Save The British Film Industry.Com

Monday morning,  Jonathan had an extraordinary conversation with a senior director at Pinewood Shepperton PLC.  Mr Andrew Smith showed himself to be a man of extraordinary charm, integrity, good sense, good humour and was really trying to find the very best way forward for all concerned especially his employees, his shareholders and also future film-makers in Britain.

Jonathan owes several apologies to Mr Smith for many things written in the intensity of this campaign. This website will as soon as possible be rewritten to reflect this.

The door is open to Birmingham, The Black Country and The West Midlands from Coventry to Stoke to get a package to The Pinewood Board via Mr Smith which is so commercially viable that it is his duty as a director in a PLC to his shareholders and to his existing employees to put it to a vote.

Mr Smith has concerns about whether The West Midlands can fit the criteria. The question of infrastructure, skill levels  - well he has concerns which must be addressed.

But the door is open and the bottom line is the bottom line. What short, midterm and longterm profits can The Board  and the shareholders expect (and what additional job security can employees expect) if this expansion goes to The West Midlands?

Gisela Stuart MP is in Washington  until Friday but already THE MIGHTY  Birmingham National Exhibition Centre is swinging into action. They want to host the roundtable which will prepare the West Midland offer. An offer which will decide the destiny of the West Midlands, Pinewood Studios and British based film-making for generations to come.

We had a strategy this week. A media strategy of major celebs and – well yes, attrition to demand the case be heard to expand outside the South East Only Club.

Mr Smith has won us over. As long as the case is heard, what more can we do? Or ask of him?

Mr Smith has a very high regard for The West Midlands which he strongly evidenced to Jonathan and warmly applauds Save The British Film Industry’s goal to strengthen British based film-making and expand it into every county in the UK.

We nearly sent him a membership form.

We stress we had no knowledge of this Guardian article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/27/pinewood-studios-green-belt

We have always wanted a strong Pinewood Shepperton PLC. We would applaud their expansion anywhere in the UK where they were welcomed.

They have reached their status quo in Iver Heath,  but The West Midlands and thereafter the rest of the UK  is ready to welcome them….and seek to guarantee greater annual profit.

Subtlety is not everything.

Jonathan Stuart-Brown

www.savethebritishfilmindustry.com