Top UK film representatives gather to make sure industry has A Bigger Future
7 May 2008
Last night Skillset brought together senior representatives from all sectors of the UK Film Industry to begin developing the second stage of A Bigger Future, the film skills strategy for the UK.
Five years ago Skillset launched A Bigger Future, the first and only national skills strategy of its kind for any film industry in the world. Since then over 14,000 places on training schemes have been funded by this investment in training and education, helping the UK maintain its position as the most highly skilled workforce in the global film industry.
In the past five years Skillset has invested £36million of funds from the National Lottery via the UK Film Council and from the film industry via the Skills Investment Fund (SIF). Skillset has made this go further by raising more than £50million through partnership funding.
With attendees from across the UK Film Industry, the special Skillset Connects event marked the end of five successful years of A Bigger Future and launched a consultation to shape the next three year phase of the strategy.
Stewart Till, Skillset's Deputy Chair, said:
"At a time of recession it is more important than ever to continue investing in the skills of our industry to ensure that the UK retains its competitive advantage of having the most highly skilled workforce in the world."
Neil Peplow, Skillset's Director of Film, said:
"As with so many other industries, film is experiencing enormous changes. We all need to continually keep abreast of new developments. I urge the industry to get involved in this consultation to make sure that Skillset's work remains relevant to their needs."
Skillset will now be consulting with the industry over the coming weeks through a series of focus groups, interviews and online surveys. Details of the consultation can be found online at A Bigger Future 2
For all media enquiries contact:
Jennifer Walters
e: jenniferw@skillset.org
t: 0207 713 9812
Notes to Editors
Skillset
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media which comprises tv, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging and publishing. Jointly funded by industry and government, our job is to help the UK creative media industries have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time, so that our industries remain competitive.
A Bigger Future
A Bigger Future is a strategic plan for delivering industry relevant skills in the UK film industry. The result of 12 months research and consultation with the industry - from those involved in script development to those working in exhibition. It is funded by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council, and from contributions made to the Skills Investment Fund (SIF), and additionally-levered sources of finance.
Skills Investment Fund (SIF)
The SIF is a voluntary training levy on films shot wholly or partially in the UK. Productions are asked to contribute 0.5% of their production budget, and productions in receipt of public funding are obliged to pay. With the establishment of the Film Industry Training Board in 2008, the SIF will be moving to a mandatory levy early 2010 in England and Wales. A voluntary levy will continue in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Industry Training Boards (ITBs)
Industry Training Boards (ITBs) are statutory bodies set up to oversee mandatory training levies under the industrial Training Act 1982. Board appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Training Act 1982 and the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). Film Producer Iain Smith has been appointed Chairman of the Board for 5 years.