Industry leaders champion equality for women in the screen sector at Deeds Not Words event

Screen sector leaders called for a renewed focus on female equality in the TV and film industries at a Deeds Not Words Policy Design Guide launch event in Scotland.

Philippa Childs

Held at the University of Glasgow yesterday, it saw luminaries from the audiovisual space issue a rallying call to put parity for women front and centre of the global debate once again.

Sara Putt, talent agent and BAFTA chair, is one of 10 screen industry leaders who is backing the Deeds Not Words Guide.

Based on three years of international research co-led by Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof of the University of Glasow, the guide provides advice on designing and reviewing policies, interventions and action plans to support women in film and TV.

The research claims that progress towards women’s equity in UK film and TV is grindingly slow. Despite “some significant gains,” it shows that women might not hold 50% of the key creative roles in UK film until 2085.

Drawing from research into policies from the UK, Germany and Canada, the guide suggests principles which could benefit gender equity policies.

The event saw keynote speeches from both Putt and Eikhof, as well as a panel discussion which saw senior executives debate the issue.

Signatories of the guide are: Putt, Katie Bailiff (CEO, Women in Film & Television), Philippa Childs (head of Bectu), Pete Johnson (CEO, British Screen Forum), Laura Mansfield (CEO, ScreenSkills), Anjani Patel (head of inclusion and diversity, Pact), Jen Smith (CEO, CIISA), Su-Mei Thompson (CEO, Media Trust), Miranda Wayland (CEO, CDN) and Sara Whybrew (director of skills and workforce development, BFI).

Putt said: “I’m a fan of basing action on evidence and the Deeds Not Words Policy Design Guide we’ve published is based on extensive research. I’m proud to have been part of the team drafting and testing this guide, and to recommend it to the industry. It encourages practical, collaborative action.”

Childs said: “I’m really pleased to have been part of the expert group behind the Guide and to add Bectu’s voice to the call for renewed progress on women’s equality in film and TV. The current model is simply not sustainable and if the industry wants to retain its talent, it must do better by the women who are critical to its success.”

Jane Muirhead, MD of Raise the Roof Productions, added: “There are so many pressures facing the industry just now that sometimes it can be hard to keep the focus on creating a fairer, better, working environment. This event is a welcome opportunity for us to come together and say we’re more than 50% of the population. Let’s talk about what we need, and what our companies need to foster creativity.”