Pact report highlights uneven spread of crucial public funds around the UK
ITV miniseries Out There was supported by Creative Wales
UK trade body Pact has published a report that has found important direct public funds for film and TV productions are not spread evenly across the UK.
The report from Alma Economics, titled ‘The impact of direct public funding for film and television in the UK,’ highlights the importance of public funds to unlocking other sources of financing for film and TV production, boosting local economies around the UK.
Particularly for productions with smaller budgets and without major studio backing, the report found that securing direct public funding is often a necessary first step in financing for a production, giving other financiers, such as broadcasters and distributors, the confidence to invest.
This supports additional film and television production spend, which generates direct GVA (gross value added) and employment in the UK on these productions.
This in turn supports increased economic activity through supply chains, as well as underpinning the wider film and television value chain, including distribution and video on demand, Pact said.
It also contributes towards local jobs and training new talent. The report found that every £1 (US$1.35) of direct public funding supports around £4.60 of total GVA across the film and television full value chain. Additionally, of £258m of supported film and television spend, around £190m, or 74%, is estimated to remain in the UK.
However, as these public production and development funds are not spread evenly across the UK, with Northern Ireland investing the most of any home nation in direct public funding, equating to over £13.60 invested per capita, compared to England which invested £0.10 per capita.
In the South and East of England there is no direct public funding available at all, Pact added.
The research identified 30 relevant sources of direct public funding for film and television productions across the UK, largely supporting production and development. Most funds offered support to productions in specific regions or nations, with those offering UK-wide funding primarily administered by the BFI.
Recent projects supported by direct production funds include the BAFTA-winning Irish-language film Kneecap, supported by Northern Ireland Screen, the ITV miniseries Out There, set in rural Wales and supported by Creative Wales, and the HBO miniseries The Regime, supported by Screen Yorkshire.
The report’s analysis suggests that the majority of direct public funding spend is awarded to scripted film and television productions rather than unscripted content.
Pact is currently engaging with screen agencies to help with the development of funds across the country and is calling on policymakers to develop production funds which are open to all genres, offer IP funds to help producers to compete in the global IP market, and export strategies to provide producers with a route to international markets.
Pact has released six short films to showcase the film and TV work going on across the UK, highlighting the benefits that direct public funding can bring and the opportunities that will be lost without it.
Produced by Norwich-based production company, Eye Film, the films cover Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, the North of England (encompassing the North East, North West and Yorkshire), West Midlands and South West, and the South and East (outside of London).
Outgoing Pact CEO John McVay said: “The report provides a thorough evidence base of what direct public funding is available across the UK and highlights the postcode lottery that exists. That is bad for Pact members, bad for opportunities and bad for economic growth across the UK. Without this funding, it will be much more difficult to produce sustainable productions around the UK.”
Pact chair and CEO of Glasgow-based Raise The Roof Productions, Jane Muirhead, added: “It’s crucial that the screen agencies provide effective and targeted support to facilitate strategic growth and build the talent pipeline. This will enable companies to develop and produce returnable high quality productions, and allow people to forge careers and prosper in the nations and regions of the UK.”
