UK’s TV workers exposed to ‘illegal or barely legal’ conditions and traumatic content
UK’s TV workers exposed to ‘illegal or barely legal’ conditions and traumatic content
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Report cites low pay and overwork, and employees complain of receiving no warning before working on disturbing scenes. “Illegal or barely legal” working practices are rife in the UK’s TV industry, new research has revealed. Workers in post-production roles, including editors, designers and special effects artists, are regularly being paid below the minimum wage and experiencing “unacceptable” conditions, such as hours spent in dark, unventilated rooms and exposure to traumatic content with no warning.
A report from the TV Industry Human Rights Forum, conducted by independent human rights expert Amelia Knott, said the current slowdown in commissioning in the industry was exacerbating the issues, as there was less work and greater insecurity. The report said workers feel less able to challenge poor conditions, and are expected to do more work for less money.
One editor told the report they had been offered £800 for a project that would take two to three weeks – the equivalent of £8 an hour, at best. Another interviewee recalled working 21 continuous hours to deal with client amendments, while another said they had worked unpaid weekends to meet a tight deadline. One worker said: “Everyone is working 15-plus hours a day. That’s two people’s jobs.” The report said the “time needed to complete post-production work is frequently underestimated” when planning and budgeting for a TV show, and that even if filming overruns or commissioners sign off footage late, post-production is still expected to meet the original deadline.
