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Peaky Blinders Media Studies Overview

May 31, 2025

Peaky Blinders and Industry: A Guide

Introduction

  • Purpose: This guide is relevant for those studying A-level media studies, as Peaky Blinders is a set text from 2024.
  • Creator: Stephen Knight, grew up in Birmingham, has experience with crime dramas focusing on social issues and working-class themes.

Production and Funding

  • Involvement of BBC:

    • Channel: BBC Two helped fund and commission the show.
    • Nature: As a public service broadcaster, BBC can take risks due to funding from license fees, not advertisements.
    • Role: BBC aims to inform, educate, and entertain, with a remit to represent regional areas of Britain.
  • Production Companies:

    • Karen Manderbach Productions: Independent company, experienced producer.
    • Tiger Aspect: Known for working on series in regional and working-class areas.
    • Yorkshire Screen Fund: Provided funding to represent Yorkshire regions.

Casting and Filming

  • Key Cast Members:

    • Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory, David Dawson, Tommy Flanagan, and Tom Hardy.
    • Strategy: Familiar faces to attract both local and global audiences.
  • Filming Locations:

    • Primary areas: Yorkshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool, Birmingham.
    • Accent Considerations: Accents were toned down to improve global accessibility.

Broadcast and Distribution

  • Broadcast History:

    • Initial airing on BBC Two (2013), later moved to BBC One due to success.
    • Available on iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime, reflecting shifts to streaming services.
  • International Distribution:

    • Initial partners: Weinstein Company and Endemol in the US.
    • Changes: Due to the Weinstein scandal, distribution moved away to Netflix.

Future Prospects

  • Franchising: Potential for a Peaky Blinders movie to increase brand and revenue.

Conclusion

  • The video serves as an informative guide, encouraging viewers to engage with more content and request additional videos as needed.