In the TV industry, representation of professionals from less privileged, or ‘working class’ socio-economic backgrounds is at its lowest in 10 years - limiting access to TV careers for those without privilege.

But this ‘class ceiling’ is also impacting the industry’s own outcomes amid growing competition and shifting demands. If the industry is to thrive in this evolving landscape, it has tackle socioeconomic disparity head on and break down barriers to entry and progression.

Getting our language right is crucial to understanding and overcoming the challenges we face in the TV industry. So is the way the word ‘diverse’ is used in TV causing more harm than good?

Following recent scandals and a difficult period for freelancers, the need for a serious culture change in the TV industry has become clearer than ever. But is phasing out the word ‘talent’ paving the way for a more inclusive, equal sector?

If you’re wondering what a career in Virtual Production could look like, we’ve got you covered! In this blog from Gritty Talent, we'll be taking a look at some of the roles and career opportunities in the Virtual Production space, and how your existing skills may directly transfer over to the fastest growing area of TV & Film production.

Virtual Production (VP) is one of the fastest growing areas of TV & Film production and creating new career opportunities for talent. The Skills Bootcamps are your chance to get your foot in that VP door!  

In this blog, marketing manager Remi dives into the Skills Bootcamps, explores the growing role of virtual production in TV & Film and why now is the time to gain the skills and get involved!

The seventh edition of the Creative Diversity Network’s (CDN) Diamond Data report gives us glimpses of what has been achieved, though many of the issues detailed in previous years still persist.

In this blog, Gritty Talent’s new COO Reema Lorford discusses the key findings and offers insight into ongoing barriers to inclusion and how we can begin to remove them - even in the face of industry-wide adversity.  

'Class', and discussions about class and socio-economic privilege are difficult, loaded and often have the danger of becoming ‘them and us’ type dialogues - meaningful and consistent socioeconomic inclusion absolutely depends on our culture of support for talent at all stages of their career.

A real win this year at Edinburgh would be not just to talk about the challenge, but start to put into place tangible, collaborative action plans that unpick the biggest blocks to socioeconomic inclusion.

Like other smart technology tools, such as generative AI, virtual production is only just beginning to reveal its true potential… with the on-screen visuals being just one of its impacts.

Deployed the right way, we think VP could also be a catalyst for a new level of inclusion and accessibility to TV and film production - and we’re going to explore how.

Both digital and data literacy are soon to be what basic literacy has meant to employers over the last 100 years - essential to our craft.

In this blog, Gritty Talent’s Remi explores the value of these two skill sets in an evolving industry and how digital inclusion will underpin the success of the TV industry as it moves into its next stage of digitisation.

Whilst still treading the line between the old and the new, the UK’s TV industry is in the throes of a seismic shift in the way it produces, packages and distributes content - one that may inadvertently also provide the solution to one of our sector’s biggest challenges - representation on and off screen.

The move away from linear broadcasting isn’t without great cost. Freelancers and indies alike are feeling first-hand the sharp impact of linear schedules being thinned out as we struggle to secure work.

But once the industry has found its feet again, could this switch-up present us with a critical opportunity to revitalise the industry, connect with audiences like never before and act on under-representation on a scale not yet seen?

The popular large language model ChatGPT is already being put to use across countless industries, and the TV & Film sector is no exception. From script editing, to data analysis, Open AI’s leading chatbot is helping creatives fine tune their workflows - and even help generate ideas.

Following the return of ITV’s Love Island to the nation’s screens, we thought we’d put the LLM to the test and challenge it to come up with a good original reality game show format.

One of the biggest barriers to entry when it comes to using AI tools is having to learn the influx of new terminology that is rapidly being introduced to everyday conversations. You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT more times than you can count, but what is a GPT? ‘LLM’ this, ‘ML’ that - and what on Earth is a styleGAN?! Don’t worry, we get it.

That’s why we’ve taken the time to put together this useful dictionary of AI-related terms that you’re most likely to hear if you work in the TV & Film industry. So, take a look through and familiarise yourself with these essential terms and their definitions.

At Gritty Talent, we believe that the true benefits of emerging AI technologies lie in the potential to make the industry more accessible and inclusive of talent from under-represented groups - many of whom face a range of barriers to entry and progression in their careers, whether they’re physical, financial or attitudinal. In this blog we explore numerous use cases, where AI could support talent from all backgrounds get the most out of their work.

AI won’t take your TV job, but someone who is more skilled at using emerging technologies in their daily work might…

If you’re still feeling in the dark when it comes to AI, don’t worry - this blog’s got it all! In this first instalment to our ‘Future Skills’ series, we’re giving a complete overview of AI in TV: the rise of generative AI; how AI’s already being used in TV; how it will impact jobs; the skills needed to use it; popular and relevant AI tools; available training and more!

With generative AI technology already integrating into workflows throughout the TV production process, what better (or meta) way to explore how AI could transform the TV sector over the coming years than to enlist the help of algorithmically-powered and increasingly popular AI tool ChatGPT? That’s exactly what Gritty Talent marketing manager Remi said before turning to the large language model (LLM) to help him with a bit of predictive foresight.

Want to be an inclusive leader? At Gritty Talent we work with production heads on a daily basis who are keen to improve their inclusive leadership skills. “What’s the magic thing I need to know or learn?” They often ask.

Truth is that the skills and tools you need aren’t secret or special - it all starts with how you communicate. In this blog we’ll share some our golden hints and tips for establishing a solid line of communication throughout your company and beyond.

The UK’s TV and music industries are two of the biggest cultural influencers on our society - shaping narratives, bringing connection and entertainment and reflecting our Nation's values, passions and identities. But how similar are they when it comes to representation, inclusion and work culture?

here’s a quick dive into what we know about both when it comes to inclusion - with some ideas on how we might compose some more interconnected solutions together.

Your priority as a business leader should be supporting the people in your team to do their best work. An inclusive environment allows them to grow and progress, and in turn you unlock all the benefits that come from investing in people’s growth - innovation, productivity and loyalty to name a few.

So, what are the hallmarks of healthy inclusion in the workplace? Here are our takes, along with some great insights from the industry professionals we work alongside!

BBC One’s The Traitors has just wrapped its triumphant second season with a dramatic finale that kept 6.9 million viewers on the edge of their seats.

With its inventive challenges, traitor theories and the frequent curve-balls and plot-twists, it was more than enough to keep us going through January.

But it wasn’t the subterfuge, mindgames or Claudia Winkleman’s fringe that impressed us most at Gritty HQ - something else stood out as a real testament to the quality of the production.

Freelancing comes with its perks for sure, but it can also come with its own challenges - so how do you stay afloat during these more difficult times? What can you do to give yourself an edge and make sure you’re the prime candidate for any future job offerings?

Remi from the Gritty Talent team took the best tips and advice from BBC Academy's Production Unlocked session 'The Ups and Downs of Being a Freelancer' and packaged them up in this blog post.