Former Amazon Studios Europe boss, Georgia Brown, has been appointed as the chairperson of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Skills Task Force. The task force aims to tackle the significant skills shortage in the UK's film and television industry over the next five years.
The task force has already gained support from leading streaming giants such as Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV + and Disney. Major US studios have also shown their support towards this initiative that will help boost filmmaking talent in the country.
The appointment of Georgia Brown comes after she spent four years at Amazon where she led several successful projects including "The Grand Tour," "Outlander" and "Vikings." She is expected to bring her expertise in content creation and global production experience into her new role at BFI.
Speaking about her new position, Brown expressed excitement about working alongside key organizations within the industry to identify opportunities for growth. She said: “I am delighted to take on this role with a focus on developing a sustainable future for our industry by bringing together all areas of our sector from education through production.”
According to recent studies conducted by ScreenSkills UK, there is an estimated 10% shortfall of skilled workers across various disciplines including technical roles like sound engineers and camera operators. With initiatives like BFI's Skills Task Force gaining traction among major players in the film and television world, it is hoped that more young people will be encouraged to pursue careers within these fields.
In conclusion, with Georgia Brown taking charge of this important initiative supported by renowned names such as Netflix and Disney amongst others - it looks likely that some real progress can be made towards improving skills shortages facing Britain's media industry over coming years.