Film London Backs Diversification

Film London has responded to Creative Skillset's 2012 Employment Census, which says that the UK's television and film industries are "failing to represent and benefit from the diversity of the country's population".
Last week Film London backed Diversify, a symposium presented by Screen International and Broadcast magazine looking at how the production industries can improve representation within their personnel.
Deborah Sathe, Head of Talent Development and Production, explained: "When Screen and Broadcast decided to create a forum to discuss this and incite change Film London jumped at the chance to participate."
The day saw speakers including Lenny Henry, Kwame Kwei-Amah, Baroness Oona King, director Sally el Hosaini and director of BBC Television Danny Cohen give their take on how the sector could get better at supporting diversity.
Speaking as part of one of the event's panels, Sathe said: "The industry struggles to represent the world as it is," she said. "If you can't see yourself there [you] will move away from the industry."
Opening the symposium, Executive Director of Creative Skillset Kate O'Connor presented results from their Employment Census, showing the state of diversity across the sector over the last 10 years.
The Census showed that representation of black and minority ethnic men and women has fallen by 2%, taking the figure to 5.4%.
In 2009, the representation of women in the sector dropped by 9% to 27%. Although this has since risen to 36%, the figure remains lower than seven years ago.
Representation of men and women with a disability meanwhile has remained at a steadily disproportionate 1% over the last six years.
"As an industry" said Aaqil Aghmed, BBC's commissioning editor for religion "we should be ashamed".
Speaking after the event, Sathe added: "Despite the minority population growing, the working figure has fallen. Having worked in diversity for years, and seeing the brilliant minority talent that Film London has delivered into the industry, these figures really depressed me. They and prove that the television and film have not yet learned to champion talent that will grow our future audiences.
"The day itself was brilliant," said Sathe, "but there were not enough people of power in the audience to really incite change and champion a national strategy that will ensure that we are investing in the future of our industry.
"As a way forward both the main television and film organisations must stand together, not creating ‘diversity off shoots’ to fix the problem, but bring it into the heart of everything that we deliver to an audience."
In 2013 London Calling Plus became Film London's first shorts funding scheme specifically aimed at championing under represented voices in the capital, this year targeting emerging black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) talent. Film London received over 120 applications for just five awards, proving the demand in the capital for such support.
filmlondon.org.uk
(IT/MH)