Neal Street Productions and BBC are offering a paid placement opportunity for a Full, Associate or Distribution-only member of Directors UK. This placement is open to women, directors from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent directors.
Selected by the production, the successful applicant will gain invaluable production experience, joining the director for an episode of Call the Midwife during the prep and shooting stages of production.
The main production offices/set are based in Chertsey, Surrey.
About the placement
Offered by Neal Street Productions, this opportunity would most benefit a Directors UK member who already has professional directing experience and is looking to develop knowledge and confidence in leading complex television productions. The ideal candidate will have directed no more than two blocks of continuing drama, several short films, a low budget feature, or is transitioning from Factual to Drama.
The ambition is to engage the successful director during the prep and production stage. The placement intends to offer access to the whole organisational and creative process.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop their own mood boards, discuss script notes in parallel with the director, attend key meetings and recces, as well as be a part of the Main Unit, discussing and receiving feedback throughout.
Potentially, the placement director could have the opportunity to gain Second Unit / Splinter Unit experience. Please note, this is not guaranteed.
Dates and Details
This placement is scheduled to begin on Thursday 1 May and finish on Friday 6 June.
Please ensure you can commit to this schedule at the point of application.
The production aims to interview shortlisted candidates during the weeks commencing Monday 24 March and/or Monday 7 April.
The is a paid opportunity with expenses to be covered. The details of which will be finalised at interview stage.
Only Full, Associate and Distribuion-only Directors UK members who are women, or a director from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, or are deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent should apply for this placement.
Members can click here to apply.
The deadline for applications is 12pm (midday) on Monday 24 March.
This opportunity is permitted as Positive Action within the 2010 Equalities Act and acknowledges the underrepresentation of women, directors from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, and directors with disabilities (Source – Diamond: The Seventh Cut - Off-screen contributions by women in senior roles 2019/20 and 2022/23, off-screen contributions by people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds in senior roles 2019/20 and 2022/23, and off-screen contributions by people with disabilities in senior roles 2019/20 and 2022/23).
1) Gender Representation: Women directors remain underrepresented, with numbers of contributions by women showing an overall decline.
2) Ethnic Diversity: The report indicates that contributions by directors from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds have seen a half percent increase since 2019, but that directors from this group are still significantly underrepresented.
3) Disability: Directors with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in the industry. The report shows that contributions from this group are still below population and workforce estimates.
