Film expert appointed to UK Parliament film industry review
01 December 2023
The boom in filmmaking in the UK is set to be examined by a group of MPs with help from a University of Reading film expert.
Dr Dominic Lees, of the University of Reading’s Department of Film, Theatre & Television, has been appointed by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee as a Specialist Advisor to its inquiry into British Film and High-End Television.
The inquiry will investigate what needs to be done to maintain and enhance the UK as a global destination for production and how the independent film production sector can best be supported.
Dr Lees said: “Film production in Britain is getting bigger every year through inward investment and this is very exciting. Potentially millions of people could benefit from the opportunities film and TV production brings. But at the same time independent British film is declining so it’s important we do everything we can to support our film culture and industry.
“I bring to the inquiry experience from my career as a TV and film director, as well as my academic research into High End Television and the innovations of AI in the film industry. The University of Reading has a wealth of expertise in this field, from our close partnership with Shinfield Studios to our world-leading research on the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence, as well as our impressive record on sustainability.”
Dr Lees is Associate Professor of Film at the University of Reading’s Department of Film, Theatre and Television, where he teaches and researches filmmaking practice. He is the director of the 2008 feature film thriller ‘Outlanders’, as well as episodes of TV dramas including This Life, The Bill and Casualty.
The inquiry will also examine:
●Issues around skills and retention in the film and TV industry
●What needs to be done to ensure the sector can adapt to challenges such as the rise of artificial intelligence
●Challenges for British cinemas after the coronavirus pandemic
The inquiry is underway and is due to report later in 2024.
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