Structure and agency: Shane Meadows and the new regional production sectors

What is it that changed in the British film industry in the mid-1990s that allowed a young, working class guy with a regional accent to develop a career making films almost exclusively set and shot in the Midlands? Part of the answer to this question must, of course, include Meadows’ personal agency – his determination, his creativity, his proficiency as a director, and so on. However, while these qualities should not be underestimated they are only half the answer. While Meadows and his collaborators have utilised the opportunities and resources available to them this chapter is focussed on what created those opportunities and what this means for British cinema. As such, this chapter takes an approach to Meadows’ film-making that is different to many of the other contributions to this volume by seeking to understand it within an institutional-industrial context.