05/07/2005

The whole UK film industry has come together last night to launch at the Royal Commonwealth Society in London, the first Equalities Charter for film which promotes equal opportunities and access, training and representation both behind and in front of the camera.
Over 20 UK companies and organisations which signed the new charter came to the event including the UK Film Council, BBC Films, Channel 4, the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT), the British Video Association and the exhibitors chain Vue Cinemas.

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A DVD produced with the support of Working Title Films, the New Producers Alliance and Skillset to inspire young people –particularly from ethnic minorities- to consider a career in film, was also launched at the event. It features interviews with directors Asif Kapadia (The Warrior [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), actors Naomie Harris (28 Days Later), and Vas Blackwood (Creep [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), and will be available free to schools, colleges and career services.

A recent UK Film Council analysis showed that people from minority ethnic groups represent only 5% of the film production workforce in the UK. Inequalities also hit genders as 34% of women earn less than £20,000 (€30.000) compared to 18% of men, and in the weekly rate paid for feature film work, 41% of women earn less than £1000 (€1.500) per week compared with 30% of men.