I, Daniel Blake Analysis

Independent Films - Films that are made with a lower budget than mainstream films. Independent films are sometimes identified by their content and style.

• Marketing Strategies - Independent films have small marketing campaigns and are spread through word of mouth or critics/reviews.
• Actors - The actors used in Independent films are usually unknown and are used because it is cheaper.
• Set - Independent films are filmed in the same location with only a couple of shots located elsewhere as this is the cheapest option.

Production Information

• Directed by Ken Loach - An English filmmaker who's socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty (Poor Cow), homelessness (Cathy Come Home) and labour rights (The Navigators). He focuses on addressing political issues.
• The two main characters of I, Daniel Blake are:                                                                             - Daniel Blake played by Dave Johns. Dave Johns has dramatized Stephen Kings’ Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption for the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. He personally has also been on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, 28 Acts in 28 Minutes and as an actor he has appeared in Mud, Time Gentlemen Please, Inspector George Gently and Harry Hill as God.                                                                                  - Katie Morgan played by Hayley Squires. Hayley has also appeared in Call the Midwife, Southcliffe, Complicit, Blood Cells, A Royal Night Out and Murder.
• I, Daniel Blake is an independent film and is low budget/production value. It is filmed in the same locations in Newcastle. The main locations were the job centre, Daniel's house and Katie's house. We revisit these places continuously.
• The film was produced by Rebecca O'Brien for Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions and Wild Bunch with the support of the British Film Institute and BBC Films.
• I, Daniel Blake is funded by:

-       BFI: This is the leading repertory cinema in the UK, specialising in seasons of classic, independent and non-English language films. It is operated by the British Film Institute.

-       National Lottery: The National Lottery Community Funding is responsible for distributing funds to projects.

-       BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporations is a British public service broadcaster.