The Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB) celebrated the completion of its first Diversity and Inclusion Mentor Scheme at a reception at the House of Commons this week.

PGGB’s mentorship scheme: what it delivers

Hosted by the Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Kemi Badenoch, the reception acknowledged the scheme’s success that launched in August 2021 to help underrepresented talent working in UK film and TV production progress in their careers.

Delivered in partnership with the British Film Commission (BFC), PGGB’s mentorship scheme welcomed 15 mentees working at entry, early, experienced and expert levels in departments including production, accounts, assistant directing, locations, post-production and VFX. The mentees were matched with experienced senior industry mentors with UK TV credits, including Killing Eve, Luther and Gangs of London.

Mentors on PGGB’s mentorship scheme in 2021 scheme included producer Christopher Granier-Deferre, producer and PGGB Chairman Alex Boden, producer Andy Noble, production accountant Samantha Brayson, producer Jacquie Glanville, line producer Alice Dawson, location manager Jane Soans, and many more.

PGGB’s mentorship scheme forms part of PGGB’s Mission Inclusion programme (#MI21) and is designed by PGGB’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Group to help production decision-makers hire diverse production teams; it is supported by the ScreenSkills Mentoring Network which is backed by the BFI, awarding National Lottery funds as part of its Future Film Skills strategy.

PGGB, which is a leading UK membership organisation for those working in film and TV drama production, plans to stay in contact with the mentees throughout the coming year to monitor their progress and support their career development via its unique Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The next PGGB & BFC Diversity and Inclusion Mentor Scheme will launch in 2023.

Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of The Production Guild of Great Britain, said: “What a valuable experience the last six months has been for our mentees. They have soaked up guidance and picked the brains of experienced senior figures behind some of the most successful UK-produced films and TV dramas of recent years. A supply of talented crew is vital for the production industry’s continued growth. More equal and inclusive hiring practices are also crucial if we’re going to tap into the best new and emerging talent. I’m proud to see our mentoring scheme providing such beneficial progression for individuals who have encountered barriers in the past.”

Samantha Perahia MBE, Head of Production UK, British Film Commission, said: “I am delighted to celebrate the success of the inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Mentor Scheme. The UK offers globally recognised and respected talent in front of and behind the camera, and supporting access to diverse and experienced crew is a key component of the British Film Commission’s Stage Space Support and Development interventions. Initiatives like this will help considerably in driving diversity and inclusion in all areas of production, and in ensuring a consistent skills pipeline as additional stage space is coming online in all four Nations of the UK.”

To find out more about The Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB), click here.