Directors UK, BBC Studios, ITV Studios and Pact announce Engagement Guidelines for Ways of Working Between Producers and Directors

A new set of guidelines has been agreed for how production companies work with directors across all genres of production, ensuring the director’s role is clear and is respected. 

The Directors and Producers Forum has drawn up the guidelines to reflect the essential creative nature of the role of a principal director.

Demonstrating good practice, they will be used as a reference point for directors working for UK broadcasters, ensuring they are being treated in a manner that reflects the agreed practices.

These principles provide a baseline of good practice for how directors and producers can work together. They are:

1.    Effective communication at an early stage is vital.

2.    The Director has a right to consultation.

3.    The Director’s creative role is to be respected.

4.    Prep time is vital.

5.    Health and Safety and Safeguarding are paramount.

6.    Producers and Directors must comply with policies addressing respectful working conditions.

7.    The Director has a right to the appropriate credit.

8.    Producers and Directors will collaborate to deliver sustainability on production.

9.    Producers and Directors will work together to deliver the production’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion and production training.

Download the Engagement Guidelines in full here.

Karen Kelly, Directors UK Chair said: “I’m proud of the guidelines we’ve developed. They represent a collective effort to ensure directors are treated fairly and supported in their craft. These guidelines help to protect creative control, secure fairer work practices, and foster a more inclusive and professional environment for all directors in the industry. My hope is that they’ll go a long way in shaping a stronger, more sustainable and fairer future for all directors in every genre.”

Andy Harrower, Directors UK CEO said: “The best television is made when everyone in a production team works well together. These principles underpin the director’s role as one of the key creative leads on a production, ensuring that their craft is respected and understood. By setting a standard of working practices that everyone agrees to, directors and producers can make great television, together.”  

The guidelines are intended to reflect current practice, and will be reviewed periodically.

Download the guidelines here: Engagement Guidelines for Ways of Working Between Producers and Directors