Final Draft 12 Drops Early, Flipping the Script on Screenwriting Software Yet Again.
Continue readingFinal Draft 12 Now Available
Cast & Crew Acquires LeBog Software
Cast & Crew has introduced the award-winning Digital Purchase Order (DPO) to its impressive product portfolio with the recent acquisition of LeBog Software.
Continue readingSelf Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) Extension
HMRC has also confirmed the extension of the Self Employment Income Support Scheme Grant (SEISS).
For self-employed individuals eligible for SEISS and actively trading but facing reduced demand due to Covid-19, an initial taxable grant will be provided to cover three months’ worth of profits between November to end of January 2021.
Celebrating excellence at the 2021 RTS Programme Awards
We were delighted to support the 2021 RTS Programme Awards which took place last night, recognising programmes and individuals that have raised the quality, creativity and achievement of television production over the past year.
Continue readingalbert launches new toolkit
Our industry partner BAFTA albert has launched its revamped carbon calculator and certification toolkit, in the same year that the environmental sustainability tool marks a decade of helping the film and TV industry reduce its emissions.
Continue readingVoices from NFTS – David Freedman
Sargent-Disc is proud to provide scholarship support to two Production Management students at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) each year. David Freedman, one of last year’s recipients, shares his experience of the course.
Continue readingTV production cuts carbon emissions by 10% in two years
BAFTA albert has published its 2019/20 Annual Report which includes findings that indicate a 10% reduction in carbon emissions in TV production in two years. The report highlights environmental priorities and how to deliver them, aiming to drive change within the screen industries in order to reach the net-zero carbon emissions target.
Continue reading£500M Film and TV Production Restart Scheme
On 28th July, Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced the launch of a new £500 million scheme to help jump-start UK film and television production struggling to secure insurance for COVID-19 related costs.
The new Film and TV Production Restart Scheme will enable UK productions to get back up and running by providing cover for coronavirus-related losses such as filming delays or cast and crew illnesses.
“This is fantastic news for the production industry, ensuring that production teams can get back to creating the high-quality TV shows and features that we all enjoy equipped with sufficient cover for disruptions and delays that arise from the pandemic,” says Dr Laurence Sargent, Director of Sargent-Disc, Co-Head of Cast & Crew International.
Draft Scheme Rules and supplementary Explanatory Notes have been published by DCMS and HM Treasury here.
How it works
The government has introduced this temporary measure to cover productions which commence filming before the end of 2020 for COVID-19 related losses. The scheme will allow productions to backdate future claims to 28th July 2020 as per the initial announcement. The registration deadline has been extended to 23.59 GMT on 28th February 2020, and claims can be submitted up to 23.59 GMT on 30th November 2021 for losses incurred up until 23.59 GMT on 30th June 2021.
Eligible productions will be able to apply for compensation for costs caused by coronavirus delays up to a value of 20% of the production budget. Abandonment of productions will be covered by up to 70% of the budget, upon agreement with the Government that it was necessary. There is a total cap of £5m on claims per production.
Alongside ensuring they are adequately insured by purchasing cover for non-coronavirus risks, productions will need to pay an appropriate excess during the claims process as well as a fee when joining the scheme.
Eligibility
Eligible productions will need to have spent at least half of their budget in the UK and provide evidence that they are unable to start up again due to a lack of insurance. The scheme is expected to support over 70% of film and TV production until the end of the year.
Further details around the claims process and eligibility requirements will be released in the near future.
“This is very welcome news from the UK government, who have worked at pace with the UK’s film, TV and broadcasting industry to develop a fund that will unlock tens of millions of pounds of production spend and help to get production companies and freelancers back to work doing what we do best – making great programmes for the UK and global audiences,” says John McVay, Pact CEO.
DCMS and HM Treasury will be reviewing the scheme periodically to ensure it supports film and television productions to restart following the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, visit the HMRC website here.
This article is for general information purposes. It is not addressed to any specific parties and does not constitute advice (legal or otherwise) to any person.
COVID-19: Job Support Scheme
On 24th September, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled the government’s Winter Economy Plan to support businesses and protect jobs over the coming months. This included the launch of the new Job Support Scheme to replace the Furlough Scheme.
Continue readingDPO Invoice Approval now available
Developed in response to COVID-19 limiting the ability to distribute physical documentation, we’re delighted to launch the new Invoice Approval feature for Sargent-Disc’s Digital Purchase Order (DPO) web application.
Continue reading