The launch of a new Enola Holmes film this week reminds us that the UK film industry is a global powerhouse. Millie Bobby Brown, the young star of the franchise, appeared alongside her co-star Partridge to promote the Netflix sequel. But behind the glitz and the streaming billions, a different story unfolds for the thousands of workers who keep the cameras rolling.
While Brown commands a reported £10 million paycheque, the average film industry worker struggles with freelance contracts. Zero-hour editing shifts. No sick pay. The pandemic has exposed the fragility of this creative workforce. The Film and TV Charity found that nearly 60% of behind-the-camera staff have considered leaving the industry due to financial insecurity.
Union leaders are pushing back. BECTU, the broadcasting and entertainment union, has seen a surge in membership inquiries. They are demanding a floor on freelance rates and better provisions for sudden production shutdowns. The success of shows like Enola Holmes means billions for streaming giants. But at the kitchen table, for the makeup artists, the lighting technicians, the runners, the question remains: where is our share?
The Chancellor’s recent budget offered tax credits for film studios, but nothing for the people who actually make the films. It's the same old story: subsidy for shareholders, silence for staff. As the UK film industry basks in the glow of global streaming dominance, the real economy of filmmaking is stuck in a one-take scene of low pay and no protections. But the union is rolling the cameras on a new script.
