Film is GREAT

The latest James Bond film, 'Spectre', has opened in China to record audience numbers. 'Spectre' is one of a series of British films which have been very popular across the country. Today, not only are quality British films being screened but Chinese film crews are now going to the UK to shoot new productions amongst some of Britain's finest locations.

Coinciding with the launch of 'Spectre' a gathering of leading people from the film industries of both China and the UK took place in Beijing to examine areas of future cooperation.

Isabel Davis is Head of International at the British Film Institute and Samantha Perahia is Head of Production at the British Film Commission. Britain has a long history of quality film making - everything from 'blockbuster' high-action to low-budget but beautifully created masterpieces of film.

This meeting of British and Chinese minds involved discussion on opportunities for Chinese film and TV companies in the UK; the practicalities of making films in the UK; what the UK can offer such as studios, visual effects, post-production work; film locations and much more. They also considered challenges for overseas companies within the Chinese film industry and how these might be overcome and the advantages for western companies is shooting a film production in China.

While talking mostly about film cooperation between both countries, Isabel and Samantha also spoke passionately about what has made film from Britain so great for so many years.

Track one
What makes British film so good?
That is a really good question
There are so many reasons for it – we have been Great for quite some time
We have a wonderful heritage of films, tradition of making films and story telling
That goes back to 'Lawrence of Arabia'
That big canvas, that big story telling canvas – is something that the UK has always managed to do incredibly well on a world class level
We are lucky enough that the UK has managed to maintain that level over decades
To be a nation that can continue to tell stories that can be really very small and intimate
But will have a resonance the world over
Amazing how beautiful the locations are in the UK
Edinburgh Castle magnificent
Edinburgh is one of the most filmic cities
Scotland was voted by US audiences as the most cinematic place in the world this year
So, lots to be proud of
The whole of the UK, for such a tiny country, relatively speaking
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England
The most diverse locations – you can find anything there
The only thing we don't do is deserts – but even then we've actually hosted a desert in a Bedfordshire sand quarry
We can literally do everything in regard to locations
That is supplemented by having the best studios and our effects industry
British facilities, British effects facilities have been Oscar nominated nine times in the last ten years – we've won five times
For such a relatively small country, we certainly 'punch above our weight'
We have been working together for a number of years to bring together the UK and Chinese film industries
Working with stories and talent to make collaborations together