Directors UK has sent a letter signed by 32 of Britain’s most renowned directors to the BBC’s Creative Director Alan Yentob, calling for a review of the BBC’s Technical Guidelines on film delivery for HD.
At present, the BBC’s Technical Guidelines mean the use of 16mm/Super 16mm for HD television is effectively forbidden. Concerns were raised to Directors UK about this ruling, and when we surveyed the membership to canvas their views on this matter, we were overwhelmed by the strength of feeling against it. The concerns were echoed by the audience at our “Film v Digital” debate at Bafta last year.
The signatories include Ken Loach, Stephen Frears, Michael Apted, Lynne Ramsay, Paul Greengrass, Jane Campion, Edgar Wright, Kenneth Branagh, Terry Gilliam, Roger Michell, Alan Parker and many other of the UK’s most high-profile directors.
In the letter, Directors UK stated on behalf of its members:
“It is our strong view that delivering the image to an audience is a key part the director's job and universal standards across all genres do not necessarily serve the best interests of the audience. We would therefore like to work with the BBC and other Broadcasters to encourage a more creative environment for the benefit of audiences, broadcasters and industry practitioners.”
Directors UK has called for an immediate review of this aspect of the BBC’s Technical Guidelines, “to be conducted in a transparent and inclusive manner with appropriate participation from industry professionals, and for due weight to be given to creative as well as technical considerations.”
To read the letter and see who signed it, click here.
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