Pact

Did you know that you can join Pact from less than £1 a day? Membership benefits include legal and business affairs advice, access to contract and policy templates, a vibrant events programme and hundreds of resources to help you run your productions and grow your business. Not only that, but by becoming a Pact member you add to our collective voice in negotiations with broadcasters and unions, and in our lobbying of Government on crucial issues impacting the sector like AI and tax credits. We are run by our members, for our members. Find out more and join us today: https://lnkd.in/ehiujRyu

⏰ Final chance for Pact members to register for tomorrow's webinar, Introduction to UK Immigration Law in Media & Entertainment with the team from Lee & Thompson LLP. The session will cover different routes such as Global Talent & Exceptional Promise, Skilled Worker visas and Sponsorship categories. Register here: https://ow.ly/wvX250UXGif

⏳One week left to apply for our Communications Assistant role. It's a full-time, permanent position based in our Leeds office. Salary circa £27,000 - £29,000 per annum plus pension and benefits. Full details here: https://ow.ly/PIt450V2Peq

Next month we're running a free 90-minute webinar supported by the BBC which will provide a practical guide to neurodivergence at work. It's open to anyone working for an independent production company in the UK. More details and the registration link can be found here: https://ow.ly/mk2E50UYFps

🏆 The focus of Series 2 of Pact 10x10 was winning a commission. Learn from indie leaders, commissioners and experts who deliver their 10 top tips in 10 bite-sized episodes, exclusively for Pact members: https://ow.ly/TkTj50UYEM9

ICYMI: WeAreALBERT has launched a new Suppliers Directory, a curated directory that connects productions with suppliers to support the decarbonisation of our industry. Take a look here: https://lnkd.in/giBVK8gg

UK TV, Film and Audio Companies Call on Government to Safeguard the UKs Creative Assets From Automatic Inclusion in GenAI Models A coalition of leading UK audiovisual businesses and organisations has called on the Government to provide assurances that the UK’s creative IP – and the businesses that own that IP - will continue to be supported by the copyright framework, as fast-growing AI technology gathers pace globally. Companies and organisations including All3Media, Banijay UK, BBC, Channel 4, Fremantle, ITN, ITV, Pact, Radiocentre and Sky, together have helped drive growth and innovation in TV, film and audio/radio production. Responding to the Government’s AI and Copyright Consultation, they said they welcomed the opportunity to discuss the opportunities that AI brings to the creative industries. But the businesses also stressed that they, and the UK, should be able to share in the value created by the adoption of the technology. “The UK creative sector, and film and TV production in particular, is hugely important for the future of the UK - as a driver of economic growth, a creator of high-skilled jobs and to produce content that we can be rightly proud of as a nation,” the audiovisual coalition said. “We believe that AI developers should not scrape creative sector content without express permission and that a framework that supports licensing of copyright content for AI training is the best way for the UK to share in the opportunity created by AI.” The Government has proposed introducing a new exemption in copyright law that would permit technology companies to train their AI models on creative works including films, TV shows and audio recordings without permission, unless creators actively opt-out. The coalition’s consultation response says that this kind of change is currently not workable, would not achieve Government’s aims, and would undermine the success of the creative sector. The coalition highlights the need for a framework that enables the licensing of content and that can support the growth of both the AI and creative sectors. John McVay OBE, Chief Executive, Pact, said: “It’s vitally important that the Government listens to the concerns of UK rights owners who have generated billions for the UK economy and whose creativity enriches the lives of UK citizens and others around the world. The UK’s position as a global leader in the creative industries has been hard fought for and must not be squandered.” Pact also supports the Make it Fair campaign which is calling on the Government to protect the creative industries in the age of generative AI: https://lnkd.in/e7fxYNWN

Pact members can register for our upcoming webinar, Introduction to UK Immigration Law in Media & Entertainment with Anushka Sinha and Harriet Hudson from Lee & Thompson LLP, taking place on Wednesday 4th March. It will cover the key considerations and routes available for companies when hiring foreign workers within the media and entertainment sectors so that they can live and work in the UK. Register via our website: https://ow.ly/enRu50UXGaI

We had a great time in Hartlepool yesterday for the latest workshop with our Future North East cohort, talking all things investment. There's now only a few months left of this two-year development programme for ambitious indies in the North East of England, which we're running in collaboration with North East Screen.

ICYMI: Last week Holly Pye was appointed Vice-Chair of Pact Council. Holly brings to the role years of experience in the industry, currently working as Commercial Director at Objective Media Group. She will serve alongside Pact Council Chair Jane Muirhead, MD of Raise the Roof productions, and a further 15 Pact members who make up Pact Council, which oversees all the work we do for our members and the wider production sector.