OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

As we head into this new year, there is much we can all take pride in. Empirical evidence shows the all-important growth in production. But, crucially, in a landscape which is offering more and more ways for the public to engage with film and moving-image work, we are seeing people come back to the cinema as well as watching at home. Big budget or small, the artistry of cinematography is playing an important part in transporting people.

At the BFI we are committed to ensuring the public has the opportunity to enjoy the art of cinema and are pleased to see audiences returning to the BFI Southbank, the BFI IMAX and also the BFI London Film Festival, as well on BFI Player and our extended network of cinema partners around the country.

The art of cinema, and what it brings to culture and the artform, has been very much to the fore in in our long-term work. For just over a year we have been working on a new vision and mission for the BFI to support and create opportunity for those who work and want to work in the sector, as well as for audiences who consume what we all make.

Our new 10-year strategy, Screen Culture 2033, which will take us through to our landmark centenary, sets out how we aim to transform access to our unique and valuable collections, cultural and education programmes, and use policy and research work, alongside a new BFI National Lottery strategy and £136 million funding plan, to build a diverse and accessible screen culture. A cultural and industrial approach that aims to benefit all of society and contribute to a prosperous UK economy.

This work involved extensive research and industry consultation and, when published in September last year, came at a time when we could all begin to reflect on just how far we’ve come after what has to be the most tumultuous period in our industry in recent times, and consider the road ahead.

A record £5.64 billion spend on film and highend television (HETV) production in the UK, reported in the BFI’s official 2021 statistics in February 2022, was welcome news in demonstrating how the sector had begun to recover in the wake of the pandemic. Production spend was £1.27 billion higher than for the pre-pandemic year 2019. The UK’s global reputation as the world-leading centre for production was underlined by 84% of the spend (£4.77 billion) coming from inward investment and co-production. The statistics also revealed the increasing investment made by streamers in single long-form productions, contributing £737 million to t he HETV spend of £4.09 billion.

Government support for production with the screen sector tax reliefs and the Film & TV Production Restart Scheme, administered by the BFI, have played an important part in the industry’s growth and recovery. The groundwork for further growth is underway with the expansion of studio spaces and production hot spots across the nations and regions, and working with industry to build up the skilled workforce that we need to meet demand and stay on top of our game. sector needs to contribute at least 1% of all production budgets to train the existing and future workforce, bringing it in line with training investment made by other industries, such as construction. This 1% could be invested in the ScreenSkills film and HETV skills funds, training initiatives run by productions or outsourced to training providers and partners, as well as the Apprenticeship Levy. Progressing this work will be the role of an industry-led stakeholder group convened by the BFI and the DCMS.

However, other research published by the BFI in July 2022, highlighted the significant and rapidly increasing challenges that UK independent film continues to face. The Economic Review Of UK Independent Film, undertaken by independent research company Alma Economics, showed this vital part of the screen industries is seeing plateauing production budgets paired with increasing crew, cast and studio space costs. Cost inflation across production is adding a further 20% to UK independent film budgets.

Despite the support of the BFI, BBC Film and Film4 as key funders, screen sector tax reliefs, and the new UK Global Screen Fund which is run by the BFI to support the promotion and export of UK independent film and co-productions, and national and regional funds, the review found that market challenges are raising concern about the long-term viability of UK independent film. The review also pinpoints measures as preliminary recommendations which are being unpacked and modelled with the industry in order to enable UK independent film to prosper and continue.

At a time when economic pressures are affecting people’s lives and industry resilience, our commitment to deliver against the National Lottery’s good causes mandate has never been more important. Our new BFI National Lottery Strategy 2023-2033 will guide how we invest approximately £45million a year over the first three years of the 10-year strategy period by prioritising filmmakers, education and skills, audience development, screen heritage work, innovation and industry services, and international activity. The new funds that will be active in these areas will be going live in the coming months with more information published here (https://www.bfi.org.uk/funding-industry).

Pressures facing independent cinemas, important as cultural places within their communities, is also of significant concern. The Culture Recovery Fund, administered by the BFI on behalf of the Department For Digital, Culture, Media & Support (DCMS), was a lifeline for independent cinemas during the pandemic, supporting 209 cinemas in England with £34.4m ensuring they could survive. It has been great to see audiences returning to the big screen after months of closure in 2020-21, however, we are cognisant of the challenges they face with the impact of rising energy costs whilst still grappling with recovery.

One of the most critical challenges facing the whole production sector is the need for training and skills development to address skills shortages and ensure the sector’s continued growth. Our Skills Review for scripted film and HETV, published in June 2022, found that while the record UK production spend in 2021 is important to the sector and the economy, this is leading to increasing –and often critical – crew shortages at all levels, which are beginning to negatively impact the industry and contributing to highly-stressed workplaces.

The Skills Review concludes that the production

Cutting across all our funding decisions, and also at the heart of Screen Culture 2033, are three core principles: equity so everyone can develop a meaningful relationship with screen culture, regardless of their background or circumstances; UK-wide, so that everyone across the four nations of the UK is able to experience and create the widest range of moving image storytelling; and environmental sustainability, from reducing the BFI’s own carbon emissions to supporting wider industry efforts to get to net zero. You can read much more about how these are embedded into the strategies here (https://blog.bfi.org.uk/long-read/nationallottery-strategy/our-national-lottery-strategicframework/ ).

We are an industry of strength and growth, across art, tech and craft. At the BFI we will do all we can, working with industry and partners UKwide to ensure this continues.

Ben Roberts Chief Executive BFI