INDUSTRY FIRESIDE CHAT
KATIE BAILIFF INTERVIEW NICOLA FOLEY After 30 years telling social-issue stories as a producer, director, executive producer and creative director, Katie Bailiff stepped into the CEO role at Women in Film & Television UK. She discusses the state of the sector, the barriers women continue to face and what meaningful change could look like in the years ahead FIRESIDE CHAT
DEFINITION: You’ve had a long and varied career before leading Women in Film & Television UK (WFTV). What are the key roles and milestones that shaped your path? KATIE BAILIFF: I grew up in Morecambe in the north-west – a very deprived seaside town – and I did not know a single person in film or television. When I was 14, my dad, who was a boatbuilder, provided a prop for an episode of Poirot . I went with him on the night shoot and it was like stepping into Narnia – the costumes, the clatter of the track and dolly, the team spirit, the energy. My dad said, “Try to get something you love doing, and get someone to pay you to do it.” That advice stuck. I studied English with film and TV at York, then started as a researcher in documentaries in Leeds. I co-founded Century Films and spent 30 years making social-issue documentaries – in prisons, rehabs, schools, charities – and also factual drama. It gave me a real grounding in how Britain works. In 2021, during lockdown, I was asked to take over as CEO of WFTV. I’d never run
a membership organisation before and, like many women, wondered: ‘Can I do this?’ But running a small charity isn’t so different from running an indie: bringing in funds, supporting teams, knowing the industry. Since then, we’ve tripled our membership, turnover, staff numbers and the number of schemes that are on offer. We have expanded mentoring across the UK, launched leadership programmes, a writers’ lab and new production-management initiatives with ScreenSkills. I’ve tried to respond quickly to what women tell us they need and turn ideas into action.
in film and TV can hit 50 without having received any leadership training. That lack of development feeds burnout, bad HR practices, bullying and glass ceilings. Our leadership course and mentoring schemes are designed to counter that, giving women the skills, networks and confidence they need. DEF: What do you hear most from women in the industry right now? KB: Impostor syndrome. Women really suffer from it. It’s not a lack of talent – it’s confidence. Confidence plus opportunity plus talent makes a career, but if you can’t put yourself forward for opportunities, it’s much harder. We work a lot on building confidence. We are also focused on raising the profile of women where they are still underrepresented: cinematography, sound, writing, post- production and directing. We’re looking at who’s missing and why, and how we can address it. DEF: From your perspective, what are the most persistent structural barriers holding women back? that when you have women leading – female directors, female writers, heads of department – the whole culture of a production changes. They hire more women and bring in more inclusive teams. That is why we push hard on supporting senior women: they give back constantly, they mentor others, KB: A lack of women in senior roles. All of the evidence shows
DEF: What were your priorities coming in as CEO, and which
achievements stand out to you?
KB: During Covid, the priority was stability and community. Women were disproportionately affected – job losses, home-schooling and caring responsibilities – so we worked hard to keep people connected and supported. Beyond that, I have focused on keeping women informed about industry shifts and on professional development. Unlike law or teaching careers, many women
I SEE a gender gap FORMING IN THE uptake of AI ”
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