How Using Woo Woo Vision Boards and Gen Y Theory Can Help Create Safe Film and TV Production Environments

 The past year has been challenging for many people working in the UK screen industries. There has been a shortage of commissions, not enough work for too many workers, and a general sense that both the government and broadcasters, who have happily benefited from one of Britain’s most successful exports - the Creative Industries -have let many people down. The hope is that a change in government may bring more investment and support, and some early signs of new commissions suggest better days ahead, however, many people feel bruised, vulnerable, and unsure about returning to work in the film and TV industries.

This has sparked a new conversation about the need for change when production resumes, a sentiment backed by reports highlighting a culture of overwork and a lack of boundaries on many film and television sets. In February of this year, research from Bournemouth University titled "Where have all the PMs Gone? sought to understand why many Production Managers were leaving the industry. The study, which interviewed 765 past and present PMs, found that many felt the role was not respected, with respondents reporting feeling belittled, with their work often being dismissed as mere "admin" or compared to that of a receptionist. Additionally, a recent research study from Bectu on workplace harassment revealed that 92% of the workforce has witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment based on sex or gender. The report also highlighted a lack of reliable reporting mechanisms, with only 13% of UK creative workers feeling confident that the industry effectively addresses unwanted behaviours at work.

Communities Of Practice-The (old) new way to approach Production Teamwork

As an educator in Production Management I am constantly looking for ways to address the various challenges in the field, and the more I have researched and spoken to people within industry, the more I believe that when production teams are put together, both they and their employers should consider themselves not just as workers but as part of a ‘Community of Practice’ (Wenger, 1998), a theory that was developed in the 1990s but rather like the resurgence of many things Gen Y has much to offer the current landscape.  Described as 'groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly' (Wenger, 2000:225), the concept asserts that when team members have a common interest and collaborate, sharing ideas and approaches, it facilitates the spreading of existing tacit knowledge and the creation of social capital. It is an approach which can help create an environment where all crew members, gain a deeper understanding from each other, and when coupled with the creation of a vision board or mission statement I beleive can play an important part in uniting crews and allow for a shared language and purpose to emerge.

Crew As Family

After working in television production for almost two decades and transitioning into education, I have noticed how a Community Of Practice framework reflects the strong sense of belonging and collaboration that often arises among creative workers on a project. Film and TV crews often refer to themselves as a 'community' or 'family', especially when working together on location for extended periods. Relph (as cited in Davenport, 2006:254) describes how on a film or TV set, "four people who've never worked together can meet each other at nine o'clock in the morning and by ten o'clock they know what they're all doing". This level of synergy is achieved through collegial and reflexive work, with production workers sharing and absorbing knowledge from their fellow crew members while also considering how to apply that knowledge in a way that best serves the production.

 The close relationships that develop within film crews create a strong sense of community, which can provide emotional support during long and challenging filming days and help secure future employment opportunities without strong workers' unions and with a flexible workforce. Once TV workers become part of a crew, they often receive recommendations from colleagues, leading to informal groups of production workers. This networking is usually informal and word-of-mouth, creating a sense of belonging and opportunities.

So if it's already happening, why formalise it?

If media production workers already have informal Communities of Practice, one might question the benefits of formalising it, creating a mission statement or vision board, and making the process explicit. The answer lies in the different motivations that may drive individual behaviours on a shoot. While production workers may share information quickly and efficiently due to commercial pressure or act in a collegiate way in the short term, it doesn't automatically establish a lasting community of practice. The motivation to share knowledge or be supportive often comes from external factors rather than internal ones. When a project faces new pressures, adapting to meet deadlines can detract from cooperation and, at worst, lead to poor working conditions.

It's not who you know... 

A common saying in television productions is, "You are only as good as your last job," highlighting the expectation for team members to perform at a high level consistently. This requirement has the potential to discourage the fostering of a transparent and fair work culture. It may also lead to behaviours being tolerated or not reported due to fear of not getting the next job or being labelled as a troublemaker, as suggested by the findings in the Bectu report. The behaviour of production workers forming temporary alliances and sharing knowledge differs from the explicit establishment of a Community of Practice in that a Community of Practice primarily focuses on understanding and learning. While there are still hierarchies and power differences, these are evaluated based on the ability to contribute knowledge and behaviours that align with the shared goals and values of the team rather than simply completing production on time or securing the next job. This means that each production should establish a collective vision and shared team values before

beginning any work on the creative output, and by combining practical and theoretical approaches, work towards changing cultures from within.

Vision Boards-Not just pretty pictures

When I mention vision boards, some of my more practical-minded industry friends will raise a questioning eyebrow, but trust me, vision boards, which use images and statements, can be beneficial for projects in several ways.

1. They help clarify the expectations for a production, visually representing the project's goals and values.

2. Vision boards, prominently displayed in the production office and included in call sheets, serve as constant reminders for the team, encouraging them to stay focused on the project's mission.

3. Additionally, vision boards create a safe space for open communication, as they provide a vocabulary for team members to raise concerns, respond to unfair demands, and initiate discussions about important project-related matters.

4. Ultimately, vision boards can serve as a unifying force, ensuring everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal.

Creating a mission statement with pictures to clarify the expectations of production and to encourage crew to refer to it regularly allows (to use a Nottingham saying, I'm a Midland girl) everyone to 'set our their stall'. It should be included in call sheets, displayed in the production office, and used as a reference point to ensure fair and respectful behaviour. They can be adjusted throughout the project; ideally, everyone should have a say in creating and following them. They don't need to be long and complex; they should be just a few simple principles used daily to support the team and respect the project's community.

I already know that many people will be reading this, thinking it is, at best, naive magical thinking to imagine such a culture change, and at worst, it ignores the daily grind that so many in production face. But in a month where we have read the terrible news about the death of John Balson, a seasoned factual producer, who, in a letter, he asked to be sent to BECTU after taking his own life, referred to the TV industry as "exploitative" and its workers as "expendable", adding: "There was never any care for how the hours or the stories affected us" we must surely ask when the time will be suitable for a reset?"

For confidential support, the Samaritans can be contacted by calling 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org

The Film and TV Charity's support line, open 24 hours a day, provides access to trained counsellors and further mental health support to anyone in the industry, as well.

To book a session for your team on how to include these and many other simple effective production team practices drop me an email

References

DAVENPORT, J. (2006). UK film companies: Project-based organizations lacking

entrepreneurship and innovativeness? Creativity and Innovation Management, 15(3), p254.

van Raalte, C., Aust, R., Wallis, R. and Pekalski, D., 2024. Where have all the PMs gone? Addressing the production management skills gap in UK TV. Technical Report. Poole: Bournemouth University.

WENGER, E.1998., Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives).

WENGER, E., 2000. ‘Communities of Practice and Social Learning Systems’, Organization, 7(2), pp. 225–246.