| Film4 | |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1 November 1998 |
| Owned by | Channel Four Television Corporation |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV 16:9), 1080i (HDTV) |
| Audience share | 1.5% 0.2% (+1) (August 2011, BARB) |
| Slogan | "Great films for free" |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Formerly called | FilmFour (1998-2006) |
| Sister channel(s) | Channel 4, E4, More4, 4Music, Kerrang!, Kiss, Magic, Q, Smash Hits!, The Box |
| Website | Channel 4 - Film4 |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 15 |
| Satellite | |
| Freesat | Channel 300 Channel 301 (+1) |
| Sky | Channel 315 Channel 316 (+1) |
| Astra 2D | 10714H 22000 5/6 |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 428 Channel 429 (HD) Channel 430 (+1) |
| UPC Ireland | Channel 323 Channel 324 (+1) |
| Cablecom (Switzerland) | Channel 166 (CH-D) |
| naxoo (Switzerland) | Channel 226 |
| Smallworld Cable | Channel 315 Channel 316 (+1) |
| IPTV | |
| BT Vision | Programmes available on-demand |
| Internet television | |
| TVCatchup | Watch live (UK only) Watch live (+1) (UK only) |
Film4 is a free digital television channel available in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, owned and operated by Channel 4, that screens films.
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Film4 did not originally focus on broadcasting blockbusters, but nowadays broadcasts many mainstream Hollywood movies. The channel frequently has themed nights or seasons in which a number of films centred around one genre, director or actor are shown. As Channel 4 also owns a film production company, Film4 Productions, it shows many of its in-house productions.
Occasional non-film (but film-related) programmes are also shown.
Wherever possible, films are shown in their correct aspect ratio. No digital on-screen graphics are superimposed. Under UK broadcasting rules, it was able to screen most films unedited and in earlier timeslots when it was a subscription channel, but these concessions were lost when it became free-to-air, and more adult material is now confined to after the 9pm watershed. Some films are also now edited to make them suitable for pre-watershed screenings, a decision which was criticised by viewers on the channel's now defunct internet forum.
Film4 was originally known as FilmFour and became Channel 4's second channel (after Channel 4 itself) when it launched on 1 November 1998. It was a subscription-only service available on satellite television via the Sky platform, digital terrestrial via ITV Digital (until the platform went into administration in 2002), and most UK cable services. It cost £5.99 or £6.00 a month (depending on platform), eventually rising to up 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 What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
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.[1] 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 12:45 - 08:45, 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. With the exception of Movies4Men available on a local multiplex in Greater Manchester only, Film4 remains the only free film channel available on digital terrestrial television.
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 continues to be broadcast on Sky, Virgin and Freesat services.[2] TalkTalk TV offers the non timeshifted channel along with a Video on demand service, Film4 on Demand.
From 23 May 2009, the broadcasting hours were changed to 11:00 - 04:00, with it broadcasting teleshopping or an animated caption stating it will return at 11:00 during the downtime hours.
On 20 July 2010, Film4 HD launched exclusively on Virgin Media's cable television platform on channel 429.[3][4]
On 1 November 2010, Film4 partnered with FilmFlex to launch Film4oD.[5]
To alert the public to it going free-to-air, Film4 launched a massive campaign directed by Kevin Spacey featuring major celebrities advertising Film4 in odd ways. The slogan of the campaign was "FILMS FOR FREE". Examples include:
Sky Movies parodied this campaign with the slogan: "FILMS AD FREE", referring to the commercial breaks during films.
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