RTS Futures turned the spotlight on TV’s diversity – or lack of it – at its final event of the year where a panel of young Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent revealed their struggles and triumphs in the industry.
The panel was drawn from Broadcast’s 26 BAME Hot Shots of 2015, which the magazine announced in August.
A team of students from Nottingham Trent University took home the Sir Lenny Henry Award for best overall film with Chords of Conflict at the RTS Midlands Student Television Awards.
Henry said: “They are all great films and I congratulate you all. You are knocking it out of the park. Chords of Conflict was really nicely shot, funny, well acted and had a lot of heart.”
Chords of Conflict also triumphed in the Entertainment and Comedy Drama category, and won Tom Holden the Writing prize.
“People like familiarity and ITV3 is a very safe environment,” says John Williams, Head of Scheduling Strategy, ITV1, ITV3 and ITV4. “The evergreen dramas are nice and soft; Vera, Endeavour, Midsomer Murders are what the channel is – those are the pillars of the schedule. On ITV3, we do not do explosions or gruesome murders.”
Never Die scored a hat-trick, also winning the Factual Short-form and Craft Skills: Camera awards. Sir Lenny Henry said of the winners and his pick: “What a glorious plethora of talent, some lovely heartfelt and careful work. I was really moved by Never Die. You guys are incredibly talented and should keep going.”
A team of Staffordshire University students took home the Drama award for Night Light, while Leo Wright picked up two Craft Skills prizes, Production Design and Writing, for No Man’s Land.
Sir Lenny Henry admitted he was unusually nervous before the Midlands premiere of his latest TV drama, because his family was in the audience.
Oh, noooo. The D word. Surely not Donald? No, not that D word – the other one. The one that makes your heart sink a little, too. The one that reminds you of years of struggle. The one that tells of endless meetings with fellow campaigners in drab rooms, banging heads against brick walls.
(Credit: BBC)
With no Christmas special on Christmas Day, Series 12 of Doctor Who kicks off on New Year’s Day.
Following his speech, in a Q&A with diversity campaigner and advertising executive Karen Blackett, Lenny Henry described the pace of change in the hiring of women and disabled and ethnic-minority people behind the screen as “glacial”. His point was reinforced by the findings of Ofcom’s latest diversity report, discussed in earlier Cambridge sessions.
The Dudley-born comedian sent a message to the awards. “Thank you for sending me these films to peruse, enjoy and, in some cases, spit out my tea with laughter,” he said.
“The hard work and perspiration that has gone into these little gems is very easy to see. The makers care about their films and filled each frame with emotion, enthusiasm and energy. I laughed a lot at the winning entry, but I was also moved by the other pieces.”
