologies continue to bring both challenges and opportunities for industry.
“We are committed to increasing Lottery funding for UK film in the round over the next five years, and we are working closely and collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to deliver robust support for UK film right across the value chain, to ensure we maintain momentum and UK film continues to go from strength to strength.”
“The UK is home to some of the most talented and creative people in the global film industry, as demonstrated by the 30 major film awards that we won last year,” added Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications & the Creative Industries.
“With a record £1.27 billion spent on UK-based film productions last year, this dynamic industry continues to create jobs and attract significant overseas investment and the Government is committed to ensuring this sector continues to flourish and thrive."
BFI Statistical Yearbook 2011