UWE, in partnership with Business West, runs an annual lecture series that brings top business leaders to Bristol. We caught up with Professor Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of The Production Guild of Great Britain, before she gave her virtual address:
1. How has the pandemic changed the film and television industry?
Like the rest of the world, when the pandemic hit, film and television productions stopped.
It was an unprecedented time. I can’t think of another time in our generation when that has happened.
So, the industry really came together and joined forces, and led by the British Film Commission, put together safety protocols to allow the production wheels to start turning again, and it was a really momentous effort to get that to happen and we’re so proud of how the industry came together.
We created a new role, called the COVID supervisor, which would work between health and safety departments and between production management, because, if you think about it, there’s hundreds of people involved in a big film set.
So, lots has changed, and we’re just pleased that production kept moving forwards.
2. Will there be a surge in productions once the pandemic ends?
Despite the disruption that COVID brought, film and television was able to get back into production during the summer of 2020.
That said, this summer looks incredibly busy, as we have more and more content to make, so a busy time ahead and an exciting time ahead for the industry.
3. What advice would you give to our students that have emerged into the industry during the pandemic?
The advice I would give to students and graduates is tenacity.
Be determined, don’t give up at the first hurdle, it’s not always easy, it can take some time, but don’t give up.
Something you can do in the meantime is to watch as much film and television as you can, even outside your own preferred genres, so that you’re able to engage in conversations, look at new production techniques and see what the world is talking about.
Also make your own content. There’s lots of opportunities with your iPhone, create your own website, start building your own brand.
Don’t wait for the phone to ring. Make it happen yourself.
This series of free public lectures brings top level business leaders to Bristol. You can discuss these events on Twitter using the hashtag #BristolLectures and view further content from Professor Lyndsay Duthie’s lecture here. For more information please contact events@uwe.ac.uk.
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