The WorkWise for Screen Podcast

Could the freelancer you have hired for your production actually be seen as an employee in HMRC's eyes? And why does setting up a Limited Company not necessarily protect you from IR35 tax investigations? In this episode, Keith Arrowsmith speaks with Erin Walls, an accountant with WallsMan Creative, to demystify the tax rules around hiring freelancers versus employees. As an ACA working across the...

How do you bring a talented producer from Australia or a specialist consultant from Sweden to work on your UK production? And just how complex is the visa process for people from another country hoping to work in the UK screen industry? In this episode, Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small speak with Sally McEwen, an immigration law specialist at OTB Legal, to demystify the UK visa system. With 19 ye...

What happens when a group of university friends builds a successful games studio, and when the company grows, they need to transform friendship dynamics into professional practices? And how do you introduce HR processes, performance reviews, and organisational hierarchy without losing the magic that made the business work in the first place? In this episode, Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small speak...

When should you ask someone to sign an NDA? And how do you make sure it protects your business without silencing legitimate concerns? In this episode, Keith Arrowsmith speaks with Peter Adediran from Pail Solicitors about one of the most misunderstood tools in the screen industries: the non-disclosure agreement. From protecting scripts and budgets to safeguarding personal health information on Cal...

How do you combat the isolation of freelance work when your entire industry runs on short-term contracts? And what can we learn from "considerate constructors" about treating our crews with the care they deserve? Sara Putt, founder of Sara Putt Associates and Chair of BAFTA, joins Keith Arrowsmith and Sally Bendtson to explore how to build a community that breaks down the isolation experienced by...

How do you build career paths and lasting teams in an industry built on short-term contracts? And what happens when traditional employment structures disappear, even at institutions like the BBC? In this episode recorded at our Sheffield event, Dr Amit Patel is joined by Daniel Pearl, Creative Director at Lion Television, the company behind hit series such as Castaway, Britain's Biggest Dig and Ho...

What's the difference between recruiting in a rush and recruiting with purpose? And why does treating candidates with respect matter just as much as finding the right skills? In this episode recorded at our Sheffield event Dr. Amit Patel is joined by Sally Bendtson, the founder of Limelight HR. With years of experience helping Screen Industry businesses build better teams, Sally breaks down why cl...

What happens when someone who's always felt like an outsider builds a company that wins "Best Place to Work" not once, but twice? And how do you create an environment where genuine care for your team becomes your competitive advantage? In this episode recorded at our live Sheffield event, Amit Patel is in conversation with Steve Wynne, the CEO of production company Strawberry Blond, to explore how...

What's the difference between an employee, a worker, and a freelancer? And why does getting this classification wrong from the start risk costly consequences for your business? In this bonus episode recorded at the 2025 Develop Brighton Event, we hear from Adam McGlynn, an Employment Associate at the legal firm Mishcon de Reya. He breaks down one of the most fundamental yet complex areas every cre...

How do you move beyond just getting people a foot in the door in the Screen Industry to helping them build meaningful, lasting careers? And how does a different attitude to lifelong learning help leadership to navigate changes in the industry?  In this episode, Arit Eminue, a talent and inclusion specialist and former founder of Diva Apprenticeships, joins Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small to talk...

How do you hire the right person for your team? And once you've found them, how do you set them up for success from day one? This is a Bonus episode recorded live at the Develop:Brighton event in July 2025. In this episode, Leon Killin, Strategic People Consultant at BalancePatch, discusses the practicalities of hiring in today's games industry landscape.  Leon explains why successful hiring isn't...

What does fair pay truly mean in the screen industry? And how does aligning pay standards with living wage benchmarks contribute to a more inclusive and diverse workplace? In this episode Lianna Etkind from the Living Wage Foundation and Melanie Iredale from Reclaim The Frame join Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small to discuss the importance of fair pay as a foundation for an inclusive and sustainab...

What really makes a set safe? In this episode, we speak with Samantha Wainstein, Chair of the Mark Milsome Foundation, about the pressing realities of health and safety in UK film and TV. Following the tragic, preventable death of camera operator Mark Milsome in 2017, the Foundation has worked to challenge industry norms and advocate for safer working conditions. Samantha shares why safe sets are...

In this episode, Principal Research Fellow Jonny Gifford from the Institute of Employment Studies joins Keith and Tacita to explore the long-term value of embedding fair, inclusive and sustainable working practices in the screen industry. They discuss why “good work” looks different for everyone, the role of people management in smaller companies, and how leaders can move beyond short-term fixes t...

What does transparency really mean in production? And how do we make it more than just a buzzword? In this episode, Elizabeth Peyton-Jones - founder of Talent Trust - an organisation that helps productions create safer, more inclusive sets through anonymous, real-time crew feedback - joins Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small to break down why transparency, preparation, and communication are essentia...

In this bonus episode of the WorkWise for Screen podcast, we bring you highlights from our recent live event, featuring Leanne Murphy - Employment and Equality Solicitor at Rosemary Connolly Solicitors. She shares practical advice on how small to medium-sized businesses in Northern Ireland can legally protect themselves by investing in solid HR foundations early on. From understanding the differen...

Has the area of post-production been overlooked when we talk about safe and fair working conditions in the screen industry? In this episode, Tacita Small and Keith Arrowsmith sit down with Amelia Knott, Human Rights Specialist for the TV industry Human Rights Forum, to explore how to improve working conditions once filming has wrapped.  From working for long hours with few breaks, to working with...

For this episode, we took Workwise for Screen on the road to Belfast - bringing together people across production, HR, law and support services to ask how we can better support the workplace conditions across the UK screen industry. In this episode, Michelle Walsh, Head of Production at Stellify Media - an award-winning unscripted production company committed to telling human stories - shares cand...

This bonus episode, recorded live in Belfast, explores how we can better support workplace conditions across the UK screen industry - from production and HR to legal and support services. This time we’re joined by HR consultant and executive coach Mairéad Regan. She shares her deep experience working across both in-house and freelance sectors in the screen industries. With a focus on fair, inclusi...

How do we build a creative industry that not only finds talent - but actually holds onto it? In this episode, Tacita Small and Keith Arrowsmith sit down with Mel Rodrigues, Chief Executive at Creative Access and Vice Chair at Women in Film and TV, to explore how we create space for people to thrive. From supporting mid-career professionals to sharing how meaningful inclusion, mentorship, and bette...

In creative industries, contracts can be a perplexing field, but they’re an essential part of keeping your project safe, along with all those working on it. That’s why we share the helpful guidance of Gemma Woodhead in this episode of WorkWise for Screen, simplifying the world of contracts, and pointing us towards the support available to creatives. The WorkWise for Screen podcast is supported by...

Whether you’ve a long-standing team or you work with freelancers, mentoring your teams is a vital step to creating a better screen sector for all. This much is clear to Mastered’s Co-Founder and CEO, Perri Lewis, whose experience with mentors encouraged her to enable the same for as much of the sector as possible. Join us on WorkWise for Screen this week to explore the opportunities available for...

There’s a simplicity in the word ‘Diversity’, but there’s so much surrounding it which needs a nuanced, considered approach from every one of us in the screen sector. From Stacey Carr’s experiences with Nickelodeon, Endemol Shine, the Oprah Winfrey Network and now Donmar Warehouse, she’s seen how EDI as a ‘way of life, not a set of rules’ creates better, more inclusive workplaces. For those lookin...

Freelance support is essential to so many productions in screen industries, but it can be a challenge knowing how to first bring them on board, and then managing them at scale.  Samantha Kingston has been a freelancer herself, and works wonderfully with them in her business, Virtual Umbrella.  This episode of the WorkWise for Screen podcast poses as the perfect starting point for those looking to...

Welcome to the first episode of WorkWise for Screen, the podcast bringing support and advice to professionals in the screen industries ​​to better look after all the people their business depends on ​​supported by the BFI, awarding  National Lottery funding. Joining hosts Keith Arrowsmith from WorkWise for Screen and Tacita Small from The Small HR Company for episode 1 is Netspeak Games’ People Di...