The UK’s top managers have come together to send a clear message to streamers: ‘Royals are our lifeline’.
An open letter published by the copyright management organization Directors UK names signatories including Slow horses Command staff Saul Metzstein, James Hawes, Jeremy Lovering, Andor and Sherlockbenjamin Caron, The crownEric Richter Strand, Jessica Hobbs, and Sam Donovan (also a director to cut), besides Black mirrorSam Miller, Colm McCarthy, and John Crowley, who is famous for directing the 2024 film We live in time With Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.
Poldarkgus agnew, Blue lights Directors: Gil Banier and Otto Bathurst Peaky Blinders They also joined the streaming platform challenge.
“Your global streaming services are enjoying great success, both critically and commercially, and your catalogs are very popular with audiences around the world,” the letter begins. “But behind every program you commission, there is a director whose creativity, craft and vision are integral to that success. You know the value we directors bring – and now we need you to show it.”
The directors explained that the UK’s public broadcasters – the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 – were participating in a scheme that allowed them to obtain copyright in exchange for repeat shows and program sales. “Although the ongoing payments made under this scheme are modest by anyone’s standards, they can be a crucial source of income in the highly unstable world in which we directors operate.”
However, the streamers are yet to sign off on any form of royalty or residual scheme for UK filmmakers despite having worked for over 10 years in Britain. This also comes despite the fact that we are “legally one of the original owners of the copyright in the software we direct to these companies,” as well as efforts to negotiate, the letter said.
“While we applaud the investments you are making in original UK production, we cannot help but note the contradiction between your enthusiastic interest in UK tax incentive schemes and the very slow pace of discussions about an appropriate equity regime for UK directors.”
“We want to send a clear message to all of you: royalties are a lifeline for directors, no matter how successful we may be at some point in our careers.”
The statement ends with a comparison to the United States, Latin America, and other countries in Europe, where practices have evolved to secure ongoing payments to directors either through collective bargaining or copyright laws. It ends with “Please treat us with equal respect.” Read the full message here.
