He also wants to put the film on a fast track and make sure it reaches audiences as quickly as possible.

BBC: Movie tribute to New York firefighters

Far from being put off by the studios' financial disasters, a growing number of people think that film production represents an opportunity: a fast-growing business in which it is easy to undercut the clumsy market leaders.

ECONOMIST: Hollywood's fading charms

In 2006, Farrow made a movie comeback, starring in three films released that year - a remake of The Omen, romantic comedy Fast Track and Luc Besson film, Arthur and the Minimoys.

BBC: Profile: Mia Farrow

Key titles include the BBC's flagship news and current affairs programme, Newsnight, noted for its in-depth analysis and robust cross-examination of senior politicians (available within a week of the UK broadcast), as well as HARDTalk, Click (a popular technology magazine show covering news and developments in consumer technology), Fast Track and Talking Movies (a guide to the best in film, from the most recent Hollywood blockbusters to ground-breaking world cinema).

ENGADGET: BBC brings global iPlayer iPad app to Canada, one step closer to the US

Morgan Spurlock made his name as a documentary film-maker with Super Size Me, which looked at the effects of eating fast food.

BBC: Morgan Spurlock

But a reluctance to ease its heavy reliance on film allowed rivals like Canon and Sony to rush into the fast-emerging digital arena.

BBC: Kodak: From Brownie and roll film to digital disaster