How The UK Government’s $600M Film & TV Production Restart Scheme Has Left Indie Producers In The Lurch
14.02.2023 - 12:27
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: When the British government launched its £500M ($601M) Film & TV Production Restart Scheme (PRS) in October 2020, independent producers breathed a sigh of relief. The scheme promised to kickstart film and TV production by offering cover for Covid-related costs that was necessary to getting the cameras rolling again.
Upon launch, then Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (who is now Prime Minister) was effusive in his praise of the targeted scheme, saying it would “help fill the gap created by the lack of available insurance and get our world renowned film and TV industry back up and running” – a gap that had been created due to private insurers refusing to provide for Covid-related issues.
Producers would sign up to the scheme prior to entering production and, if any such issue marred their productions and led to additional costs, they would be able to submit a claim for reimbursement. Multiple senior government ministers and industry figureheads have extolled the virtues of the scheme over the past couple of years including, as recently as last week, BBC Chair Richard Sharp, who advised on its formation during his time in the government’s Downing Street offices.
However, months after the scheme’s official September closing date, a Deadline investigation has uncovered that not only has this mandatory scheme (which added an additional cost to production budgets) failed to pay out to many protocol-abiding producers – causing serious financial damage to numerous businesses – but the government-backed project is currently sitting on a cash surplus of around £12.3M ($15M).
At last count, the PRS, which was backed by the BFI and TV trade body Pact and was extended three times, claims to have registered 1,259
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