ScreenSkills CEO Seetha Kumar participated in an online panel discussion organised by the Royal Television Society with Televisual on the impact of US high-end TV investment on the UK production sector.
The panel considered the high-end television spend increase of the last couple of years – from £2 billion in 2019 (of which £1.6 coming from inward investment) to a forecasted £4 billion or more in 2025 – as well as the decrease in spend on originated content of public services broadcasters (PSBs).
Discussing whether this will disrupt the unique production landscape that has evolved in the UK, the panel explored the following topics:
- Creativity, culture and cost per hour
- Universal stories and Britishness
- A mixed funding ecology and the indies model
- The importance of the PSB model
- UK incentives, infrastructure and investment
- Developing a skilled labour force
The event, chaired by James Bennett (Managing Director of Televisual) on 31 March, also included Jane Millichip (Chief Creative Officer of Sky Studios), Wayne Garvie (President of International Production at Sony International Pictures) and Roger Morris (Managing Director of Elstree Studios).