Representing you in parliament and in the industry

2024 is only a few weeks old, and we’ve been busy speaking on your behalf to decision-makers in Westminster and in the creative industries. 

Representing you out and about

Recently, Directors UK Chief Executive Andy Harrower was one of the industry leaders to attend a reception held by the All-Party Parliamentary Media Group, where keynote speakers included Rt Hon Lucy Frazer MP (Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport), Dame Melanie Dawes (Chief Executive of Ofcom) and Marcus Ryder (Chief Executive of The Film and TV Charity). As well as hearing about policy developments on key issues, Andy was able to have useful conversations about the issues you currently face with those influencing policy.

Meanwhile, Director of Communications and Public Affairs Victoria Morris attended a British Screen Forum roundtable with Sir Chris Bryant MP, the Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital, where she highlighted the crisis currently facing freelancers in the screen sector, the precarity of their work, and the lack of support currently available to them. With this in mind, we also pushed for a Freelance Commissioner who could operate within government. 

Public Affairs and Policy Manager Niall Stewart also attended meetings with the British Copyright Council, Creative UK, Society of Audiovisual Authors, Creators’ Rights Alliance, and the Federation of European Film Directors on subjects ranging from the rise of AI to the DGA’s latest negotiations.

Representing you in consultations

Alongside all of this, we’ve responded to an Ofcom consultation on its Plan of Work 2024/25 with a push for impactful interventions leading towards a more inclusive and fairer industry. We’re in the process of responding to a further Ofcom consultation on Channel 4’s Licence Renewal, where we’re again highlighting the damaging shortfall in work for directors. 

Still to come

On 21 February, Directors UK Vice-Chair James Hawes will be appearing at a CMS Select Committee for British film and High-end television, where he’ll be giving a director’s insights on the issues affecting the industry and the support needed. You can tune in and watch a live broadcast of James’ appearance here — and we’ll keep you informed of any updates and developments that come from this committee hearing.

A lot of our public affairs work goes on behind the scenes, but in these written consultations and at every one of these meetings and events, Directors UK is proudly there to represent you and ensure that the challenges you face are at the heart of these important conversations.