The Children's Film Unit was a unique British film production unit which offered children from the ages of 10 to 16 the opportunity to learn about all aspects of filmmaking, and to participate as part of the crew in the making of professional-quality feature films. The children were directly involved from the initial concept of a film right through to the completed product.
CFU films had a theatrical release, as well as being shown on British and overseas television, and were exhibited (and sometimes winners) at international film festivals.
The CFU was a registered educational charity.
[Charity Commission Website]
Entry for charity no. 283918
/ref> Official patrons included Lord Attenborough, Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
, Susannah York
Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...
, Lord Puttnam, and Sir John Mortimer
Sir John Clifford Mortimer (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author. He is best known for short stories about a barrister named Horace Rumpole, adapted from episodes of the TV series '' R ...
CBE, QC. The President of the CFU was Prince Edward.
Origins
The Children's Film Unit was formed in 1981 by schoolteacher and ex- Avengers writer, Colin Finbow. It had begun life as the film studies department at Forest Hill School in South East London. The standard of the work Finbow and his students produced so excited professional film makers due to its quality and freshness that, after one of their films, "The Custard Boys" (1979) received critical acclaim, it was suggested that more children should benefit from this unique experience.
The 1980s and 1990s
The CFU operated outside of normal school hours, when during regular weekend and holiday workshops the children were trained to a high level of competence in all aspects of filmmaking, including camera-work, lighting, sound, acting, writing, and costume. Although some of the CFU's children did perform in their films, they only played the roles of children. All adult characters were performed by professional adult actors.
Generally the CFU produced one feature-length film per year, with the bulk of the production schedule occurring during the summer holidays. After principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
was completed, pick-ups would be shot during weekends. Although all the films were then edited by director Colin Finbow, the children were given the opportunity to participate in the post-production process, within the limits of the post-production facilities and their own school schedules. Between features, the children's training consisted of making short films, and attending regular lectures and demonstrations from industry experts, such as Bryan Forbes
Bryan Forbes Order of the British Empire, CBE (; born John Theobald Clarke; 22 July 1926 – 8 May 2013) was an English film director, screenwriter, film producer, actor and novelist described as a "Renaissance man"Falk Q. . BAFTA. 17 October 2 ...
, Lord Attenborough, Lord Puttnam and others.
The CFU's tiny premises at Studio 4, Berrytime Studios, Queenstown Road, Battersea
Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park.
Hist ...
, was organised with the children learning acting skills working upstairs in the area used for administration, tea-making, and toilets, while those studying the technical aspects of film-making worked downstairs in two small rooms filled with old props and a plethora of donated equipment, which included a Moviola, a Steenbeck
Steenbeck was a company that manufactured flatbed editors. Steenbeck is a brand name that has become synonymous with a type of flatbed film editing suite which is usable with both 16 mm and 35 mm optical sound and magnetic sound film.
The ...
, two Arriflex 16SR
The Arriflex 16SR is a motion picture camera product line created by Arri, introduced in 1975. This 16SR camera series is designed for 16 mm filmmaking in Standard 16 format. 'SR' Stands for Silent Reflex.
In 1982, Arri released the 16SR2, for i ...
cameras, one Arriflex 16BL camera, a 16mm Bolex
Bolex International S. A. is a Swiss manufacturer of motion picture cameras based in Yverdon located in Canton of Vaud, the most notable products of which are in the 16 mm and Super 16 mm formats. Originally Bol, the company was founded ...
camera, a Nagra
Nagra is a brand of portable audio recorders produced from 1951 in Switzerland. Beginning in 1997 a range of high-end equipment aimed at the audiophile community was introduced, and Nagra expanded the company's product lines into new markets.
O ...
III, and assorted lights, legs, lenses
A lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...
, microphone
A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...
s, and booms. Grip equipment ( dollys, cranes etc.) was usually hired-in as needed, along with much other additional hardware. But despite the cramped conditions, the children of the CFU still found space to build interior sets when required. The CFU later moved to Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden
Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is an Film studio, studio complex in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire, in the East of England. Formerly known as Leavesden Film Studios and still colloquially known as Leavesden Studio ...
, in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...
.
The CFU frequently employed the services of friends in the film and television industry, both in the creative fields, and also the areas of equipment hire, post-production facilities, and distribution/publicity, who regularly donated their time or equipment. One regular collaborator was composer, Dave Hewson, who composed the original music for most of the CFU's films. Ray and Tom Harris from special effects company ''Any Effects'' created the on-set effects for many of the films, and were among the industry professionals who gave lectures and demonstrations during weekend workshops.
During production of ''How's Business'' (1991), the CFU crew were followed by a BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
documentary crew for an episode of the popular children's series '' The Lowdown''. This episode covered the filming of ''How's Business'' and featured several members of the CFU in interviews and voice-over. The documentary concluded with scenes of the Royal Premiere at Leicester Square
Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised town square, square in the West End of London, England, and is the centre of London's entertainment district. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leice ...
, and merged its own credits with the credits from ''How's Business''. This episode was first broadcast on BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and Flagship (broadcasting), flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includ ...
at 17:10 on 5 May 1992.
Exhibition and Distribution
Several films by the Children's Film Unit received Royal Premieres, including:
Under The Bed at the Odeon Leicester Square
The Odeon Luxe Leicester Square is a prominent cinema building in the West End of London. Built in the Art Deco style and completed in 1937, the building has been continually altered in response to developments in cinema technology, and was the ...
, on Saturday 17 September 1988
Doombeach at BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
, Piccadilly
Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, England, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road (England), A4 road that connects central London to ...
, on Sunday 4 November 1990
How's Business at the Odeon West End, Leicester Square
Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised town square, square in the West End of London, England, and is the centre of London's entertainment district. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leice ...
, on Sunday 15 March 1992.
Willie's War at The Prince Charles Cinema
The Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) is a repertory cinema located in Leicester Place, north of Leicester Square in the West End of London. It shows a rotating programme of cult, arthouse, and classic films alongside recent Hollywood releases – ...
, WC2, on Thursday 4 May 1995
The Gingerbread House at BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
, Piccadilly
Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, England, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road (England), A4 road that connects central London to ...
, on Monday 3 March 1997
Almost all of their films have been shown on Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
, had a theatrical release, and been distributed in territories around the world. Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
financed and televised most of the CFU's output, and Watchmaker Films handled worldwide distribution. However, ''How's Business'' was produced in collaboration with the Children's Film and Television Foundation (with which the CFU often was confused in popular media) and was never shown on TV in the UK, while the last three films in the filmography listed below were only ever shown in the small hours of the morning, as Channel 4 shifted its focus in the later 1990s.
Festivals and awards
Daemon – ''Munich''
Dark Enemy – ''London & Munich''
Hard Road – ''Frankfurt, Chicago, Dulu, and Duisburg'' – Awarded Lucas Prize, Frankfurt
Mister Skeeter – Awarded Prix Danube, Bratislava
School For Vandals – ''London & Chicago''
A Swarm in May – ''Moscow''
Under The Bed – ''Chicago''
Doombeach – ''Frankfurt, Sydney, Chicago, London''[Article about the CFU in its decline. Page 38, issue 65444]
Emily's Ghost – ''Frankfurt, Belfast, Brighton, Edinburgh''
Willie's War – First prize at the Youth Film Festival of Flanders
Selected filmography
Captain Stirrick (1982) A musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
based on the 1840 press account of a real case. Captain Stirrick leads a gang of child pickpockets
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft at the time. It may involve considerable dexterity and a knack for Misdirection (magic ...
in Victorian London, but their attempt to rob a Lord ends in murder and a trip to the gallows
A gallows (or less precisely scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sa ...
. ''Cast includes: Julian Silvester, Freddie Jones
Frederick Charles Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916-2005.''; at ancestry.com (12 September 1927 – 9 July 2019) was an English actor who had an extensive career in television, theatre and cinema productions for ...
, Douglas Storm''
A Swarm in May (1983)[Review of ''A Swarm in May''. Page 15, issue 61513] Returning to the school where he is a chorister, after an unhappy Easter holiday, John Owen faces the daunting task of singing the Beekeeper's solo in an ancient ritual at Whitsuntide. After refusing his duty, he is helped by the Head Chorister and the organist to uncover the 400-year-old mystery behind the beekeeper's service, and to regain his self-esteem by laying a ghost to rest. ''Cast includes: Oliver Hicks, Jack May, Frank Middlemass, Douglas Storm''
Mister Skeeter (1984) Lisa and Jamie are residents in a children's home, which is threatened with closure. They escape to the seaside, where they encounter Mr. Skeeter, an elderly eccentric who befriends them. Jamie is convinced that Skeeter is a millionaire in disguise and that all their troubles are over. But in fact they are just beginning. ''Cast includes: Peter Bayliss, Louise Rawlings, Orlando Wells''
Dark Enemy (1984) Set in an idyllic valley, the story centres around a group of children surviving after the death of their elders. Three boys set out on a quest to determine who will be the tribe's next leader, and the discoveries of the youngest reveal the alarming truth behind their primitive existence. ''Cast includes: David Haig, Douglas Storm''
Daemon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural being, evil spirit or fiend in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology and folklore.
Demon, daemon or dæmon may also refer to:
Entertainment Fictional entities
* Daemon (G.I. Joe), a character ...
(1985) Unhappy schoolboy, Nick Foster, is sent to a psychiatrist after developing sores and hearing strange voices. She is at hand when a series of terrifying supernatural events threaten to destroy him. ''Cast includes: Arnaud Morell, Susannah York
Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...
, Bert Parnaby''
School For Vandals (1986) Having taught for fifteen years in Inner London schools, Neil and Penny are delighted when a pools win enables them to buy a school in the country to develop as a healthy centre of private education. But its history as a reform school and their unruly children do not endear them to the locals. When funds threaten to run out, the children lend a hand... by kidnapping an old lady. ''Cast includes: Jenni Barrand, Jeremy Coster, Peter Bayliss, Sebastian Knapp''
Under The Bed (1988) Adapted from a story by Bill Oddie
William Edgar Oddie (born 7 July 1941) is an English actor, artist, birder, comedian, conservationist, musician, songwriter, television presenter and writer. He was a member of comedy trio The Goodies.
A birder since his childhood in Quinton ...
and Laura Beaumont, this is the story of Felicity, whose habit of throwing things under her bed, including an uneaten bowl of cereal, moldy apples cores, family heirlooms, and even elderly relatives, leads to the birth of "Heap", a monster with an insatiable appetite. ''Cast includes: Nicola Stewart, Thomas Arnold, Tim Brooke-Taylor
Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor (17 July 194012 April 2020) was an English actor and comedian. He was best known as a member of The Goodies.
Brooke-Taylor became active in performing in comedy sketches while at the University of Cambridge and beca ...
, Bill Oddie
William Edgar Oddie (born 7 July 1941) is an English actor, artist, birder, comedian, conservationist, musician, songwriter, television presenter and writer. He was a member of comedy trio The Goodies.
A birder since his childhood in Quinton ...
, Graeme Garden
David Graeme Garden (born 18 February 1943) is a Scottish comedian, actor, author, artist and television presenter. He is best known as a member of The Goodies and a regular panellist on '' I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue''.
Early life and educati ...
, Peter Corey, Maria Charles''
Hard Road (1988) An accidental meeting between bored schoolgirl, Kelly, and suicidal schoolboy, Max, leads to the two children stealing a Ferrari and running away together in it. They briefly enjoy a love-hate relationship before the real world catches up with them. ''Cast includes: Francesca Camillo, Max Rennie, John Louis Mansi
John Louis Mansi (born John Patrick Adams; 8 November 1926 – 6 August 2010) was a British television and film actor whose career spanned the years from the early 1950s to the early 1990s.
Born in London to an Italian father and an Irish moth ...
, Amanda Murray, Peter Bayliss, Jenni Barrand, Luke Jones''
Infantile Disorders (1988) ''Cast includes: Mark Heatley, Gavin May''
Doombeach (1989) When an administrative error causes 13-year-old Gavin to be sent to the wrong school, he begins truanting with a "gang" of younger kids. After his new friend Mark is hospitalised following a swimming race in the ocean, Gavin begins to suspect a nearby power station of leaking its waste into the sea. After organising a protest and gaining media attention, Gavin enlists the aid of a sympathetic teacher to help him break into the power station with a Geiger counter
A Geiger counter (, ; also known as a Geiger–Müller counter or G-M counter) is an electronic instrument for detecting and measuring ionizing radiation with the use of a Geiger–Müller tube. It is widely used in applications such as radiat ...
. ''Cast includes: Jeremy Coster, Glenda Jackson
Glenda May Jackson (9 May 1936 – 15 June 2023) was an English actress and politician. Over the course of her distinguished career she received List of awards and nominations received by Glenda Jackson, numerous accolades including two Academy ...
, Michael Sheard, Peter Marshall, Emma Freud''
Survivors (1990) A group of teenage boys are tricked into accompanying their teacher on a survival holiday to a deserted island, but after he suffers a nervous breakdown and turns hostile, the boys are forced to fend for themselves. ''Cast includes: Ian Hogg, Susan Curnow, Michael Bond, Damian Hodges, David Issacs, Danny Joy, Russell Lyesight, Hayden Peters, Carlton Taylor, Ben Wheeler''
How's Business (1991) Adapted from the book by Alison Prince, this wartime drama follows young Howard Grainger as he is evacuated from London during the Blitz
The Blitz (English: "flash") was a Nazi Germany, German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, for eight months, from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941, during the Second World War.
Towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a co ...
and relocated to the countryside, where he begins a series of schemes to try and accrue sufficient funds to return home. ''Cast includes: Ben Brazier, Ron Moody
Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in '' Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Glob ...
, Paul Brightwell
Paul Brightwell is an English actor and director. He has acted in many different plays, films and TV shows since the late 1980s. Theatre direction includes the British premieres of Heiner Muller's '' Hamletmachine'' at the Gate Notting Hill, and W ...
, Paul Copley
Paul Mackriell Copley (born 25 November 1944) is an English actor and voice over artist. From 2011 to 2015 he appeared as Mr. Mason, father of William Mason, in 16 episodes of ''Downton Abbey'', and from 2020 to 2021, he appeared in the ITV s ...
, Sara Clee, Richard Digance, Don Henderson
Donald Francis Henderson (10 November 1931 – 22 June 1997) was an English actor. He was known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remembered for his portrayal of detective George Bulman between 1976 and 1987 in ...
, Brett Fancy, Emily Richard, Ann Way, Carol MacReady''
Emily's Ghost (1992) Edwardian drama about a girl who dreams of becoming a doctor, but is unable to pursue her ambitions due to the social constraints of the era. By supernatural means she encounters a girl from the 1990s who is also unhappy, and the two friends swap places. ''Cast includes: Anna Jones, Rosalind Ayres
Rosalind Ayres (born 7 December 1946) is an English actress, director and producer. Active since 1970, Ayres is well known for her role in the 1997 film ''Titanic (1997 film), Titanic'', in which she played Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon. Her husband, ...
, Martin Jarvis, Toby Gregory, Anna Massey
Anna Raymond Massey (11 August 19373 July 2011) was an English actress. She won a British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Best Actress Award for the role of Edith Hope in the Hotel du Lac (film), 1986 TV adaptation of Anita Brookner's novel ''Hotel ...
, Ron Moody
Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in '' Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Glob ...
, Patsy Byrne
Patricia Anne Thirza Byrne (13 July 1933 – 17 June 2014) was an English actress, best known for her role as "Nursie" in ''Blackadder II'' as well as Malcolm's domineering Mother, Mrs Stoneway in all seven series of the ITV comedy '' Watching ...
, Peter Bayliss, Lally Percy, Gordon Griffin''
The Higher Mortals (1993) Crabbe College faces closure when parents start withdrawing their children (and fees) due to the recession. A possible solution is found in the shape of truants and young offenders who, it is hoped, will benefit from the rural surrounds and return to society the better for it. ''Cast includes: Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is an English actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.
Early life
Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journ ...
, Gordon Griffin, Susannah York
Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...
, Patsy Byrne
Patricia Anne Thirza Byrne (13 July 1933 – 17 June 2014) was an English actress, best known for her role as "Nursie" in ''Blackadder II'' as well as Malcolm's domineering Mother, Mrs Stoneway in all seven series of the ITV comedy '' Watching ...
, Tat Whalley, John Altman, Paula Wilcox''
Willie's War (1994) 10-year-old Willie is evacuated from East London
East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...
to the posh country house of 13-year-old Zander, where he is forced to endure Zander's snobbery and bullying. His only friends are Zandar's nanny and a young soldier named Blake. When Willie's father unexpectedly turns up in the woods having deserted the army, disaster strikes. ''Cast includes: Lee Turnbull, Jean Alexander, Philip Boddy, Gordon Griffin, Edward Highmore, Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is an English actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.
Early life
Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journ ...
, Tat Whalley''
Nightshade (1995) A break in the country has sinister repercussions for the Brady Family. ''Cast includes: Emily Richard, Simon Ward, Jarrah Venables''
The Gingerbread House (1996) Two children are left alone in the house of their dead grandfather. ''Cast includes: Danielle Hawley, Danny Barnham, Ian Johnstone, Gordon Griffin, Brian Sibley, Wendy Jones, Patsy Byrne
Patricia Anne Thirza Byrne (13 July 1933 – 17 June 2014) was an English actress, best known for her role as "Nursie" in ''Blackadder II'' as well as Malcolm's domineering Mother, Mrs Stoneway in all seven series of the ITV comedy '' Watching ...
''
Awayday (1997) ''Cast includes: Daniel Cogan, David Comerford, Tom Golding, Shanie Hanley, Rachel Malin''
21st century
The CFU continued to operate for the first decade of the new millennium, but lack of funding prevented them from making any further feature films. On 9 August 2011 the Children's Film Unit was removed from the register of UK charities.
See also
*Children's Film Foundation
The Children's Film Foundation (CFF) is a non-profit organisation which makes films and other media for children in the United Kingdom. Originally it made films to be shown as part of children's Saturday morning matinée cinema programming. Th ...
References
{{Reflist
Film production companies of the United Kingdom
Mass media companies established in 1981
Mass media companies disestablished in 2011
Television production companies of the United Kingdom
Educational charities based in the United Kingdom
1981 establishments in the United Kingdom
2011 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
British children's entertainment