Skillset announce in-depth survey of film production workforce over 2006

All crew involved in feature film production in the UK over the next year will be surveyed by Skillset to get an accurate picture of the size, shape and skills needs of the film production workforce.
The survey starts in January and will continue throughout 2006. Skillset is working with productions before they start shooting so they can distribute questionnaires and gather information from crews whilst they are working on the feature.
The results will be published in 2007 and will be used by the industry, Skillset, the UK Film Council and government to plan and target investment in skills development.
£1 will be donated to the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund for every completed questionnaire returned.
Gurinder Chadha, Director, said: “This survey identifies the real issues facing film crew, and then informs solutions.”
Eric Fellner, Producer at Working Title, said of the survey: “It provides evidence to help Skillset and industry effectively target areas where need is greatest.”
Iain Smith, Producer, said: “The results from the first ever survey led to the establishment of the Film Business Academy. This is the workforce’s chance to inform the second survey and future developments.”
This is the second survey of the production workforce undertaken by Skillset. The findings of the first, which used a different approach and contacted crew after they had finished on the production, have been influential in directing Skillset’s work in film under A Bigger Future, the UK Film Skills Strategy – a groundbreaking joint initiative with the UK Film Council to tackle the skills needs of all jobs in film across all grades.
A Bigger Future has already established a UK wide network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy offering industry endorsed film education and training; funded over £1m worth of short courses in priority areas aimed at the existing workforce; and provided careers information, advice and guidance on how to progress in the film industry.
Judy Counihan, Skillset’s Director of Film, said: “Skillset has developed this new research method to tackle the particular challenges of film production. It is difficult to track a freelance workforce which moves around a lot but Skillset needs this information to target our efforts and resources where it’s most effective. We want and need as many people working in production in the UK in 2006 to take part and tell us what they need us to be doing to support them.”
(GB)