Movers and Shakers

The lack of funding for the film industry from conventional and government sources prompted parts of the industry to embark on new ventures, creating an adventurous and ad hoc culture of production. Harper and Smith have identified a range of key players in the 1970s film industry and have drawn attention to work by John Woolf, Ken Russell and John Boorman. As they note, it is significant that in this period, many of the well-established British directors from the previous decade produced only one or a few significant works or else worked solely in television. David Lean produced Ryan’s Daughter (1970), Lindsay Anderson made O Lucky Man! (1973), while Ken Loach made Family Life (1971) and Black Jack (1979). The output of these filmic heavyweights was limited due to the financial shakeups in the wider industry and in their absence new directors, screenwriters and producers moved to the forefront of production. The lack of conventional funding opportunities required a particular way of thinking and working and many of the existing organisations and personnel within the industry were poorly suited to new ways of working and the unconventional alliances required. This is not to say that the output of a wide range of individuals was not crucial to the 1970s film industry but my purpose here is to link the approach of a few key players to the specific contexts of production.