Working Title Production Process

Funding and Influence of Global Ownership

Global ownership means better, more reliable funding for film companies, as well as larger budget for each film (such as the $25million dollar budget that Working Title has from Universal to produce films without consent from the parent company). With global ownership also comes more credibility for the film company and a higher reputation, which means more sales. Working Title has experienced this increase in reputation and sales since being taken over by global ownership company Universal, with such globally well known films as Hot Fuzz (2007) and Love Actually (2003). These films have done better globally than films which were produced before Working Title's Universal takeover - when they were an independent company - such as My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) and Wish You Were Here (1987).

When Working Title -independent company - were taken over by Polygram in 1992, they became part of the Polygram 'family', and thus received improved funding. Due to this, they were able to produce more successful films such as The Borrowers (1997), which thus increased their reptutation as a film company. The advantages of this were better funding, improved technology, more well-known actors, and a greater exploration of films and their genres. However, this came at some costs; being part of Polygram entailed high interest rates, high liabilities and insecurities.

In 1999, Polygram, and Working Title with it, were sold to Universal Music Group (part of the Vivendi conglomerate). Working Title 2 was branched off with the view of making more independent films with the funding of Universal.