Film4

Film4 is a British free-to-air television channel owned by the Channel Four Television Corporation, that broadcasts films. It was launched on 1 November 1998. While its standard-definition channel is available as a FTA network, its high-definition variant is offered as a pay television service.

This article is about the British television channel. For the film production company, see Film4 Productions. For the on demand service, see Film4oD.

Film4
CountryUnited Kingdom
SloganGreat films for free
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerChannel Four Television Corporation
Sister channels4seven
Channel 4
E4
More4
4Music
The Box
Box Hits
Kerrang!
Kiss
Magic
History
Launched1 November 1998
Former namesFilm Four
(1998–2006)
Links
Websitefilm4.com
Availability
Terrestrial
FreeviewChannel 14
Channel 46 (+1)
Cable
Virgin MediaChannel 428
Channel 429 (HD)
Channel 430 (+1)
Virgin Media IrelandChannel 323
Channel 324 (+1)
Channel 343 (HD)
UPC Cablecom (Switzerland)Channel 166 (CH-D)
Naxoo (Switzerland)Channel 226
WightFibreChannel 29
Channel 30 (+1)
Satellite
FreesatChannel 300
Channel 301 (+1)
SkyChannel 313 (SD/HD)
Channel 314 (+1)
Channel 853 (SD)
Astra 2E
(28.2°E)		10714 H 22000 5/6
10936 V 22000 5/6 (+1)
12266 H 29500 8/9 (HD)
IPTV
BTProgrammes available on-demand
SwisscomTV
(Switzerland)		Channel arbitrary
Eir VisionChannel 315
Channel 316 (+1)
Streaming media
All 4Watch live
FilmOnWatch live
Sky GoWatch live (UK and Ireland only)

History

Film4 was started in 1982 as Film4 Productions, a film production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation, and has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the United Kingdom and around the world. The company's first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears, which was released in the same year. In late 1998, the outfit was re-branded as FilmFour, to coincide with the launch of a new digital television channel of the same name on the Sky and ONdigital platforms. Film4 was originally known as FilmFour and became Channel 4's second channel (after Channel 4 itself). It was a subscription-only service available both on satellite television via the Sky platform and digital terrestrial via ONdigital. On 31 March 2000 at 6.00am, the analogue version of FilmFour shut down and later switched to digital (until the platform went into administration in 2002), and most UK cable services. It cost £6 a month, eventually rising to £7. The launch night, which was also broadcast on Channel 4, was hosted by Johnny Vaughan and the first film to be shown was 1995's The Usual Suspects.

Channel 4 cut its budget from £30 to £10 million and 50 staff in 2002, due to mounting losses, and re-integrated FilmFour as a division of its television operation to continue to invest in new films. The cuts were a consequence of FilmFour's unsuccessful attempts to compete with Hollywood. David Thompson, head of BBC Films, described it as "a very sad day" for the British film industry. The British film industry needs confidence right now and this doesn't inspire confidence,"[1][2][3]

In 2004, Tessa Ross became head of both Film4 and Channel 4 drama.[4] The name "Film4 Productions" was introduced in 2006 to tie in with the relaunch of the FilmFour broadcast channel as Film4. FilmFour Weekly ceased broadcasting on 19 July 2006 when the subscription service ended.

The subscription service ended on 19 July 2006 and the channel re-launched (under the slightly modified name of Film4) as a free-to-air service a few days later on 23 July. When the channel became free, it also returned to digital terrestrial as part of the Freeview brand, and became completely free-to-air on satellite television. Due to the change, the channel's availability increased from 300,000 (subscribers) to 18 million households. It also changed its broadcasting hours to 12.45pm – 8.45am, and commercial breaks were included during films for the first time. The first film broadcast under the new format was the British non-subscription television premiere of Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Prior to the arrivals of Movie Mix and Movies4Men on the Freeview platform, Film4 was the only free film channel available on digital terrestrial television.

From 23 May 2009, the broadcasting hours were changed to 11.00am – 4.00am, with it broadcasting teleshopping or an animated caption stating it will return at 11.00am during the downtime hours.

On 1 November 2010, Film4 partnered with FilmFlex to launch Film4oD.[5]

On 2 September 2014, Film4 debuted a new on-air look, designed by Man vs. Machine.[6] There are 15 new idents in the series which run alongside a new on-screen presentation.[7]

Subsidiary channels

Film4 +1

Prior to 20 August 2007, Film4 operated a one-hour-timeshift channel, Film4 +1, on satellite, cable and Freeview. This channel was dropped on Freeview to make way for Channel 4 +1, but returned on 27 August 2013.[8] It continued to be broadcast on Sky, Virgin and Freesat during this time period.[9] As of November 2014, Film4+1 became available via Freeview HD Services only.[10] On 10 January 2019 Film4+1 was moved from the Freeview HD PSB3 (DVB-t2) multiplex to the Freeview PSB-2 (DVB-t) multiplex [11] thus making the service available to viewers who have not yet upgraded their TV receivers for DVB-t2 reception. The capacity on PSB-2 was made available by the "Sewing Quarter" service moving to Freeview COM6 (DVB-t) multiplex operated by Arqiva and available from all main and daughter transmitting stations, but not relays.

Film4 HD

On 20 July 2010, Film4 HD launched exclusively on Virgin Media's cable television platform on channel 429, it is only available on certain packages.[12][13] Film4 HD launched on Sky on 2 September 2013, but requires customers to add the Sky HD upgrade to their subscription.[14] Film4 HD is not available on Freesat or Freeview.

Other channels

Later, additional channels were added, FilmFour World and FilmFour Extreme which operated on a timeshare and the timeshift channel FilmFour +1. FilmFour World and Extreme were discontinued in 2003 and replaced by FilmFour Weekly, which screened four films across the week at the same time each day to make it easier to catch a film at least once.[15] FilmFour Weekly ceased broadcasting on 19 July 2006 when the subscription service ended.

The channel offered an online Video on demand service, Film4oD until it was closed in July 2015.

Former logos
  • FilmFour logo 1998–2006
  • FilmFour logo 2006–2018
  • Logo of timeshifted version; "Film4 +1"
  • Logo of high-definition version; "Film4 HD"
  • Film4 logo from 2018

See also

References
  1. "FilmFour closure: What does it mean for the UK film industry?". BBC News. 11 July 2002. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  2. "FilmFour failure is 'sad day'". BBC News. 9 July 2002. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  3. Malcolm, Derek (12 July 2002). "Where does British film go from here?". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  4. Gibson, Owen (6 February 2006). "Interview: Tessa Ross". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  5. Laughlin, Andrew (1 November 2010). "Channel 4 launches Film4 on-demand". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  6. "Film4 reflects its 'passion and commitment to film' with new ident series". thedrum.com.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "News: New Travel Channel, Film 4 and Film 4+1". Freeview. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  9. Tryhorn, Chris (5 July 2007). "Channel 4 launches '+1' timeshift service". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  10. "4Viewers". Transmission/Technical Information: Howdo I get Film4+1?. Channel4. 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  11. "Freeview merry-go-round as channels move". a516Digital. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  12. "Film4 HD to launch exclusively on Virgin Media". Virgin Media. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  13. "Film4 HD". Film4. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  14. "Sky adds Channel 4's 4oD to create the UK's most complete catch-up TV service". BSkyB. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  15. "FilmFour moves mainstream". BBC News. 31 March 2003. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
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