The HETV at 10 roadshow concluded this week with its final event in Manchester, celebrating a decade of high-end TV support in the North West of England.
Since the Fund launched ten years ago, it has collected over £40 million in contributions, from more than 1200 productions, that has been invested back into workforce development across the whole of the UK.
Over the last ten years, the Fund has actively supported a wide range of productions in the North West, including It’s a Sin, Cold Feet, Peaky Blinders, Brassic, The Bay, COBRA, The Crown, Waterloo Road, Viewpoint, Entitled, Everyone Else Burns, Floodlights, Fool Me Once, Funny Woman, Ghosted, Inside Number 9 and Toxic Town.
“There’s a host of local indies, all playing their part collectively to ensure the North West continues to go from strength to strength as a leading production centre and working hand in hand with the HETV Skills Fund to support the workforce,” explained Barry Ryan, the Chair of the High-end TV Skills Council. “I’d like to thank every production company, broadcaster, streamer and supporter who have not only provided funding, but most crucially their time and dedication to help shape all aspects of the Fund’s delivery and sharing their passion for all things skills.”
The strengths and recent history of the production industry in the North West were explored in a panel discussion, chaired by Kate Larking, Head of Production at Duck Soup Films, looking at the role of the Fund in developing the skills of the workforce. Joining Kate were industry professionals from the region, with many years of combined experience who have used the Fund either to support their production teams or to develop their own careers. Line producer Ursula Haworth, together with Andy Morgan, Executive Producer at Clapperboard Studios, Barrington Robinson, Creative Producer at Redbag Pictures, and Heather Crompton, who is a camera operator graduating from the HETV Leaders of Tomorrow programme later this year, spoke with Kate about how they started their careers in the North West and the changes they have seen over the last decade.
Ursula Haworth explained how things have evolved over time during her production career. “It’s a very different culture now to 20 or 30 years ago. If you came from a deprived background, work was everything. In TV you were only as good as your last job and people remembered what you did wrong. That’s how the HETV Skills Fund is changing the landscape and we’re living in a very different culture.”
“It’s changing perspectives,” adds Heather Crompton. “The leadership and management courses on the Leaders of Tomorrow programme have helped me learn about myself, but they have also made a difference to how we treat each other.” Heather’s advice to someone wanting to progress in their production career is to actively go out and acquire the skills for the role you want. “If you go out and get the skills you need, you can demonstrate them when the opportunity eventually presents itself to work in that role."
Andy Morgan, an alumni of the HETV co-producer programme, recommends: “If you think you have 50% of the skills needed to do a job, think about the gap, what skills are missing and what the Fund can offer to fill that. For example, if you need to learn about script development, budgeting, or post-production, could there be opportunities to go on a course?”
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Looking back across her career in television to share some of the most valuable lessons and tips for others, Ursula Haworth has some practical advice: “Put a smile on your face, remember everyone’s name, be enthusiastic and make a good brew.”