Stealth Media Films is pleased that the ‘Force is Strong’ for UK film production

Stealth Media Films was pleased with the news this week that yet another Star Wars film is set to shoot in the UK next year. Chancellor George Osbourne (not Chancellor Palpatine) was proud that his tax breaks are helping to keep the UK a first choice for film production.

American film companies benefit from choosing the UK as a production centre with 25% tax relief on the first £20m of qualifying expenditure and 20% thereafter. This is proving an attractive draw for companies looking to get maximum bang for their buck.

Tradition of the Star Wars Franchise

The treasury reported a massive boost of over 14% in film production investment on the previous year. In 2013 alone there was a massive £1bn investment into UK film production. It’s not just the tax breaks that attract film-makers, it’s also the talent and expertise of UK film technicians.

Disney and Lucasfilm have decided to shoot at Pinewood Studios which is a great boost for the UK industry and those employed here. It’s also in keeping tradition with the Star Wars franchise, the original film was partly lensed at Elstree Studios.

The Chancellor Speaks

Visiting the set of the current Star Wars film, the Chancellor George Osbourne praised the decision. "Lucasfilm and Disney's decision to shoot the Star Wars standalone movie in the UK is testament to the incredible talent in Britain," said Mr Osborne.

"This will mean more jobs and more investment. It is great news for people working at Pinewood Studios, from the set designers to the carpenters.

"As Chancellor I have been determined that we back our brilliant creative industries which is why we have invested in skills and training as well as providing tax relief for films, high-end TV, animation, video games and regional theatre.

"The further changes the Government made to the film tax relief at Budget 2014 will support our highly skilled, innovative creative sectors so that they continue to thrive and encourage more films to be made in the UK."

Stealth Media Films

At Stealth Media Films our current slate of films includes the eagerly anticipated Gummy Bear the Movie featuring the voice of John Travolta. We’re always keen to hear from parties interested in film investment, and we’re available for comment on film industry investment news. If you’re considering film investment you can contact Stealth Media Film Investments here.

UK Box Office Spellbound by Maleficent

It’s official, dark sorceress Maleficent has taken over the world. News sources announced that the Disney Film topped the UK box office over the weekend, and left us all spellbound. This week Stealth Media Group asks: just what is all the fuss about, and what are the reviewers saying?

Maleficent Clear Winner at UK Box Office

With the power of dark magic, a classic story of the anti-heroine, Angelina Jolie in the title role and the weight of the Disney film-making machine by its side, Maleficent steamrollered over its competitors this weekend, dominating the UK and Ireland box office with a power we can only call cataclysmic.

In its debut weekend, it managed to amass £6.6 million in the UK, knocking X Men: Days of Future Past into second place. Furthermore, the hype around the film hasn’t died down stateside either, as it cruised to the top of their box office last weekend. What’s in store for you if you’re thinking of taking a trip down local cinema to judge the Disney production for yourself?

The Tale of Maleficent

Maleficent is a retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale from the point of view of the villain. It’s similar to Wicked, in the way that it takes a bright, essentially good, young girl, and shows the audience how outside influences led her down the path of the dark side.

It’s everything you’d expected from a Disney film that has Angelina Jolie at the helm, and the ever delightful Elle Fanning in the supporting role of Aurora (sleeping beauty to the uninitiated). So what are the critics saying?

Angelina Jolie’s Greatest Performance?

It’s a bit of a mixed reaction. Ann Hornaday at the Washington Post called it “a relatively subdued, even dour affair,” however Betsey Sharkey at the Los Angeles Times hailed it as “visually striking” and reviews have fallen at every degree between these two extremes across the board.

However there is universal praise for Jolie as the enchantingly nasty, yet vulnerable Maleficent. Geoffrey Macnab at The Independent labelled her performance “diva like,” Sheri Linden at the Hollywood reporter says of her turn in  the role  that “she infuses it, wielding a magnetic and effortless power as the magnificently malevolent fairy,” and Hornaday says that the film is “improbably entertaining watch, due solely to its title character.

Stealth Media Group: If You Like Angelina Jolie, This Film is For You

So at Stealth Media Group, we think it’s a pretty clear consensus: Maleficent may be a bit of a mixed bag, but Jolie has been universally praised as its saving grace. If you’re a fan of the perennial actress, this is one film you have to see!