The BBC, Channel Four, Scottish Screen, Skillset Scotland, indie and freelance producers got together for a unique collaboration in Glasgow last week. It was an Open Forum on “Diversity – the Creative Opportunity”.
Greater diversity can make programmes more commercially successful as well as more creative, said guest contributor Oona King (Channel 4’s Head of Diversity).
“It makes good business sense. A more inclusive industry makes better programmes, and is fairer and more representative. Programme-makers should take the risk to involve new talent from more varied backgrounds off screen as well as on it, from the development stage onwards.”
She added that C4’s Drama Controller Tessa Ross, for example, enabled visual artist Steve McQueen to direct “The Hunger” about ethnic conflict in Northern Ireland – even though he had never directed drama before. And two of C4’s greatest successes in the past 2 years both had diversity at their core: the movies “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Last King of Scotland”.
The Forum was initiated and staged by the Indie Training Fund, the leading charity providing development for indie TV and digital media production companies and freelancers. It was one of a series of events and half-day Diversity workshops that ITF is organising around the UK to support the broadcasters’ new Diversity Pledge, and the Cultural Diversity Network
The discussion was led by Jo Street (BBC Scotland’s Daytime Commissioner) and Daniell Morrisey (BBC Vision’s Talent Business Manager, and a member of the Indie Talent Forum).
In the opening interactive quiz the small teams of delegates from several Scottish indies (including Bees Nees Media, the Broadbent Partnership, Caledonia TV Productions, The Comedy Unit, Firefly Arts, IWC Media, Lion TV & the Media Co-op), and the BBC, and the freelance producers had some surprises in what they knew about their audiences. Guided by the workshop leaders they then discussed some successful current programmes, and came up with ideas about how they could be improved by working towards more diverse elements and viewpoints:
Most of those present felt they gained new perspectives from the event which they would aim to include in the content of their future projects. Afterwards they said:
“I will try and change my mindset so that diversity is more integrated into the development process”
“We will work even harder to give opportunities to diverse new talent when we hire people”
“A great and thought-provoking session”