The importance of a united industry voice to tackle skills gaps, embrace technology advances and lobby for incentives were key themes under the spotlight at the inaugural Steering Group meeting of the UK Screen Investment Programme.

The programme, in partnership with Hertfordshire Futures, is a new national platform set up to secure the next wave of capital investment for the UK’s screen sector.

Representatives from stellar screen organisations who attended the event on 22 January at The Londoner included: Amazon; British Film Commission; Camden Film Quarter; Heart of London Business Alliance; Hertfordshire Futures; Hertsmere Borough Council; Elstree Studios; Hudson Pacific Studios; Oxygen Studios; Pinewood Studios; RD Studios; RIOS; Screen Capital West; Screen Manchester; Screen Alliance North; Sky Studios; Sky Studios Elstree; Trowers & Hamlins LLP.

Pinewood Studios CEO, David Conway, chaired the discussions which generated the following calls to action:

1) Leverage the UK Screen Investment Programme initiative to act as a joined up ‘one voice’ platform when promoting the importance of the screen ecosystem to the UK’s economy to industry, local, regional and national stakeholders. Align screen with the broader industrial policy focus on creative industries as a key growth area. Working with UK Government, support the distillation of this to local planning authorities.
2) Create pathways to address skills challenges working with education, training, wider supply chain and local authorities to map shortages, job pipelines and opportunities to fill gaps.
3) Identify ways the sector can collaborate with each other and regional hubs to drive growth, sustainability and prepare for technological advancements – future proofing the industry.
4) Lobby to broaden incentive structures, financing and inward investment opportunities to increase the number and diversity of productions.

Celia Taylor, Hertfordshire Futures Board Member and Head of Media Trust Films, said: "At Hertfordshire Futures, we believe that collaboration and innovation are the cornerstones of a thriving screen industry. The UK Screen Investment Programme provides a unique platform for us to unite our efforts, address critical skills gaps and embrace technological advancements.

“By working together with industry partners, local authorities and educational institutions, we can create a sustainable and dynamic ecosystem that supports growth and prepares us for the future. This means addressing both the opportunities and the challenges head on and ensuring that the smaller independent production companies also have a voice. We are committed to driving forward these initiatives and ensuring that the UK, with Hertfordshire at the centre, remains a global leader in the screen sector."

Collaboration, with centralised coordination creating a collective that sustains the integrity of partner organisations, and is inclusive, was said to be absolutely key to the programme.

Positive news included that the sector anticipated a financial bounce-back this year following a quiet 2024, with Government committed to ensuring the sector’s success including through support in the forthcoming national Industrial Strategy.

Tax credits, particularly the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) and the tax credit for visual effects (VFX), were said to be the ”gold standard” in attracting production crews to the UK. However, there is huge competition from Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary, as well as Canada and Australia.

The market for studio space isn’t growing, the group agreed, with demand also peaking and troughing throughout the year. It was therefore important to consider how studio space could be used in slower times, as well as creating mixed-use ecosystems generally, perhaps with data centres and education facilities alongside studios.

Training the future workforce was a further matter of high importance. As well as the industry training its own talent into the jobs available, it is also important to consider opportunities arising through links with local authorities and Further Education colleges to create a strong supply chain.

How the industry will evolve with the rapid rise of AI also needs to be examined, as well as the links between film/TV, e-sports, gaming and immersive technologies.

If you would like to know more about the programme, or are interested in sponsoring, contact Raj Singhal, 07931 333741/ rsinghal@wlcreative.org.uk or Bonnie Ross, 07902 272009/bross@wlcreative.org.uk.