Written evidence submitted by Documentary Producers UK

Submission to House of Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee

Why we are making this submission

Thank you very much indeed for  allowing  us to submit a short piece of written evidence to the Committee.  Our keenness to do so has been provoked by the written and oral evidence given to you by PACT, which  represents the UK’s independent producers. At Documentary Producers UK we are concerned that the particular interests and concerns of the makers of independent documentaries – and the contribution which they make to the UK film and television industry - may be overlooked.

Who are Documentary Producers UK and what is “an independent documentary” ?

Documentary Producers UK ( https://docproducers.wordpress.com/)  (DPUK) was set up in 2020 and is a membership organisation for producers who have produced at least one independent feature length documentary.  That is, a documentary which is intended to be shown in cinemas (feature length) and is made outside the television commissioning system (independent).

Based on BFI and FDA figures, around 500 such films have been made in the UK since 2019. Some of these films will have been partly funded by broadcasters, some of them will have been sold to broadcasters and platforms but  virtually all will have been funded from a number of sources - including international  investment and sales.

What do independent documentaries contribute to the UK?

The very specific features of  the independent documentary sector means that it makes an important contribution to creating opportunities for new entrants to the film and television sector – often to those groups normally excluded by reason of class, ethnicity, geography, gender and personal circumstance.

It makes a disproportionate contribution to the representation and understanding of British culture and it leverages more money, pound for pound, than the main television commissioning system.

A large numbers of these  documentaries are of high quality – that quality can be judged by their success in being selected for international film festivals, the reviews which they receive and direct audience response at screenings, as well as international sales. But they do not get shown widely or on television because of the cost of giving a film a nationwide cinema release and the decision making of television executives.

The contribution of independent documentary

The distinguishing feature of an independent documentary is that it is made for showing in a cinema. Therefore it is not made at a TV slot length (though TV versions may be made later). Unconstrained by a TV slot length, or indeed by the demands of a TV commissioning editor, independent documentary making is attractive to those who are outside the main television and film industry.

This will include those who traditionally have faced obstacles to working in this industry.  Of course, without experience, these people will need to seek help, guidance and mentoring from those in the industry. Many aspiring documentary makers do that and all of the members of DPUK – who are amongst the more experienced  sector of the industry – have, and continue, to provide this gateway into the film industry , where traditional gatekeepers obstruct the way.

Because independent documentary producers do not have the security of employment within big broadcasters or the stream of income for the commissioning of TV series, they need to be entrepreneurial. They need to find new ways of funding films, they need to put funding packages together, they need to investigate new ways of reaching  audiences and they need to multi-task. One of the consequences of this is that they leverage money from a variety of  sources into the industry. Another is that a wide range of people get a chance of learning and developing skills.

Finally, the independent documentary sector makes a significant contribution to the cultural life of Britain. Because there are not the same barriers to entry, many makers of independent documentaries will chose subjects which are close to them and so, almost by definition, about aspects of British life not fully reflected in the main broadcasters and international platforms.  In addition, the vast majority of independent documentaries will have passed the BFI cultural test to get the BFI Certification, which is a requirement to get the Film Tax Credit. To pass the cultural test the film has to be about or promote British culture. 

In the current environment,  where there is considerable unemployment in the  traditional  television and film sector the independent documentary sector is a lifeline for many people and because, compared with high end television and drama, the financial risks are low, offers greater opportunities for funding and  entry to the sector.

The decision by the Government to enhance the tax relief for films with budgets of less than £15 million is a significant advantage to the sector. However, we are concerned that much of the argument for this has been based on theoretical modelling and demonstrating the financial benefit the Treasury, rather than the wider benefits which independent documentary bring to the economy and society.  We hope that the Committee will acknowledge these in its  deliberations and – if it considers it appropriate - recommend that reliable data is collected on the role of sector, rather than rely on economic modelling.

We also urge the Committee to consider recommending that Ofcom regulated broadcasters are required  each year to report on their support for independent documentary film on the grounds that what is measured can be improved, and in this way motivate broadcasters to expand their co-funding or acquisition of such films.

Contact: Co-chair, Christopher Hird

March 2024