CEMP: TALK. Sustaining freelance careers in TV: Innovative approaches to support

Описание: It is a remarkable fact that the UK TV industry depends upon a freelance workforce for which it takes no responsibility, provides minimal investment, and about which it has shown little concern. In this presentation, Dr Richard Wallis argues that, if the industry fails to nurture this highly skilled but contingent workforce, there is little chance of its hoped-for recovery from the doldrums into which it sunk in 2023. In this talk, he shares details of the project he has recently undertaken in partnership with the ‘super-indie’, Fremantle, with the aim of developing new support mechanisms for freelancers at the point at which their contracts are ending.

Dr Richard Wallis is based at Bournemouth’s Centre for Excellence in Media Practice. His current research focus is the experience of media work in the fast-changing context in which this labour market operates, and he has a particular interest in the practical application of academic research to industry. He previously headed the education division of the Twofour Group of production companies (now part of ITV) and served on the management board of Twofour Communications. He is a recent award-holder of The British Academy’s Innovation Fellowship (2024-25) for his project ‘Supportive offboarding: Developing new practices to support sustainable freelance careers in TV’ – the theme of his CEMP talk.