Directors Digest — Friday 18 October 2024

In the news this week Channel 4 receives new 10-year broadcast licence, but sees their made out of England quota increase to just 12%. Find out more and read Andy Harrower’s response on social media.

Meanwhile, the Government marks the UK creative industries as a key ‘growth driver’ in their new Industrial Strategy, and we pay tribute to the late Alvin Rakoff.

Read all about it in this week’s Digest.

News

•  The Government has marked the UK creative industries as a key ‘growth driver’ in their new Industrial Strategy. (TVBEurope) We look forward to working with the government to ensure that the UK’s incredible screen sector talent is at the heart of developing and delivering this strategy for growth and opportunity across the UK.

•  This week Ofcom announced a new 10-year broadcast licence for Channel 4. As part of the new licence, Channel 4 will increase its Nations and Regions production quota from 9% to 12%. (Ofcom) We're pleased that Channel 4’s licence has been extended but disappointing that the nations quota falls far short of the 16% that we and other industry bodies had maintained is necessary to sustain the careers of directors and other off-screen talent based in the nations.

•  Channel 4 this week announced new plans to boost its strategy to reach 600 roles outside London, advertising new roles across all its locations prioritising bases in Leeds, Manchester, Bristol or Glasgow.  (Channel 4)

Director Interviews

•  Director Kevin Macdonald on his documentary One to One, which explores the lives of John Lennon and Yoko Ono after moving to New York in 1971. (Guardian)

Obituaries

•  Director writer, and producer Alvin Rakoff has died at the age of 97. CEO Andy Harrower says: “Alvin loved the craft of directing. He got his start in TV through the BBC’s directors’ training course, becoming the youngest producer director in the BBC drama department, and was always keen to embrace new technologies as they emerged. As well as being a multi-award-winning director, producer and writer, Alvin was a former Directors’ Guild of Great Britain president. Through his work with the DGGB, he championed the creative rights of directors, work which Directors UK continues today.”