Reel Impact

Systemic racism in the UK film and TV industries has been evidenced through several academic studies and the under-representation of people from Black and Global Majority backgrounds in key stakeholder positions.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 gave the Film and TV Charity new impetus to address issues around racism in the UK film and TV sector, resulting in the creation of the Reel Impact programme, among other policy shifts at the Charity.

The need to act on racism in the industry is not only clear, it is also urgent

We see Reel Impact awards as one way that we can support greater equity in the industry going forwards by investing in the expertise of Black and Global Majority professionals working in it.

Reel Impact aims to support mid to senior level executives and organisations who need the resources to operate on a more equal footing with their White counterparts or who want to drive change in the industry. It is important that Reel Impact creates a legacy that builds on the efforts of those who have been at the forefront and struggle for change.

Reel Impact was created to enhance the lives of Black and Global Majority people in the screen industries in an eco-system that is not equitable. It is specifically aimed at experienced mid to senior level professionals as opposed to those starting out in the industry because we recognise that these people are already skilled at their craft, but disadvantaged by the industry. 

The Film and TV Charity is committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion and representation in the film, TV, and cinema industry – making the industry a happier and fairer place for all. 

We believe that it is important to harness the expertise, insights, and lived experiences of Black and Global Majority professionals to ensure equity in the industry and that the industry has a duty to be proactive. This is why we are committed to working in partnership with the industry, with anti-racism advocates and organisations representing Black and Global Majority industry professionals to find the most effective ways to drive sustainable change. 

In creating Reel Impact, we recruited a co-design panel of 16 people, across a diverse mix of roles, levels, skills and backgrounds who utilised their lived experiences from the industry to help us determine how best to allocate £1m to the Reel Impact Programme. 

The Reel Impact awards programme provides financial awards that support mid to senior level professionals who are already successful in the screen industries and need resources to compete on a more equal footing.

Based on the feedback received we have: 

• Listened and learned a lot about our whole process, so are pleased to make improvements throughout to ensure the process continues to meet everyone’s needs.
• Revised our criteria to better reflect the focus on mid-senior level people working in the industry
• Introduced a two-stage application process to gather the right information and make applying clearer and easier
• Introduced two theme options to make applying easier (1a Personal or 1b organisational development and 2 Empowering organisations to advance racial equity)
• Provided more clarity around the themes and what we are and are not looking for
• Provided more clarity around how applications will be assessed, what assessors will be looking for and what not to apply for
• Included a glossary of terms and updated our FAQs 
• Introduced a Peer Assessor process meaning that the people we are targeting to support are involved in the decision-making process, as experts by experience.

The Reel Impact awards programme is one part of the overall approach designed to address systemic racism in the screen industries. 

• There are so many amazing, and hugely experienced Black and Global Majority professionals and organisations operating in the industry who want to empower systemic change. 
• There is a real appetite for Reel Impact and the focus on experienced (mid to senior) professionals was well-received and much needed, evident by the huge demand for the awards. 
• Skills development, career progression and increased visibility were some of the strong key themes from the first round of applications – which will help shape other areas of Reel Impact. 
• We have provided more clarity about what the programme is and what it isn’t, including providing more clarity about applications around individual and organisation growth as well as system change in the industry. 
• Many applicants welcomed the fact that the criteria were broad and Black and Global Majority people could apply for what they needed, however conversely some applicants wanted the programme’s aims to be more prescriptive – particularly around what it was and wasn’t – so we’ve done that. 
• We acknowledge that experience and expertise is key and have provided clearer narrative to support what we mean by ​‘mid to senior level professionals’ 
• We need to gather more detail in the application so that applicants can better demonstrate their expertise, how their projects will be delivered and how their budget aligns.