Northern Irish freelance crew have been urged by Northern Ireland Screen’s Andrew Reid to lower their rates amid fears the “bubble will burst”.
In an email seen by Screen’s sister publication Broadcast, head of production Reid wrote to freelancers to inform them that the industry body has received reports that crew members have been asking for rates of pay that “far exceed even the direst inflationary predictions” and suggested that they consider what is “coming down the road”.
He cited BBC evidence suggesting that crew rates in the country have ballooned by 30% in just a few months, compared to a 2% increase in the south east.
“While we would never tell anyone what they should charge, we would ask you all to bear in mind the environment in which we are currently working,” he said.
He warned that the “unparalleled” production boom in Northern Ireland over the past 12 years, and particularly since 2020, is a bubble and “eventually all bubbles burst”, adding that in recent weeks US companies have cut budgets and cancelled shows mid-production.
As a “relative newcomer” to the international production market, NI would be one of the first regions to suffer if production levels dropped, he argued.
“To protect ourselves…we collectively need to ensure that the Northern Ireland screen industry still represents good value for money,” he said.
Less starkly, Reid predicted that the “pace of production may slow” due to the closure of the Production Restart Scheme meaning that “financiers will be at greater risk and may choose not to greenlight projects”.
He also highlighted the Bectu rates, which have also faced criticism from some freelancers for being too high - “are a band” and if local freelancers charge the same as those located around London, “productions will just stay in the southeast of England…there is no perceived value in moving”.
Reid also warned that the NI Screen Fund is not “an infinite [funding] pot” which can fill the gap if production costs continue to rise.
“If productions start to demand more from the incentives, the incentives will only be able to support fewer productions,” he said.
Criticism
Bectu head Philippa Childs criticised NI Screen’s suggestion amid a talent crunch and called for productions to be financed appropriately.
“Asking skilled, talented professionals to accept lower pay isn’t the answer – productions must be properly funded to ensure a fair playing field for all involved,” she said.
“With skills shortages impacting the industry across the board paying uncompetitive rates is not the way to equip the industry for the future.”
She added that Bectu’s rate cards are an “important reference point” for members and employers working in film and TV to create more equitable working environments.
“Bectu works to ensure the rates are as accurate as possible and understands that their application can vary according to context and location,” she said.
A Northern Ireland Screen spokeswoman told Broadcast that the body’s focus is on the long-term sustainability and growth of the screen industry in the area.
“[The note is a] reminder that relative competitiveness is key to that sustainability when reports of extreme rate inflation are being heard from many sources,” she said.
This story first appeared on Screen’s sister publication Broadcast
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