Speaking directly to Government and decision makers

We’ve been busy representing directors in parliament, in meetings and in consultations, getting in front of policy makers and those with the power to influence our industry. Read more below.

Representing you in front of Government and decision makers 

Last week, the CMS Select Committee Creator Remuneration report was published, and its recommendations represent a significant step forward for directors. The report followed a September hearing on the same topic, and our CEO Andy Harrower was there to ensure directors’ income was protected and they were paid fairly. On social media, Andy welcomed the recommendations set out in the report, which affirm what we have long been fighting for and wholeheartedly support the points he raised during the September session. 

Following the report’s publication, Andy wrote to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer, urging her to swiftly implement its key recommendations: appointing a Freelancers’ Commissioner, introducing the Smart Fund and putting appropriate tools in place to enforce creators’ rights of consent and payment with regards to AI developers.  

This week, along with Public Affairs and Policy Manager Niall Stewart, Andy also attended a Smart Fund Group meeting to determine the next steps following the CMS report publication. Here, they were able to ensure that the directors’ viewpoint is taken into account as the implementation of the Smart Fund progresses. 

Elsewhere, Niall also represented directors’ interests in meetings with the British Copyright Council, the Intellectual Property Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on subjects ranging from Al, CMO regulation, international trade agreements, and copyright.  

Representing you in consultations  

We submitted our response to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) second call for evidence on how data protection principles should be applied at different stages of the AI lifecycle. In this, we pushed for transparency and licencing to ensure that directors’ copyright is protected and a level playing field is established between AI developers and the creative sector. This submission feeds into the ICO’s wider consultation on Generative AI.

Still to come 

In July, we’ll be in the Houses of Parliament for the annual Film the House Awards. An annual competition celebrating filmmaking talent, Film the House also highlights the importance of intellectual property rights and allows our team and Board to directly make the case for directors’ copyright and IP in front of lawmakers and decision-makers. We’ll share more news about the awards and the winner, as well as any updates, later in the summer.