MUMBAI: The UK film industry has welcomed the reorganisation of the UK Film Council and has described the major changes effected as "producer friendly".

Says Robert Bernstein of Ecosse Films, producer of Sam Taylor Wood‘s Nowhere Boy "It is a very positive thing that money recouped by the UKFC on successful films will go back into the production fund, as it is an incentive for producers to come up with commercially successful projects."

Paul Raphael of Starfield Productions, who produced the 2007 drama about the Lebanon war Under the Bombs was "glad to see that the focus is on helping producers. It shows that the people having the discussions understand the realities we are all facing."

Christopher Granier-Deferre of production company Possion Rouge Pictures, who produced the 2008 thriller The Hide, added, "The merging of funds is a fairly cosmetic move. It should be more about re-evaulating how the fund is run. It should be a democratic and transparent process, as to how the films are supported."

The new fund will be managed by one ‘head‘, supported by three senior executives with distinct, creative roles. All will be appointed by 2 April next year.

The existing heads of the New Cinema Fund and the Development Fund -Lenny Crooks and Tanya Seghatchian respectively- will be eligible to apply for one of the four positions. The posts will also be open to external candidates.