Directors Digest — Thursday 16 November

This week we heard about honorary Oscars and historic pacts, festive adverts and unpaid earnings alongside new schools and Ofcom rules. Read all about it in today’s Directors Digest. 

Film

Equity have launched their own probe into harassment in the industry. (BBC)

Meanwhile BECTU and PACT have struck a major agreement on terms governing big buidget movies. (Screen International)

Agnès Varda became the first female filmmaker to be presented with an honorary Oscar. (France  24) 

Working Title is opening a new school in North London in an attempt to improve diversity in the film industry, The Guardian reports. 

Congratulations to Directors UK member Margy Kinmonth, who was awarded a prestigious Likhachev Fellowship 2017. (Cultural Fellowships In Russia)

Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller is suing Universal for unpaid earnings. (Indiewire)

Screenwriters and directors are demanding fair payment for online use of their work — read the latest blog update from the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA).

Television

The first production companies have been picked for a 500k Scottish initiative. (Screen International)

The BBC is to publish details of viewers’ complaints under new Ofcom rules. (Guardian)

Televisual has a handy list of the directors and post-production houses behind this year’s festive adverts. (Televisual)

The BBC have suspended their forthcoming Agatha Christie adaptation in the wake of rape allegations against actor Ed Westwick. (Guardian)

Meanwhile, the DGA have reported an increase in ethnic and gender diversity among TV directors. (Screen International)

Are you a member with an opinion on one of these stories? Is there an issue affecting directors that you think isn’t getting enough attention in the media? Why not write for us and make yourself heard — email [email protected] with your article idea.