Warp Films

RIA SHROFF

Background Information

Warp Films is an independent film production company based in Sheffield & London, UK, with a further affiliated company Warp Films Australia based in Melbourne, Australia. Since opening as a shop and record label in Sheffield in 1989, Warp has become one of the Worlds most respected creative organisations. Originally just a record label/shop, Warp Records, Warp have since launched two film production companies Warp Films and Warp X (for low-budget, digital productions only) The company only has 14 full time staff. Warp X is a separate company from Warp Films, and was set up to exclusively manage and co-produce films for the Low Budget Feature Scheme tendered by UK Film Councils New Cinema Fund and Film4 in 2005, to revitalise the low-budget sector of the British film industry. Warp X is building on Warp Films reputation for combining creative originality with commercial success. Both companies share the same office space and some support staff to make them as resource efficient as possible.

Warp Films:

Synergy and Cross Media Convergence

It was initially created with financial support from NESTA and had a remit to produce a number of short films. In 2005, Warp Films produced Rubber Johnny, an experimental short and 42-page book by director Chris Cunningham, featuring music by Warp Records artist Aphex Twin. Three months after This Is England was released in cinemas, Warp's third feature film, Grow Your Own, was released by Pathe. The film was Warp's first collaboration with BBC Films. The film was directed by Richard Laxton and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Carl Hunter, developed from stories Carl had uncovered in his documentary work about the travails of immigrants. Produced by Barry Ryan for Warp Films, Luke Alkin for BBC Films and Carl Hunter for Art in Action. In 2004, Warp Films made a significant expansion in its capacity. Robin Gutch joined Mark Herbert and Barry Ryan to devise the Warp bid for the Low Budget Film Scheme tender put out by Film4 and UK Film Council. The Warp bid was backed by Optimum Releasing, Screen Yorkshire and EM Media. Warp won the tender against stiff competition and Warp X was formally set up as Warp Xin 2005 as a low-budget digital studio to develop and produce films with focus on new talent and commercial potential. Warp X production Kill List was released in the UK on 28 August 2011. Directed by Ben Wheatley, the film stars Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley and MyAnna Buring. It has gone on to win several awards internationally, including a British Independent Film Award for supporting actor Michael Smiley. Kill List has received strong critical acclaim, with Total Film declaring it Outstanding and giving a 5 star rating. It was released in the US by IFC films. Warp Films produced three 30-minute television dramas for the Sky Arts Playhouse Presents season. These were The Minor Character, written by Will Self and starring David Tennant (which was Sky Arts highest rating commission on the channel) The Snipist directed by Matthew Holness, and The District Nurse starring Gina McKee. The Midnight Beast, a new comedy series for E4 begins in May 2012. Warp Films is currently developing several television projects with Channel 4, the BBC and Sky.

Subsidiary is Warp X - It is a digital film studio that produces feature films in the UK with budgets usually between 400,000 and 800,000 Other Subsidiaries- Film 4, UK Film Council, Screen Yorkshire and Optimum Releasing.

New Media Technologies

Web2.0 In 2004, Warp pioneered the sale of unrestricted mp3s via the launch of award-winning download store Bleep.com. Hosting nearly 500 other independent labels, Bleep has sold over 2 million tracks to date. Several of their film productions - mostly documentaries - area available to download royalty free. Although this did not protect them from piracy, Warp Films wanted to benefit WarpX to have as many people as possible spreading good word-of-mouth about their products, as a form of viral marketing. Warp X only make digital films. They say we make digital films with budgets between 400,000 and 800,000 for theatrical distribution in the UK and internationally. Our films are genre based but with acutely original interpretations that will ensure they stand out in the market place. We do not make character based drama or ultra-cheap versions of mainstream Hollywood studio films. Digital film-making is a lot cheaper than 35mm.

Marketing and Distribution

One of their key financial backers is Optimum Releasing, who are closely involved in the development process and distribute the films theatrically and on DVD in the UK. In April 2008, Australian film distributor Madman Entertainment announced "a collaboration" with Warp Films. Warp and Madman plan to make "at least 2 films together over the next 3 years. Optimum is a small, British-owned distributor operating in an industry dominated by major Hollywood distributors, and this relationship therefore benefits both themselves and Warp Films. This is England was produced as a result of collaboration between no less than 7 companies Big Arty Productions, EM Media, Film Four, Optimum releasing, Screen Yorkshire, The UK Film Council and Warp Films. It was distributed by 6 organisations IFC Films, Netflix. Red Envelope Entertainment and IFC First Take in the USA, Madman Entertainment in Australia and Optimum Releasing in the UK.