A new crew service launched by Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office has secured 3,127 days work for skilled freelancers working in the region’s growing film & TV sector. The region wide crew service launched in July 2020, as part of Screen Yorkshire’s response to support the hard hit freelance workforce following the impact of the pandemic. Screen Yorkshire’s crew service provides a platform to connect film and TV production companies with skilled freelancers, ensuring that the maximum number of local crew are hired by productions filming in the region.
Jodie Turner-Smith is pictured in 'Anne Boleyn'
The impact of our Crew Service has been remarkable and demonstrates the resilience of Yorkshire’s film & TV industry in the face of COVID. After such a tough year, supporting our freelance community has become more important than ever. And because of a halt in filming during the first lockdown, we are seeing a real upturn in demand for filming services and crew in the region.
Olivia Thomas, Film Office Coordinator at Screen Yorkshire
Shooting Producer & Director Carla Wright has worked on productions including Channel 4's 'Steph’s Packed Lunch '
Shooting Producer and Director Carla Wright has worked on productions including Channel 4's 'Steph’s Packed Lunch '
During the first six months of operation, Screen Yorkshire’s crew service has secured work for freelancers across 99 individual job roles on productions filming in Yorkshire under the new industry approved COVID safety guidelines.
One of the high end TV dramas that Screen Yorkshire placed crew on is the forthcoming Channel 5 drama Anne Boleyn, set for broadcast later this year. Production company Fable Pictures hired 12 members of the crew service; across the locations, camera, sound, hair and makeup, and Covid health & safety departments.
We have just completed filming Anne Boleyn entirely in Yorkshire during November & December 2020. Since the project was imagined back in spring 2019, Screen Yorkshire bowled me over with great advice and links to locations and crew suggestions. This support carried on all the way through the project and we will definitely be back. Wonderful locations and great crews.
Claire Campbell, Head of Production at Fable Pictures, producers of Channel 5's forthcoming drama Anne Boleyn
Other productions that have utilised the crew service over the past six months include returning series’: Gentleman Jack (BBC One), All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5) The Witcher (Netflix), Ackley Bridge (Channel 4) The Syndicate (BBC One) Emmerdale (ITV), as well as factual shows such as Steph’s Packed Lunch (Channel 4) and Saved and Remade (BBC Two). Screen Yorkshire also placed trainees on productions including German drama The Search through its Beyond Brontës programme, which is designed to increase the diversity of the local screen industries workforce.
I made contact with Screen Yorkshire last summer and signed up to their crew service immediately. Shortly afterwards, Olivia put me forward for work on Netflix drama 'The Witcher', which filmed at the stunningly beautiful Fountains Abbey. The support of the Film Office team was instrumental in helping me find work in Yorkshire and I would highly recommend their crew service to industry freelancers hoping to find work in the region.
Jacqueline Russon, Hair and Makeup Designer (Madeleine, '83, Born a King)
Screen Yorkshire’s crew database is open to freelance regional crew who have at least one professional film or TV credit in drama or non scripted. More than 500 individuals are now registered across a range of skilled technical job roles in the industry. Individuals can sign up and productions can enquire here
Screen Yorkshire plans to build on the success of the first six months by supporting more crew through its one to one advice sessions and hosting more online networking forums in 2021. The crew service has already delivered 60 one-to-one advice surgeries to freelance crew and trainees over the past six months, offering specialist support to freelancers at all stages of their career, to help them find work and progress their careers, which is vital now more than ever in the wake of the pandemic.