08/07/2014 - New plan will be applicable to all BFI Film Fund productions from September 1

The British Film Institute (BFI) is adopting a new ‘three ticks’ approach towards diversity, which is backed by UK producers’ association Pact and ethnic minority recruitment and training charity Creative Access, and will be implemented for all productions supported through the BFI Film Fund from September 1 2014, and will be rolled out across all BFI funding for film by July 2015. 

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Designed to address diversity in relation to ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic status, all BFI Film Fund supported projects must demonstrate commitment to encouraging diverse representation across their workforces and in the portrayal of under-represented stories and groups on screen in order to be eligible for production funding.

At least one tick is needed in a minimum of two areas for a project to be eligible for BFI production funding from the following. On-screen diversity: diverse subject matter, at least one lead character positively reflecting diversity, at least 30% of supporting and background characters positively reflecting diversity; Off-screen diversity: diverse key creatives (director, screenwriter, composer, cinematographer), at least two Heads of Department from diverse backgrounds, production crew and production company staff (both with a range of targets across different diverse groups); Creating opportunities and promoting social mobility: paid internships and employment opportunities for new entrants from diverse backgrounds, training placements for people from diverse backgrounds, demonstrable opportunities for former trainees or interns to progress within their careers.