Research

ReelTime consults across industry and academia on issues of inclusivity and parity

The mighty bell hooks wrote about love and action: how to put love into the centre of everything we do. Working in TV and film rarely feels like it is about love, even though we are told we must love what we do – because otherwise we wouldn’t put up with the hours, the conditions, what we miss of home when we are away. 

The research we are part of at ReelTime tries to recalibrate this expectation. By thinking about ways in which we can work differently, and how we can put this into practice – to have the different “meaning and focus” that hooks wrote so passionately about.

We can help you think differently about your work and introduce ways to practise effective inclusivity and parity. For more info please get in touch.

Current work

Research

Identifying the benefits of integrated childcare and flexible work to the TV and film workforce

ReelTime are delighted to be working with WonderWorks on a new piece of research that will identify the benefits of integrated childcare and flexible working, and deliver clear pathways by which employers can implement both. Led by Rowan and Dr Natalie Wreyford of King’s College, London, we will be publishing the work in 2025.

The Wonder Works logo
King's College London logo

Research

ReelTime are working with the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (Ciisa)

ReelTime are pleased to announce we have been commissioned to author a research piece that will underpin next year’s announcement of CIISA’s standards. The long-term inadequacy of workplace reporting procedures across the creative industries is an ongoing problem and we have always supported the creation of CIISA, so we are particularly proud to be doing this work and to be part of this important organisation.

Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) logo

Report

Screen Academy Bradford and Virdee

ReelTime and Dr Tiffany Bale are co-authoring an evaluative report for this important and exciting work in building an indigenous crew base in West Yorkshire. Watch out for Virdee coming soon to the BBC!

Screen Academy Bradford logo

Lecturing, writing and projects

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For Universities

The University Offer: Understanding EDI as Good Work

Rowan lectures and trains students of film and TV production, skilling them in how to put EDI into their practice, and provides training to lecturers on the newer demands their students will meet. Using the PEC’s 2023 definition of Good Work, developed for use in the creative industries, ReelTime’s lecture pack works to collapse the disconnect between Good Work and EDI and what happens ‘on the ground’ in TV and film production workplaces.

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Resource

ScreenSkills HETV Job-share Bible

Since 2021 Michelle and Rowan have designed and delivered job‑share training and placement programmes for ScreenSkills aimed at the specific needs of all HETV departments. Find our how‑to guide to using job‑sharing as a tool for retaining experienced and diverse crew.

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Essay

Equity, diversity and inclusivity: Once more, with feeling

This essay describes the way thinking around EDI can be advanced to improve working conditions.

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Report

Where have all the PMs gone?

Addressing the production management skills gap in UK TV. Prepared by: Christa van Raalte, Rowan Aust, Richard Wallis and Dawid Pekalski.

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Article

Is Television reformable?

The ‘reformist tendency’ in EDI research in the cultural and creative industries” by Jack Newsinger, Helen Kennedy and Rowan Aust.

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Article

The Reckoning: an apology from the BBC

Read the recent article by Rowan on the BBC One drama The Reckoning – an examination of the life and criminality of broadcaster Jimmy Savile.

Safe to Speak Up? report cover

Report

Safe to Speak Up?

Work with Dr Anna Bull on sexual harassment in the UK film and television industry since #MeToo.

Report

The Currency of Gratitude: Care in the TV Industry

This report by Rowan discusses the potential for gratitude to entrench inequalities in the television production industry.

Watch

Keynote: The Currency of Gratitude: Care in the TV Industry

CST Conference 2022 keynote talk by Rowan, on her work at Share My Telly Job and the implicit discriminatory practices of the film and television industries.

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Article

Reflexive Practice, the “Turn to Care” and Accounting for Feeling

Some early work on the potential for care within the TV industry.

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Report

The Time Project – Understanding working time in the UK television industry

Findings from The Time Project – looking at which groups of people face the greatest burden of work in the UK TV industry, and providing recommendations to address these issues.

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Research

Locked Down and Locked Out

A research project exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mothers working in the UK television industry. Find out about the project or download the research article (PDF 3Mb) looking at the findings.

Get in touch

Get in contact or email [email protected] to find out more about our research and advocacy work, including our lecture pack and training for universities.