The NFTS is strongly supporting British actor/writer/comedian and television presenter Lenny Henry's nation wide campaign to increase diversity on our screens by calling for a change in the law to boost the number of black and minority ethnic (BAME) workers in British broadcast media.
NFTS' fundraising Gala on June 18th at old Billingsgate this year also celebrates and supports diversity in the British film and television industry.
Lenny Henry has launched a petition and email campaign aimed at lobbying the government to change the law.
In a "call to action" appeal video launched on The TV Collective website to kick off the petition, Lenny Henry urges people to sign an email addressed to Ed Vaizey the minister of the Creative Industries which supports "Lenny Henry's plan for UK TV channels to have ring fenced money for BAME productions and programmes as they do for the nations and regions."
The video also features comments that have been made to BAME people who have faced discrimination working in the media. These include comments such as: "Wow, I didn't expect you to speak so well,""You're not the right profile to go out on a shoot" and "You're not right for the lead but it'd be good to keep you in for colour."
Voiced by actors to avoid repercussions, a response from one man was: "No, I can't sit in my cab and wait for Moira Stuart to come out; I work here," after it was assumed that because he was BAME, he must be a taxi driver.
Lenny Henry and campaigners have meetings scheduled with the BBC and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport over the next couple of months.
For more information abiout the NFTS Gala click here
Pictured is Lenny Henry with teenage film makers at a recent NFTS masterclass.
