Is there a crew shortage – or a recruitment process problem? Or a bit of both?
That’s the question that arises from an Industry Capacity Survey, conducted by not-for-profit organisation Screen Careers, learning more about the gaps in the screen sector.
Screen Careers CEO Esther Coleman Hawkins says, “The first survey had 80 respondents which we’re pleased about and we know the numbers will grow as word spreads about what we’re doing.”
Most respondents were freelancers – but 23% had full time jobs with a production company, broadcaster or streamer.
Just 34% could see capacity gaps while the rest (who were largely looking for work) either didn’t answer or didn’t see either gaps or over supply.
“There’s clearly a disconnect between the two groups. Is it our recruitment methods where the people with the necessary skills aren’t reaching the desks of those who need them? Or are we short of appropriately skilled crew? This needs further examination.”
Those who identified gaps covered familiar territory.
“The roles and departments identified as having capacity gaps are exactly what they’ve been for a while – edit assistants, line producers, production accounts crew and locations crew, suggesting as an industry we’ve still got some work to do in this area across the country.
“The clearest message from the majority of respondents was that leadership and management skills and freelancer life skills are badly needed.”
This comment was fairly typical:
“As the majority of us are freelancers, very few companies are large enough to invest in training people on short run of show contracts. There is very little management training and no Psychometric testing – crews are thrown together and just expected to get on. Imagine if a corporate model was applied to our industry, just how much more productive we would all be!”
Screen Careers will continue to roll out programmes nationally to address skills shortages and further leadership training – working with partners who are already working in these areas where possible. These include Leadership and Management, Freelancer Life Skills, Stepping Up to Line Producer, Location Management, Edit Assist and Budgeting.
The next survey will go out in September and open for further participants.
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