Category Archives: Skills & capacity

Skills shortages in film & TV – update

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Paul Evans

There’s a useful roundup in the i-Paper showing the scale of the studio expansion and growing physical production capacity that the UK has, in contrast to the roster of available skills which will leave an estimated “40,000 workers needed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Quotas, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Looking Glass ’21 report

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Paul Evans

The Film and TV Charity have published their Looking Glass ’21 report. This is a follow-up from their research in 2019 into working conditions in the film and TV industry, and how these impact workers based on responses from more … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Film & TV industry data, Freelance working, Health & Safety, Long hours, Management, Mental Health, Skills & capacity, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Production growing in the nations and regions

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Paul Evans

Back in September, I posted here about The Pact Census (as carried out by Oliver and Ohlbaum). I’ve been meaning to pull out something about the impact on regional production from that for a while. So here goes. Pact chose … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Skills & capacity, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , | Leave a comment

BFI Screen Business report details the scale of the UK production boom

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

Anyone who has any doubts about the size and scale of the UK production boom can have a look at the latest BFI Screen Business report (if the annual Pact Census most recently published in September wasn’t convincing enough!). The … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Economics, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Shinfield Studios planning permission granted.

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

Shinfield Studios in Reading is another addition to the UK’s ever-mushrooming production capacity (for details of other recent developments see the UK Studio Watch tag on this site). Located very close the M4 and nearly 5 miles away from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, Skills & capacity, UK studios | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Stephen Follows research site

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Paul Evans

For anyone who hasn’t already found this at some point, via Google, Stephen Follows runs a fine website full of industry research that answers many questions that you have, and a few you didn’t know you have. Here are some … Continue reading →

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Gender representation, High End TV data, Low budget features, Skills & capacity | Tagged | Leave a comment

Shepperton expansion confirmed – with deeper Netflix ties

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Paul Evans

Further to the previous post about Shepperton Studios here a few months ago, it looks like the support from Spelthorne Council has borne fruit: The Pinewood Group has now announced its decision to further expand Shepperton. This will expand the capacity … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature film data, High End TV data, Skills & capacity, UK studios | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bray Studios expansion agreed

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Paul Evans

Bray Studios – the home of Hammer Horror films – is the latest of the UK’s historic film studios to announce an expansion. Plainly, this growing capacity is good news all round for Bectu members, though there will be mixed … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature film data, High End TV data, Skills & capacity, UK studios | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Skills shortage update – Production Accountants

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Paul Evans

There appears to be a particularly large skills-gap in the area of Production Accountancy with the supply of labour not matching demand. This appears to have been caused, at least in part, due to people leaving the industry for more … Continue reading →

Posted in Freelance working, Long hours, Skills & capacity, Work-life balance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Devaluing arts education

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Paul Evans

I don’t want to get too diverted into a focus into the general question of arts education, its status, and funding (we’re fighting on enough fronts already at the moment), but one of the post-Brexit realignments that are being talked … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture policy, Economics, Skills & capacity | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Comprehensive European figures on women’s representation in TV drama

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Paul Evans

Women still under-represented in the #TVfiction industry in Europe🚺Find out more in our report ➡ https://t.co/hjdMgTDNP4 #womeninfilm #diversitymatters #womendirectors #genderequity pic.twitter.com/hqMu7fHIw6 — Europ AV Observatory (@EuAvObservatory) October 20, 2021 The key insights contained in the report are that, beyond obvious … Continue reading →

Posted in Diversity of representation, Equality, Film & TV industry data, Gender equality, Gender representation, High End TV data, Management, Skills & capacity, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

UK commissioned productions losing crew talent to streamers

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Paul Evans

We’ve been saying it will happen for a while, but the wider world is beginning to notice. This, from the FT[£]; “Seetha Kumar, chief executive of ScreenSkills, said the “pinch points” were particularly acute in mid-tier roles — for which … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, EU & Brexit, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Regulation, Skills & capacity | Tagged | Leave a comment

Got a pay claim coming up? Want advice on inflation, and stuff like that?

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Paul Evans

If you have a pay claim coming up and want advice on inflation, and stuff like that…. good luck! Firstly, the official, current inflation figures have not been as flimsy a guide as they are at the moment for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, EU & Brexit, Inflation, Pay & inflation, Productivity, Skills & capacity | Tagged | 3 Comments

More on UK/US unscripted production partnerships

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Paul Evans

Futher to the recent post about Netflix partnerships with UK PSBs, NBC Universal has also done an unscripted formats deal with the BBC.

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Film & TV industry data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

UK studio expansions – latest: Netflix announces plans for Longcross

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Paul Evans

Another sign of the UK production sector heating up rapidly, Netflix (already projected to spend more than $1bn on across 60 UK productions in 2021 alone) is adding to its UK production capacity with a partnership with Aviva Investors expanding … Continue reading →

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Skills & capacity, SVoD, UK studios | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

£1.2m annual Netflix training ‘war chest’ and other scripted TV training developments

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Paul Evans

As referenced in the Guardian article a few days ago, here’s more detail on this Netflix training budget, from Broadcast [£]. Quoting ex-Production Guild chief Alison Small (now working directly for ‘Grow Creative UK’ / Netflix) on training: “If we … Continue reading →

Posted in Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Management, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Ampere Analysis – strong case against privatisation of Channel Four

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

A strong thread here from Ampere Analysis, and a detailed report of their findings is here in The Guardian. Ampere has assessed a range of potential options surrounding the privatisation of @Channel4. Here is what we found: — Ampere Analysis … Continue reading →

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, Sports rights and broadcasting, SVoD | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Streaming demand for UK shows will create 30,000 film and TV jobs”

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Paul Evans

This, from today’s Guardian. But, as Head of Bectu, Phillipa Childs, says on Twitter.… “with a shortage of crew it’s important that the industry invests in training, development, safeguarding and well-being to attract diverse talent and bring the best of … Continue reading →

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Skills & capacity, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Is UK audiovisual content about to hit a perfect storm?

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Paul Evans

I’d suggest that there is an emerging picture of where UK production is likely to head in the next few years, and it’s one that should worry us – particularly from the point of view of cultural diversity (which is … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, EU & Brexit, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Class based exclusion in the creative sector

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Paul Evans

In a huge wake-up call for the creative sector, the (NESTA) Creative Industries Policy and Research Centre have published a damning report on class-based exclusion. The UK’s #CreativeIndustries would need to employ 250,000 more working-class people to be as socio … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Low pay, Minimum wage rates, Skills & capacity, Wages and Pay-rates, Wealth inequality, Welfare and benefits | Tagged | Leave a comment

Pact Census 2021 published

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Paul Evans

One of the biggest, and most useful info-dumps about UK TV production has landed today with the publication of the Oliver and Ohlbaum / Pact Census (which is also published alongside a briefing on the impact of Covid this year). … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Post-production, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, UK studios | Tagged , | 3 Comments

BBC and Creative Wales partnership to boost Welsh TV industry

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Paul Evans

Following a prompt from Carwyn Donovan, I see that the BBC are reporting a new partnership – a formal agreement – between the BBC and Creative Wales. Carwyn and the Bectu reps in Wales have built a strong relationship with … Continue reading →

Posted in Factual & Entertainment sector data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Racist stereotyping in auditions, and major BFI study into representation in UK film

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Paul Evans

More from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University. “Two thirds of actors of colour have experienced racist stereotyping in an audition, while more than 50% have experienced racism in the workplace, according to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Feature film data, High End TV data, Race equality, Skills & capacity | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Theatre Tax Relief paid out £74 million to 3,660 productions last year

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Paul Evans

According to The Stage [£]… “This represents a £3 million increase on the figure paid out in 2019/20, which was £71 million, and comes amid calls for the tax credit to be increased to help the sector recover after the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation & VFX, Culture policy, EU & Brexit, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax, Tax incentives, Theatre and Live Events data | Tagged | Leave a comment

Intimacy co-ordinators mentoring scheme

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Paul Evans

The Stage reports that… “A mentoring scheme has been launched to improve diversity in the intimacy coordination profession. The programme for under-represented groups, described as the first of its kind in the UK, has recently completed its inaugural course, training … Continue reading →

Posted in Child protection and safeguarding, Diversity of representation, Gender representation, Race equality, Skills & capacity | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Freelance Deal: 1. Employment Rights, Tax and Pensions

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Paul Evans

This is the first draft of the policy document that has been agreed by the Tax, Employment Rights and Pensions Working Group of London Production Division (LPD) on the 7th May 2020. It is a contribution to Bectu’s proposed ‘New … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment Contracts, Employment Law and Rights, Employment status, Freelance working, Freelancer rights, Gig economy workers, IR35, Long hours, Management, Pensions, Personal Service Companies, Skills & capacity, Tax, Welfare and benefits, Wellbeing, Work-life balance | Tagged | Leave a comment

More stats on the impact of the creative sector on the wider economy

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Paul Evans

Further to this post about the Creative Industries Federation report, here are more stats on the (potential) contribution to the UK economy from the creative sector. The Creative UK Group projects that the creative industries can create 300,000 new jobs … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Regulation, Skills & capacity, Tax incentives | Tagged | Leave a comment

More on skills shortages in film & TV

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Paul Evans

This from Broadcast Mag [£]: “Demand for talent and the skills shortage issue is nearing breaking point, with small indies being priced out of the market and execs being poached midway through jobs. Broadcast has spoken to numerous indie sector … Continue reading →

Posted in EU & Brexit, Film & TV industry policy, Pay & inflation, Skills & capacity | Tagged , | 1 Comment

BBC at Elstree update

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Paul Evans

There was a post here recently about the Elstree Studios site (power struggle, lots of expansion, council involved in a row, etc), but the term ‘Elstree Studios’ is a cause of substantial confusion (not least because it’s quite common for … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Public Service Broadcasting, Skills & capacity, UK studios | Tagged | Leave a comment

Economic insight into the UK creative industries

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Paul Evans

On the 21st July, the Creative Industries Federation (a membership body which represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries) published a report commissioned from Oxford Economics entitled ‘Developing economic insight into the creative industries’. As this is an economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, EU & Brexit, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Productivity, Skills & capacity | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Europe’s biggest television and film production hub” planned for Broxbourne, Herts.

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Paul Evans

The FT is reporting that the US investment groups Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties are planning Europe’s biggest television and film production hubs in Broxbourne, Herts in a £700m deal. It will house “between 15 and 25 sound stages”. All … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, High End TV data, Skills & capacity | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

British content projecting Britain

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Paul Evans

I’ll be posting more on this in the coming weeks, but there are some very big concerns circulating even in Conservative circles about the potential damage that the UK could sustain due to changes in the film and TV industry. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation & VFX, BBC, Coronavirus, Coronavirus, Culture policy, EU & Brexit, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives, The Conservative Party, UK studios | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

What’s going on with Netflix then?

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Paul Evans

From the FT [£]: “Subscription growth this year could never match the lockdown-driven surge of 2020. Netflix added 1.5m net new subscribers in the second quarter. While above its own low forecast, it failed to attract anything like the 10m … Continue reading →

Posted in Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ofcom calls for stronger system of public service media fit for the digital age

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Paul Evans

A strong position from Ofcom here – particularly in the current climate (with C4 privatisation firmly on the table) “Public service content matters – but it’s under increasing threat.” From the Ofcom site: “Ofcom is today recommending a radical overhaul … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

European Audiovisual Observatory industry stats handbooks

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Paul Evans

European Audiovisual Observatory 2020-2021 Key Trends [PDF] World Film Market Trends (coming soon – here) Previous editions are here.

Posted in EU & Brexit, Factual & Entertainment sector data, Feature film data, Film & TV industry data, Film & TV industry policy, High End TV data, Public Service Broadcasting, Quotas, Regulation, Skills & capacity, SVoD, Tax incentives | Tagged | Leave a comment