Unconscious Bias Training - Creative Process

Piloted with BIFA voters in 2018, our Unconscious Bias Training programme was designed to help voters recognise and mitigate against potential subliminal biases in their film watching and voting process, such as genre, budget, commerciality, reputation of the gender and race of key creatives or lead actors. The training has since been developed and rolled out to other organisations in the film and television industries, including productions, talent management, pr and marketing, programming and commissioning. 

Following feedback from sessions we delivered in 2020, we have further developed a more tailored approach to our unconscious bias training, and will now be delivering a number of more focused sessions offering an in-depth look at how bias are affecting various roles and processes within the film industry.   

Our training is accessible, relatable, informative and impactful. It helps us build a better, more inclusive industry and it helps industry professionals improve their leadership, judgement and decision-making skills.

This initiative is funded using National Lottery funds awarded to ScreenSkills by the British Film institute as part of the Future Film Skills strategy.

Who it's for

This Creative Process session is designed for anyone responsible for creative narrative, and intended to help participants counteract the effects of unconscious bias on the way they work when writing and creating content.

Using a variety of examples from within the screen industries, the course offers participants the space to consider the ways in which unconscious bias enacts itself at each level of the creative process from writing to directing, editing to producing and beyond.

The course will equip participants with the tools required to prevent unconscious bias wherever they see it, and to put in place procedures to mitigate against its impact.

Suitable for anyone involved in the creative narrative process. This training equips attendees with vital skills and tools in recognising and addressing unconscious bias.  

What it covers

By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the concept of unconscious bias and its impact on:
  • Decision making in creative working environments
  • Creative output
  • Interactions with work colleague
• Understand the bi-directional relationship between unconscious bias and the media.
• Describe the relationship between implicit association, unconscious bias, language, stereotypes, attitudes and behaviour.
• Challenge content, messages and language which may unintentionally reinforce unconscious bias.
• Address micro-messaging arising from unconscious bias. 

N.B all participants are required to take the ScreenSkills’ Addressing unconscious Bias: Basic awareness in the workplace e-learning module ahead of the session.

How to apply

Training sessions will take place via Zoom. Sessions are for a maximum of 35 participants and tickets for each session will be released one month ahead and will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Places cost £30+VAT.

To join our mailing list to receive a booking reminder, please email us. For more information and booking, visit BIFA here.

Contact information

Name: BIFA
Email: hello@bifa.film