Feared that Trump's foreign film tariffs could “erase” the British film industry | Film industry

Donald Trump's threat of imposing 100% tariffs for films that were shot outside the United States could exclude the British film industry. The ministers were warned because they are immediately under pressure to prioritize the problem in the trade talks with the White House.

The British government officials and high-ranking figures from the British production of multibillion-pound products should immediately meet to discuss the threat of Trump, which he had promised after months of restoring Hollywood into his “golden age”.

In an extraordinary intervention, Trump announced his intention to impose the levy on all films that were “produced in foreign countries” and explained that the US film industry was exposed to “very fast death” due to incentives abroad. Great Britain is one of the countries that filmmakers offer generous tax incentives.

The US President said that he had already instructed the trade department and the US trade representative to introduce such a tariff. On his social platform, he told his truth that the problem was a “national security threat” because the “concerted efforts of other nations” are attracted. “Hollywood is being destroyed,” he later said reporters. “Other nations stole our film industry.”

His outbreak caused immediate concern in Great Britain, a regular place for some of Hollywood's largest film productions, including Barbie, parts of the Mission Impossible Franchise and Disney's Star Wars Productions. Further large films will soon be made in Great Britain, including Star Wars: Starfighter.

Philippa Childs, the head of the Creative Industries Union Bectu, said: “These tariffs that come to Covid and the latest slowdown could lead to a knockout strike for an industry that is currently recovering and will only be advocated for thousands of specialist framework.

An older personality in the British creative sector said: “If it gets real, it will be huge. It could possibly erase the British film industry and its crews.”

The international production expenditure for feature films in Great Britain was 1.9 billion GBP last year, whereby the high-end TV production brought in 2.8 billion GBP. Investments from the USA in films rose by 83%compared to the previous year.

Adrian Woton, managing director of the British Film Commission, said that the announcement was “clearly worrying”, but said that it was crucial to learn more about the details of the plans. “We will meet with the government and our industrial policy group in the coming days to continue to discuss,” he said. “Great Britain and the USA have long enjoyed a strong, common history of filmmaking.”

Senior politician calls on Keir Starrer government to prioritize the British film industry in US trade talks, although sources have already informed the Guardian that a deal for Trump is a second order priority.

Caroline Dinenage, Chairman of the Cultural, Media and Sports Committee, said: “Last month, the committee warned of complacency on our status as Hollywood of Europe. President Trump's announcement made this warning too real.

“It is not more difficult to make films in Great Britain, not in the interest of American companies. Your investment in institutions and talents in Great Britain, based on IP in the USA, shows fantastic returns on both sides of the Atlantic.

James Frith, a Labor member of the committee, said that all tariffs for British film production would be defeated itself. “All US tariffs for foreign films would not only harm British jobs and creativity, but also to the US studios and audience who rely on our qualified workforce and production skills,” he said. “It is in the interest of everyone to protect this deep, very successful partnership.”

Industry experts said it was unclear how the tariffs would work in practice and warn that they would punish the US studios and reduce production and jobs. Trump looks at Gavin Newsom in the USA, the governor of California, to resistance in the United States, whose office said that the president has no authority to impose such tariffs.

Trump's explanation was not a complete surprise for the insiders of the industry and the government because he wanted to help earlier explanation that he wanted to “worry” Hollywood. Before his inauguration, he appointed Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and Jon Voight as “special ambassadors” who were accused of bringing production back to “countries abroad”.

According to Filmla, a non-profit organization that follows the production of the region, film and television production in Los Angeles has fallen by almost 40% in the past ten years.

Trump's move could also be a reaction to a decision by the Chinese film management in April “to reduce the number of imported American films moderately”, as a reaction to US tariffs in China.

A British government spokesman said: “Talks about an economic agreement between the United States and Great Britain have not yet been concluded – but we will not make a ongoing comment on the details of the live discussions or set schedules because it is not in national interest.

“We will continue to pursue a quiet and steady approach for discussions and find a solution to reduce the pressure on British companies and consumers.”