Youtube Originals presents a Century Films production which how a bullying culture still exists in the UK film and TV industry. Using powerful testimony from real-life survivors working in the industry, actors deliver their stories to create an unsettling and potent look at what continues to happen in some parts of the industry.
Directed by Brian Hill and executive produced by Luke Hyams.
Harassment, bullying and discrimination would appear as endemic to TV production as flair, creativity and honest toil. It is a freelance industry that, to its shame, all too often takes advantage of its workers during long, stressful days on set. If a manager oversteps the mark and starts to harass and bully, what can a freelancer do? It often feels as if the choice is between grinning and bearing it or quitting.
Fun, glamour, creativity and lucrative rewards… working in TV looks like the stuff many people’s dreams are made of. Unfortunately, for a huge number of professionals across the industry, the reality can be very bleak indeed.
"Television documentaries changed me and inspired me when I was growing up and, as an adult, I wanted to be part of that,” one young researcher tells me.
“I’m from a working-class background, and working in factual TV, bringing people’s stories to screen, that is no small thing. It’s incredibly important to a lot of people,” says another.
Williams was chairing an Edinburgh International Television Festival panel which aimed to address the issue of abuse and harassment in the industry in the wake of scandals involving Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and others.
