Roundup: Gender Gap in the UK Film Industry

Gender gap in the UK film industry

Following the Harvey Weinstein revelations, the media is loaded with news about how the #MeToo campaign is uncovering Hollywood’s darkest secrets – but what’s the situation like for women working in the industry in the UK?

Narrow Recruitment Channels
A recent report, commissioned by BFI and backed by James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, underlined the culture of nepotism which is at the core of the recruitment process in the industry.

The Work Foundation associate consultant Heather Carey stressed that a lot of employers recruit through word of mouth, creating significant obstacles to people looking for jobs in the first place. “You tend to get that a bit in certain industries but in this industry it is kind of … that’s how it’s done. If you don’t have the network it is incredibly difficult to get in and progress.” She also stressed how critical the lack of diversity is in the film industry compared to other sectors.

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