A new report from the BBC and ScreenSkills calls for more support for digital content creators (DCCs) from the UK’s film and TV industry.
The study, Creator Skills: Progression, Provision and Priorities, conducted by global Creative Industries consultancy Olsberg•SPI, engaged with DCCs and UK screen industry representatives to understand how creator skills compare to those in the film and television sector.
According to the report, over 6 in 10 UK DCCs manage everything on their own, requiring them to take on multiple roles at once, from developing and creating digital content, to navigating the platforms they are building on, to handling the logistics of running a DCC business.
“Video recording and editing are fundamental technical skills that DCCs need to create quality content for audiences to watch,” including an understanding of using certain tools, such as cameras and video editing software, said the report.
“Increased access to technology and intuitive tools for content creation means that aspiring DCCs can develop certain technical skills with ease. As a result, the evidence from consultations shows that while basic technical skills such as editing and video recording are important, they are not the main differentiator,” it added.
Technical skills such as pre-production planning and logistics, sound and video recording, lighting, and editing are required for creating both film and television and digital content. “As DCCs take on more sophisticated production workflows, this overlap extends across a wider range of production skills, including animation, post production, and VFX.”
Speaking about the findings, Lisa Opie, ScreenSkills executive chair, said: “The Digital Content Creator sector plays a significant part in the UK screen and creative economy, contributing more than £2.2 billion to UK GDP and supporting thousands of jobs. This report shows that it’s crucial for the film and TV industry to convene and continue to champion DCCs in the same way we support talent development and training within the wider screen industry, to enable DCCs to build lifelong transversal skills and secure future growth in the sector.
“While the screen industry has really embraced the DCC community over recent years, this study identifies the need for skills training in safeguarding and business best practices to be put in place for the future.”
The report is available to read here.
