Breaking the Glass Ceiling 2023 now open for applications

Film London’s Equal Access Network (EAN) is proud to launch the third round of Breaking the Glass Ceiling (BTGC), which is supported by BECTU and funded by the Mayor of London. Now in its third year, the programme has already helped 20 mid-career ethnically diverse film and TV professionals to enhance their personal and professional development and to expedite their trajectory into senior leadership roles.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling 2023

This year, we are looking for 12 outstanding and diverse individuals with an ambition to become an industry leader. We will help them to raise their profile, augment their industry network and increase their knowledge, as well as offering coaching and mentoring in preparation for more senior executive and production roles. The programme participants are likely to represent a variety of fields andindustry backgrounds but will be connected by their desire to become supportive, inclusive and empathetic leaders as well as strong team players with a flexible approach and openness to new ideas.

Key Dates

• Application deadline: 17.00 on Tuesday, 30 May 2023
• 20 shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview between 1 and 6 June 2023.
• The programme will include five full-day training sessions in London between June and November 2023, the first two of which will be on 27 and 28 June.

How to apply

If you want to rise to the next level in your career, the BTGC programme is for you! All we ask is that you have a keen interest in self-development and at least 5 years’ experience of working in the creative industries.

To apply please send us an up-to-date CV and contact details for two industry referees. You should also send a covering letter of up to 800 words, to explain why you believe you would benefit from the programme and how the industry would benefit from making this investment in you.

Your CV and covering letter should be sent with the subject line ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling [+ Your Name]’ to equalaccess@filmlondon.org.uk no later than 17.00 on Tuesday, 30 May 2023.

Testimonials

“The exposure to prominent leaders in the industry (and in other industries) has been phenomenal and has definitely made me more confident to achieve my plans and see myself as a leader.”

Bennett McGhee (Producer and Film London Board Member)

“The team have gone above and beyond in ensuring that we have access to individuals who make the key decisions in our industry so that we have open and honest conversations. I think more of these spaces are needed to ensure equality in the industry and accessibility.”

Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Producer & Writer)

"Breaking The Glass Ceiling was an invaluable experience. We had the privilege to meet so many exceptional individuals who shared with us their advice and experiences. Many of the tools I learnt I still use today. This course has given me the confidence to believe I have the necessary skills be a leader in this industry."

Aisha Bywaters (Casting Director)

“Breaking The Glass Ceiling helped me find a new family within an industry that so regularly left me feeling lonely. It made me feel like I belong and am welcome in the film industry. I was honoured to have been placed alongside such a high calibre of unique professionals all of which I predict great success for. I am grateful to now call them allies, colleague and friends and I will never forget the journey we’ve all been on.”

Corrina Antrobus (Arts and Culture Communications Officer For Hackney Council / Founder of Bechdel Test Fest)

“The team managing the initiative have put together a fantastic learning program, with informative modules, incredible access to industry figures and most important of all, a brilliant cohort, which has encouraged not only peer-to-peer learning and support, but the formation of a network of talented industry executives, with the ability and desire to work together to lead the industry for years to come.”

Yaw Basoah (Producer)

“I used to think I was a nobody, but after participating on the BTGC 2, I started to believe I was a somebody. Navigating this industry can often be hard and lonely. During the BTGC 2, I found likeminded people who shared similar experiences and for the first time I opened up. I thank BTGC 2 for allowing this incredible forum. I have made life long friend, and been given much needed confidence by the incredible team at Film London.Anything is accomplishable and am excited about what the future holds.”

Khurrum M. Sultan (Director)

“I absolutely loved my time on BTGC, I came away from each session feeling energised, empowered and optimistic about my career. The leadership training and personal development was invaluable as was the incredible mentor/mentee programme, the unparalleled access to some of the most forward thinking leaders in the industry, with the freedom to ask any questions you like in a safe space and best of all is the friendships you make on the course - you will be surrounded by like-minded future leaders in all disciplines of the business and form a bond that feels like it will last forever! The outcome has been significant for me, I have a 5 year plan that I am executing all the time, including application to Inside Pictures which I have just been selected to participate on - I would not have even applied had I not been on the course and had the support of the staff and my cohort.”

Hussain Casey-Ahmed (Producer)

“The Breaking the Glass Ceiling programme was such an uplifting and encouraging experience for me. It’s given me a community of peers and friends who I know will always have my back now, and on an individual level, the programme provided invaluable personal development training that I would never have thought to find elsewhere.”

Charlotte Cheung (Development Executive)

Media Coverage and Links

https://www.screendaily.com/news/film-london-selects-10-participants-for-second-edition-of-breaking-the-glass-ceiling/5165005.article

https://www.screendaily.com/news/film-london-selects-10-participants-for-bame-leadership-scheme/5144295.article

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VnQFRg3j8/

https://www.voice-online.co.uk/entertainment/film/2019/11/01/bame-professionals-in-film-and-tv-get-career-boost-with-new-leadership-scheme/

https://m.imdb.com/news/ni62670679

https://yen.com.gh/173961-meet-fiona-lamptey-ghanaian-hired-by-netflix-director-uk-features.html


https://www.thetvfestival.com/talent-schemes/ones-to-watch/otw-alumni/khurrum-m-sultan/

https://twitter.com/tvtalentmanager/status/1438831657759481863

https://www.raucouspictures.com/about


http://www.archerypictures.com/kurban-kassam

https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/kam-odedra

https://www.itv.com/inclusion/articles/nahrein-kemp

https://brixtonblog.com/2021/06/local-film-producer-tipped-for-the-top/

https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/elevate/key-contributor-producer-yaw-basoah

Breaking the Glass Ceiling launched in 2019

In 2019 we were delighted to launch Breaking the Glass Ceiling, the leadership programme to support black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) mid-level professionals in the Film and TV industry. The first programme, run by Film London’s Equal Access Network, was supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery through funds awarded from People’s Postcode Trust, Sony Pictures Entertainment, BBC Films and HBO.

Designed with and led by industry Executive Coach Jill Tandy, with support from leading industry experts such as ITV Studios, Roughcut TV, All3Media and Film 4, the programme benefitted ten outstanding mid-level professionals from BAME backgrounds committed to developing an inclusive leadership style.

OFCOMs Diversity and Equal Opportunities in TV 2019 stated that only 8 per cent of minority ethnic employees were in senior management positions compared to the UK national workforce average of 12 per cent.

Breaking The Glass Ceiling was designed to not only help accelerate the career of the participants, but also provide them with the skills to support and develop others starting out in the industry, helping to retain crucial talent from entry and mid-level to senior and management roles. As well as being matched with their own leading industry mentor, each participant was paired with a new entrant mentee from Film London’s Equal Access Network to apply the skills learnt and provide guidance.

The scheme was comprised of group coaching, training and networking from top industry speakers from across Film and TV:

Waqas Ali (Head of HR, ITV Studios), Ebony Amoroso (Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Endeavor), Ash Atalla (MD, Roughcut TV), Daniel Battsek (Director of Film4), Anne Foster (Director of Diversity, Leadership and Organisational Development (EMEA), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Rose Garnett (A24 Producer/ former Director, BBC Films), Caroline Goyder (Author and Speaker), Sharon Henry (MD, Sharon Henry Management), Professor Gareth Jones, Ade Rawcliffe (Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion at ITV Chief Creative Officer at UKTVr), Ben Roberts (Chief Executive, BFI), Jennifer Smith (Head of Inclusion, BFI), Jane Turton (CEO, All3Media), Richard Watsham (Chief Creative Officer at UKTV), Patrick Younge (Managing Director, Sugar Films), John McVay OBE (Chief Executive at PACT) and Mia Bays (Director of the Film Fund at the British Film Institute) spoke.

Mentors included Iain Canning (Joint MD, See-Saw Films), Nina Gold (Casting Director, Nina Gold Casting), Gaylene Gould (Creative Director), Elizabeth Karlsen (Producer, Number 9 Films), Tessa Ross (CEO, House Productions), Krista Wegener (Executive VP Sales and Distribution, Participant) and Krishnendu Majumdar(Chair of BAFTA).

The ten selected participants for Breaking The Glass Ceiling 2019 were:

• Corrina Antrobus (Arts and Culture Communications Officer For Hackney Council / Founder of Bechdel Test Fest)
• Yaw Basoah (Producer)
• Aisha Bywaters (Casting Director)
• Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Producer & Writer)
• Kurban Kassam (Producer)
• Gursharn Khaira (Head of Legal & Business Affairs at Altitude Film Entertainment)
• Fiona Lamptey (Producer)
• Bennett McGhee (Producer)
• Kam Odedra (Writer and story Producer)
• Lisa White (VP Commercial Finance & Business Development at STX Entertainment)