ScreenSkills Report Reveals Extent of U.K. Unscripted Crew Shortage: ‘Action is Needed Now’
variety.comK.J. Yossman New research shows that there is a significant crew shortage in unscripted TV.The most acute shortages are in production management and senior editorial roles while the hardest to recruit were production coordinators, production managers, editors and series producers.As well as “too few” production coordinators entering the unscripted TV sector, the report also found the industry is “haemorrhaging” experienced production managers.The report was undertaken by government-backed industry body ScreenSkills in order to support the new Unscripted TV Skills Fund, which was launched last year.Among the findings in the report were an acknowledgement of “particularly acute” skills shortages amid crew with mid-level experience, challenges in recruitment and retainment across “all genres, roles and production hubs” and shortages across all career levels, suggesting specifically a problem with retainment.
The report also noted that crew shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, which has caused more staff absences (either due to testing positive, self-isolating or shielding) and has also seen many people reconsider their careers in the industry.
This has been made more acute with the U.K.’s production boom that followed the first lockdown.But the report concludes: “It is broadly acknowledged that the recruitment and skills challenges faced by employers right now have been in the pipeline for many years and the Covid-19 pandemic has simply brought many underlying issues to the surface.”These include under-investment in production roles and high levels of burnout.The knock-on effects of the shortages include rate inflation, production delays, senior staff having to take on junior responsibilities and, more.
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