2025 is already in full swing at Directors UK. Our distribution team is busy preparing for the next UK distribution, which is expected to be our biggest payout to members to date. This is a huge undertaking which involves the team processing hundreds of thousands of lines of data to ensure that the right royalty payments are paid to the right people.
I know how important these royalty payments are, especially when so many of us are struggling to get work. With that in mind, we continue to focus our efforts on ensuring the UK rights deal (covering programmes commissioned for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and Sky) is the best deal it can be, and we continue to drive hard to establish a deal with the streamers so they pay royalties to directors too. We’ll continue to keep you updated as this progresses.
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The Government’s consultation on copyright and AI is picking up pace. This is relevant to rightsholders across the creative industries with issues around transparency (knowing which copyright works have been used to train generative AI systems) and licensing under the spotlight. These issues must be resolved in a satisfactory way to ensure creators are recognised and fairly paid. Directors UK is part of a number of working groups considering how to respond because it is critical directors’ voices are heard in this debate.
As well as making sure directors are fairly paid for their work, we also want to make sure that directors are treated fairly when they work. We’re part of another working group, convened by DCMS, to look at issues around self-employment and freelancing. This is the next step in the Government’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ which is looking at employment issues and will move onto self-employed people next. It’s an opportunity to influence best practice around a number of areas that impact directors, including regulations for contracts, payment terms and extending certain health and safety protections.
We’ve also been involved in the development of the slate of services about to be launched by CIISA (the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) with the intention of addressing all forms of bullying, harassment and discrimination. It will be incumbent on anyone working as a senior leader or manager to uphold the set of standards that have been established. To that end, you’re welcome to join us for a meeting with the CIISA team on Monday 20 January to find out how it works, and how to play your part in ensuring the industry is a better place for everyone regardless of their role.
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On a separate note, last year we came to Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield to meet with our members, and we’re making plans to reach out to as many of you as possible this year, wherever you are.
Finally, I’m pleased to say our new Board has bedded in well following elections last summer. We're working hard to support the organisation, ensuring it works in the best way possible for the benefit of our members.
As ever, you’re welcome to reach out to me directly. Our doors are always open.
On behalf of myself and the Board, we wish you all a positive, peaceful and hopefully prosperous year ahead.
Karen Kelly
Directors UK Chair
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