Research shows significant 'class gap' in UK film and television industry

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A team of people working on a film set.

While UK film and television in many ways tells an inspiring success story, working-class talent is also chronically under-represented. Particular and longstanding challenges still stand in the way of working-class people fulfilling their potential in the industry.

A recent report co-authored by Dr Peter Campbell, University of Liverpool, Professor Dave O’Brien, and Dr Mark Taylor, University of Sheffield, uses data from the British Film Institute (BFI) Film Fund to identify the severity of the ‘class gap’ in the UK film and television industry.

Class imbalance in the creative industries is among the worst of the whole of the UK economy. In fact, across the creative industries, the ‘class gap’ is often largest in prestige roles such as directing and producing film and television.

Breaking down data provided by the BFI, this report examined demographic characteristics of applications and successes associated with the BFI Film Fund’s three main funding streams. Social class origin, educational background, genders, ethnic groups, disabilities, and sexualities provided by applicants informed the report conclusions. Visualising the data in this way allowed for comparison of all applications and those that were successful and awarded funding.

The data showed, at present, those from ‘middle class’ (managerial/ professional) backgrounds are dominating applications to BFI film funding stands. Of the three lead creative roles [producers, directors, and writers], the pattern of disproportionate middle-class success is most pronounced for producers.

In fact, 4% of awards went to producers from working-class backgrounds. In contrast, 75% of producers applying to the BFI Development Fund were from middle-class backgrounds, while making up 80% of successful applications.

Privately educated applicants to the BFI film funding strands were also found to be over-represented. Around 15% of applicants were privately educated, which equated to double the equivalent in the UK population. The data highlighted an ongoing class imbalance in both applicants to the BFI Film Fund and those who were successful and awarded funding.

This suggests that in UK film and television, the ‘class gap’ has shown no improvement in recent years, and it is likely to have now been worsened by Covid and the cost-of-living crisis.

Access The BFI Film Fund and Class: Breaking Down the Data report

 

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