Pact’s Indie Diversity Scheme Celebrates a Decade of Success; 2023 London and Scotland Cohorts Begin Placements
Launched in London in 2013 with 11 companies taking part, this year’s Pact Indie Diversity Scheme sees 23 companies employing 23 young people from diverse backgrounds across London and Scotland.
The 15 companies taking part in London this year are: Banijay/Shine, Box to Box Films, Brightspark Films, CTVC, Fremantle, Gold Dust Films, IMG, Lime Pictures, Raw TV, Studio Lambert, Ridley Scott Associates, South Shore, Like A Shot, Warner Bros and Wonderhood Studios.
Over the past decade, 47 companies have taken part in the London scheme, giving 97 young people the opportunity to enter the TV industry in positions such as programme co-ordinator, researcher and production assistant. In Scotland, there have been 36 participants in the Scheme across 13 indies since 2017. More details can be found here.
Dean Webster, Head of Development at Ten66 Television, was one of the first participants in the Scheme in 2013, starting as an intern at Shine: “The scheme is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and learn more about the television industry. There are so many different paths in television and the scheme gave me the opportunity to try out a few and learn about the different areas of television, like production, sales, marketing and international formats. You get out what you put in so if you’re eager to learn and do well, you’ll find people willing to take the time to help and train you.”
The Pact Scotland Indie Diversity Scheme, which is match-funded by Screen Scotland, is this month entering its fifth year, with eight companies specialising in factual taking part: Raise the Roof, Ricochet, STV Studios, Firecrest Films, Lion TV, Studio Something, BEEZR and Storyboard Studios Ltd.
As well as the six-month (eight months in Scotland) paid placement with an indie, participants will take part in training including production bootcamps, CV workshops and a hands-on camera course, giving them the tools to help them throughout the next stages of their careers. Pact also continues support for the participants beyond their placements through an alumni group, offering regular online masterclasses and sharing job opportunities to help them to progress further.
Commenting on the 10th anniversary of the Scheme, Pact CEO John McVay said: “Despite the current challenges that indies are facing, the success of the Scheme shows that indies still see the importance of investing in and improving diversity and inclusion in the production sector.
“Across the 10 years the scheme almost 75% of the trainees have been retained in the industry. And a recent Pact member survey about diversity and inclusion within the TV industry showed that 91% of respondents said that diversity and inclusion will be very important or essential to their businesses over the next decade, showing how important schemes such as the Pact Indie Diversity Scheme are and will continue to be.
“I wish all of the new participants in this year’s Scheme the very best in their careers.”
Clare Welch, Group Head of Resourcing, all3media, added: “The Indie Diversity Scheme was one of the first indie training partnerships, and with the support of Pact, we have worked together to create a solid platform to attract and nurture inclusive talent. The 10th anniversary is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the alumni, champion their continued progression in the industry and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusivity.”
Commenting on the Pact Scheme in Scotland, Pact Chair and MD of Raise the Roof Productions, Jane Muirhead, said: “For the sixth year in a row, Raise the Roof are really pleased to be part of the scheme in Scotland. The Pact team’s commitment to finding and bringing us the best diverse talent has shone through in the selection of candidates. I believe that this scheme is vital in supporting us in our aim to be a truly diverse and inclusive industry, and we are excited about the potential of the whole cohort to bring diversity of thought, experience, and stories to our industry. We look forward to supporting our trainee through the scheme and onward into a long-term television career.”