BBC Studios and ITV Studios will seek to “exchange ideas and contribute to solving the challenges” around eliminating “broken turnaround” following a rare meeting between the two big players, Bectu, Pact and the body that represents UK agents. “Broken turnaround” refers to the practice of crew being required by their employer to return to work within less than 11 consecutive hours in each 24-hour period. Bectu and Pact have called it a scourge and pledged to try and eliminate the problem. At the “positive and constructive” meeting, “the parties agreed that commissioners need to actively engage with these issues to help alleviate the pressure on resourcing productions and eventually eliminate ‘broken turnaround’,” the group said. The PMA, which represents agents, will soon be putting forward suggestions on best practice in the space. Bectu research from earlier this year found that around 40% of UK film and TV crew were frequently being asked to “break turnaround.” This followed research from Bectu and Timewise that predicted production costs would rise by just 4% if the industry reduced its standard working day by two hours. At the time, the BBC said it was “considering” the findings and whether to implement them in some form.
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