UK Screen launches report into facilities sector

Trade association UK Screen is launching a major new report today designed to highlight the extraordinary scope of the UK facilities sector (4th)

“The UK Facilities Sector: a key contributor to the film and television industries and to the UK’s creative economy’,” as the report is called, draws attention to the size of the sector.

The research, carried out by Olsberg|SPI and Trends Business Research, found that the industry is currently made up of 1,300 specialised companies, employing more than 25,000 people with an annual turnover of in excess of £2.2 billion.

The work of the sector is split across three main markets - TV (52%), film (18%) and commercials (18%).  Direct exports into these areas totalled £293 million across the three-year period.

In terms of overall economic impact (including indirect and induced impacts), the report estimates that the facilities sector is responsible for generating 50,850 jobs - in turn generating £1.6bn in GVA. In 2008 the sector contributed £262m (excluding VAT) to the Exchequer.

Armed with these statistics, UK Screen will now lobby for Government support for the sector. It will also seek to draw attention to the fact that 78% of the companies active in the sector employ less than 10 people.

“What we are trying to do is create awareness and demonstrate the importance of the strong UK facilities sector,” UK Screen’s CEO, Gaynor Davenport, commented. “It is not only a creative and technically vibrant sector but it does deliver real economic value tro the industry and to the wider UK PLC. In the absence of comprehensive data, what we decided to do was to map the sector.”

“This report is a unique insight into the scope and breadth of a creative industry in expansion,” said Colin Brown, British Film Commissioner, UK Film Council. “Its findings are illuminating and quantified and as such should serve as an authoritative source of information on an area of endeavour where the UK is a world leader.”

Despite the economic recession, UK facilities houses remain very busy.

As Davenport noted, major films such as the Harry Potter films, Prince Of Persia and Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader have ensured that business is brisk. “Certainly, in terms of film activity, for 2010/2011, the order book is incredibly strong,” she stated.