2.2 Why development is so important and so hard

Because development is such a risky process, it is not something that all players in the film value chain are able to do – particularly those that are commercial players.

Here’s Alex Hamilton, who you met earlier, telling us why it’s hard for his company to justify the investment of time and money into the development process, despite the fact that he’s running one of the most successful distributors in the UK.

As you have seen, the source of the film itself is a key factor. For the major studios the ‘star’ system is crucial as well as the development of major franchises that spawn one blockbuster after another. However, in the world of independent feature films, it's much harder to predict outcomes.