Creative England submission to DCMS Film Policy Review Consultation

Transcription

1 Creative England submission to DCMS Film Policy Review Consultation September 2011

2 Contents 1. Introduction About Creative England The experience of the RSAs The Olsberg SPI Study Creative England s Industry Consultation What Creative England sees as key issues for the review to address Appendix 1: Strategic and Operational Priorities for Creative England

3 1. Introduction The DCMS Review poses four issues for consideration, with the overall intention of assisting the success of the film industry and the growth of film culture, particularly the growth of British independent cinema and the audience for it. Creative England has a role to play in addressing all four issues. Creative England, still in its start-up phase, builds on the achievements of the Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs) and so this submission is shaped to a significant extent by their experience and their view of the film landscape. It also draws on two pieces of work;- an independent analysis of the effectiveness of the RSAs undertaken in 2009 by the consultants Olsberg SPI, and an industry-wide consultation conducted in 2011 by Creative England. 2. About Creative England Creative England builds on the work of the RSAs that were established by the UK Film Council over the last ten years. They have been remarkably successful, if unsung. Their achievements have included - Building strong networks that have spanned local, regional, national, European and occasionally global partnerships. - Leveraging relatively large amounts of external finance, both private and public, to augment their direct funding. - Growing their area of competence from film into television, games and other interactive digital media. - Integrating talent development, production, distribution and exhibition. - Spanning both commercial and cultural goals. Their weakness has been that they have too often presented a fragmented profile to the wider industry and to other agencies;- a weakness that the integration of their work into a single Creative England should address. Page 1 of 10

4 3. The experience of the RSAs A decade s work by the RSAs in communities across England has demonstrated that: - Talent is everywhere (a euphemism for not just in London ). - In the emerging converged world of digital media, the routes by which talent discovers and expresses itself are much more varied and complex than in the past. - Talent development and business development are often indivisible; a reality that is evident in practice but often not recognised at the level of national policy-making. - The film industry, and all moving image industries, are international in a way they have never been before. The local can be global. - The relationship between production, distribution and exhibition has got out of balance in terms of public support and policy development at national level. At a local and regional level they have remained more integrated; lessons can be learned. - As well as radically changing the possibilities of accessing moving image content from home, digital technology, both in distribution and exhibition, is moving the theatrical experience on from being mass-market and mainstream-oriented to being much more bespoke and diverse. - The film industry has missed opportunities of connecting productively with the HE sector, in terms of skills, technology innovation, archiving and evaluating the significance of film as a cultural phenomenon. 4. The Olsberg SPI study In 2009 the RSA s commissioned an independent study into their effectiveness conducted by Olsberg SPI. It included many observations that are relevant to the future of film policy, for example:- - The RSAs have a perspective across the value chain and across all functional areas from production and exhibition to skills and training. This makes for an innovative and cost-effective model of operation, which other public agencies have not always achieved. Page 2 of 10

5 - The RSAs embody two long-term trends, which have driven the screen sector this decade. The first is the importance of thinking across segments film, television, games and inter-active media - The RSAs provide advice and assistance to filmmakers and citizens that, though it cannot be measured in pounds, makes a real difference to the reach and impact of the film industry. - The process by which talent is discovered, encouraged, developed and launched is complex but often specifically local. - The ability to tell strong regional stories is an essential part of the diversity of British culture [a point amplified in the UK Film Council s study of the cultural impact of British film Stories We Tell Ourselves ]. 5. Creative England s Industry Consultation In preparation for the launch of Creative England, a paper was circulated across the industry, setting out film-related priorities for its first year of operation, and asking for comments. Almost 470 responses were received, from individuals, companies and organisations in every part of England. Many of the responses focused on the internal operational issues of Creative England, but a high proportion also commented on wider aspects of film policy, some of which are germane to the DCMS policy review. Some of the most frequent and forceful comments were these:- - Collaboration needs to be encouraged across the whole of the film value chain. - Lottery decisions are best made and monitored as close to the ground as possible - Local and regional strategies for talent development are crucial and need to complement the national strategies of the BFI and the main broadcasters. - Local knowledge needs to be pushed up to national level and recognised as being of value. - More attention and resource needs to be devoted to audience development. - The importance of non-national film archives is consistently under-valued. - Local and regional filmmakers are also international players. Page 3 of 10

6 - Training opportunities are needed for exhibitors and workers in every part of the film value chain, not just for those who make films. - There needs to be more support for film education both formal and informal. - A film production company commented England s creative talent needs more not fewer portals or gatekeepers, even in times of cutbacks. The principle of diversity, indeed of competition, should be encouraged for this critical area - A film distribution company commented Production, distribution and exhibition need to work together with strategic support to better create some public value for the sums invested in production. Creative England also asked a group of industry professionals a producer, an exhibitor and two independent consultants to provide an independent assessment of the responses that had been received. Their observations are attached to this submission as Appendix What Creative England sees as key issues for the review to address 6.1. General observations Creative and technical talent is now fluid across a variety of platforms. Any serious policy for talent development today must embrace the whole of digital media, not just film. The basic paradigm of the digital world is networks; the existence of an extensive nation-wide network, or series of inter-locking networks that are geographic, skillsbased and interest-based, (and both professional and amateur), should be seen as a major potential strength of the UK s film industry and culture, and not simply as an adjunct of a London-based industry. The development of policy that recognises the ability of local and regional networks to integrate commercial and cultural aspects of the industry, whether that is achieved through the development of talent, the creation of content or the enjoyment of that content by audiences, should be encouraged. It incidentally feeds the coalition government s stated intention of promoting localism. Digital technology has already transformed film production and is now having an even more radical impact on distribution and exhibition, lowering cost barriers, opening up a greater variety of ways in which film can be enjoyed, engaging audiences as programmers, researchers and content-creators. For solid commercial as well as cultural reasons, film policy should engage with these changes and redress the imbalance that has massively favoured film production as the beneficiary of public support. Page 4 of 10

7 6.2. On factors preventing success Difficulty in accessing finance continues to be a significant issue for most film and media businesses. A BIS/University of Warwick study of May 2011, Access to Finance for Creative Industry Businesses, drew attention to the fact that a range of creative businesses, including film, TV, video and software are more likely to have their finance approaches rejected by finance providers than non-creative industry businesses with similar risk profiles. With a growing number and variety of international industry festivals and markets, thought needs to be given to how the UK brands and presents its film, media and creative industries overseas. As referenced elsewhere in this submission, the local can be global but small businesses, however creative and ambitious, need good intelligence and occasional support in accessing global markets. There is scope for the British Film Commission, the BFI, UKTI, the British Council, Creative England and the other national film and cultural support agencies to collaborate more closely in finding imaginative and cost-effective ways of addressing this important issue. The distribution and exhibition of independent and specialist film continues to suffer in an eco-system geared to more mainstream content, thereby depriving audiences of access to a wider world of contemporary and classic films, and depriving some of our most creative filmmakers from the opportunity to develop commercially viable businesses. As referenced elsewhere in this submission, digital technology, with its radically different cost profiles, is already changing this picture but imaginative policies and judicious public support still has a significant role to play. A central theme of this submission is the need for a more systematic approach to developing and nurturing individual talent. The same applies to individual projects, where evidence suggests that modest support for experimentation in production and rigorous script development may be a more worthwhile beneficiary of public funding than investment in mainstream commercial production On policies for the Lottery There is a strong feeling outside London that there continues to be an imbalance in the use of Lottery funds, and that this imbalance works to the advantage of London and the disadvantage of the rest of the country. Most people live out of London; that s where most of the Lottery money should go. The Lottery needs to find a better balance, and a more coherent balance, between production, distribution, exhibition and talent development. A more distributive approach to the Lottery would allow different cities and regions to nurture talent in their own, most appropriate way. The focus of Lottery support needs to move away from being overtly commercial to being more cultural, experimental and bold. Page 5 of 10

8 Decisions need to be made as close to the point of contact as is consistent with the rules of delegation On developing and retaining UK talent The desirability of having an integrated national talent development strategy has long been discussed. The recent re-organisation of publicly funded support for film and the reduced level of public funding available should provide a spur for its development. At its core it should be a partnership between the BFI, the public service broadcasters, Creative England, Creative Scotland, the other national screen agencies, Film London and Skillset but it should also seek to embrace the industry across the whole value chain. Part of its aim should be to build effective linkages and knowledge transfer between all these partners and to develop common tracking, monitoring and evaluation metrics so that individuals have a better chance to grow their skills systematically. The concept of regional talent hubs as a means of extending the range and quality of non-london originated activity should be developed. Creative England would play an active part in supporting such hubs which could be closely integrated with commissioning functions to develop and produce original work. This would help focus the discovery and development of distinctive regional filmmakers with the capacity and confidence to be strong cultural voices for their region. To feed this talent pyramid there needs to be a more effective network that connects with young filmmakers through existing initiatives such as Second Light, social media networks, community video projects, film clubs, FE and HE institutions and helps them make informed choices as they begin to hone their skills and shape their careers On increasing audience demand for film, especially independent British films Digital distribution and exhibition is creating new ways for film to reach audiences and to achieve public notice and success. The market is changing rapidly but there remains a role for public policy in supporting the growth of film clubs, especially in rural areas; to support initiatives to safeguard and improve access to archives; and to continue to support a range of initiatives within and alongside the formal education system to encourage young people to acquire a critical understanding of film and media, and an ability to create quality content of their own. The distribution and exhibition of archive material continues to be beset with thorny rights issues, not least those associated with orphan works. Given that the UK has what is almost certainly the richest and most varied archives of moving image material in the world, it should be taking a leadership role in exploring ways of enhancing public access. Page 6 of 10

9 Appendix 1: Strategic and Operational Priorities for Creative England Following a public consultation exercise in early 2011, Creative England asked an expert review panel 1 to look at the 466 responses received and to produce a set of recommendations and conclusions. This paper is based upon that analysis and an understanding of the changed and still changing strategic and operational circumstances facing Creative England. It represents the views of the review panel and proposes a set of objectives and strategic priorities for the new agency. The essence of Creative England and what makes it distinct from other agencies must be that it: a) is embedded in the English regions; b) has a perspective that is across the digital media sectors film, television, animation, games. In this way it is uniquely positioned to connect a broad set of national agendas with the strengths and requirements of the English regions. Regional focus No other agency in the digital media sectors will have the capacity to act and to facilitate/inspire action at regional and local level, and to function as an intermediary between UK, nation and region. Creative England s operational priorities therefore should be: Providing a regional input to shape national strategy; Enabling the effective delivery of UK strategy at a local level; Developing and delivering advocacy for the cause of the English regions; Gathering local knowledge to push back up the chain and ensuring that regional best practice has national impact; Linking with local social and economic strategies to the benefit of creative industries. Each of the three regional bases should prioritise the development of strategic and financial relationships in their (macro-) region. This will require senior staff in each region with knowledge and experience of: Business and strategy development; Local government and LEPs; Higher education; Creating successful partnerships for delivery and advocacy. 1 Consisting of Pippa Cross, Mark Dobson and Richard Miller, chaired by Chris Chandler 2 Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield Page 7 of 10

10 Each regional base and Creative England as a whole must prioritise the organisations with which it seeks to establish working partnerships. Immediate and urgent priorities (to be delivered alongside current partners and recipients of investment) are local authorities and higher education institutions. An immediate prioritisation should be the Core Cities and city regions 2. In order to build partnerships with local authorities and especially to position film within LEPs, it will be essential to empower local and regional delivery partners to develop these relationships. Across the digital media sectors The second key characteristic of Creative England should be that it defines itself as a content and digital media agency (that is, active in film, television, games and crossplatform innovation). Adopting such a broad trans-media approach will also position Creative England to create linkages and relationships beyond the cultural sector with other government functions such as enterprise, communities, health and education. Substantial energy should be focused upon attracting new resources (nationally, regionally and locally) into the sector: it is probable that a high proportion of this will be via partners (i.e. finance going directly into partner projects, not routed via Creative England). Strategy and delivery Creative England must primarily be a strategic agency and not a delivery body. This is for three reasons: There are many public and private organisations and networks in existence in the sector across the UK, better placed to deliver services and functions. Creative England must not be in competition to provide services with the sector it seeks to serve and develop. This approach will maintain a lean organisation and overhead, ensuring maximum resources to the frontline Creative England should identify and foster delivery partners to achieve its objectives in practice. Implied within this is the need to build capacity within the sector. All of its own activities must be judged on what value it adds to the individual and collective activities of its partners and clients. Central role of cultural film In both the short and long term, Creative England should recognise and embrace the central role which cultural film has in its aims and objectives. Creative England s only existing source of funds at present those provided by the BFI is for film and even more specifically for film culture : Creative England should focus these resources upon an agreed agenda for film, while also trying to generate additional funds for other creative sectors. A key task will be to effectively argue for increases in the amount (and proportion) of Lottery money being made available for film in the English regions (and the resources available to Creative England). 2 Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield Page 8 of 10

11 Suggested strategic priorities The public consultation was limited to film in this first instance and the following are our recommendations to Creative England about this specific subset of its emerging business model. It goes almost without saying that Creative England is going to have to make some difficult decisions about the ends to which it dedicates its funds, certainly for the foreseeable future. The detail needed to frame these decisions is the stuff of detailed strategy development, but the review panel offers a number of starting points. Talent development Creative England should position itself at the interface of the national agenda, managed by the BFI, and its local delivery by regionally based partners. Creative England s strengths will be in enabling the identification and nurturing of talent at a comparatively early stage regional services and intelligence that other investors such as the BFI and broadcaster film departments are unsuited to deliver. Creative England should look to outsource delivery of talent development initiatives through regional partners, building the capacity and ability of independent production companies and other local entities (such as regional theatre and community organisations). Creative England can support the development of companies that operate within a creative content spectrum that includes television (local and national), games as well as film, and with an appreciation of the whole value chain, including distribution and delivery to audiences (in cinemas, online and broadcast). Audience development Specialist centres of excellence are vital to develop new audiences. Several former Regional Film Theatres have developed as vibrant cultural centres, occupying a space across more of the digital moving image landscape than feature film. 3 Creative England should invest in these expert centres as delivery partners to play a strategic role for example by assisting other, smaller exhibitors to show specialised work to new audiences. Creative England should, as in other areas of activity, act as a broker and conduit between national strategies for education and the local organisations which can deliver tactically. Film archives Creative England should recognise the regional film archives as a positive asset and celebrate their important role as heritage organisations. There is the opportunity to build new and mutually beneficial partnerships with HE, Arts Council/MLA, English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund to secure and develop the archives and ensure public access to their collections. In addition, Creative England, with its perspective 3 These include the five venues currently developing a new network (Cross Artform Venue Network) with ambition to expand its membership across England Page 9 of 10

12 across the digital media sector, can add real value in developing the emerging digital innovation agendas of the archive sector linking with NESTA, TSB, etc. Sufficient resources (especially in time and expertise) will be required to allow this approach to succeed. Locations services Unlike many other of the proposed functions of Creative England, there are other players already active in the supply chain of location services at a national, regional and local level. These include local authority film offices, professional location managers, Film London s Filming Partnership and the Office of the British Film Commission. There is therefore a strong argument for Creative England to adopt a brokering role only on locations support, ensuring the existing players can evolve a new working model to include the English regions while directing its own limited resources towards other activity (as above) with a comparatively higher investment priority. Submitted by John Newbigin, Creative England Chairman john@newbigin.co.uk Page 10 of 10