A series of meetings have been held with some progress being made. The members of Equity’s Television Working Party which include agents and the Equity Council have been consulted with and updated on the regular basis.

In addition to the on-going negotiations additional meetings have been scheduled to enable representatives from Equity to discuss with the BBC diversity and the casting of actors, credits, walk-on and supporting artists.

 An Equity/BBC production forum will also be established which for the first time will enable the BBC, representatives from its drama production teams and Equity to meet and exchange views regarding current matters of concern.

Finally if you have been offered an engagement by the BBC and if the fee includes any ADR, fitting, read throughs, rehearsals sessions and overtime do please inform Equity’s BBC TV Organiser Ian Bayes. By doing this you will be can helping Equity to put pressure on the BBC to have this practice stopped. 

Ian Bayes Direct line – 020 7670 0252 or email – ibayes@equity.org.uk

If you need to contact the BBC regarding a contributor payment query please note that the contacts have recently changed, please refer to the new contact details below…

Recently Equity has been made aware that the BBC are now regularly including into the standard Equity/BBC Contract clauses which typically read: 

The Artist agrees that subject to no further attendances being required the BBC may record additional material (including but not limited to interviews and “behind the scenes” activity, extracts, outtakes and deleted scenes) for the inclusion in any DVD (or similar home video media) incorporating programmes made pursuant to this Agreement and that no additional payment is due in respect of such recording and the use of such material in the DVD.

No reference to these types of clauses will be found within the Equity/BBC Television Agreement. Equity members and their agents need to be aware of this clause and ensure that before agreeing to these terms that additional money is negotiated from the BBC. 

Currently Equity and representatives from the PMA are in the process of arranging a meeting with the BBC to discuss this important matter.

A closed trial lasting six months and encompassing 20,000 homes will give viewers access 950 hours of BBC archive material dating back to the 1940s.

Equity council agreed to support the trial after negotiations by union representatives secured a £100,000 payment.

The money will be distributed amongst those members whose work is used.

“Although the sums of money involved are relatively small,” Andy Prodger said. “The payment is important in establishing the right of our members to be rewarded when their work is used in this way.