Inclusion and accessibility are essential to a thriving creative industry. When everyone can participate fully, we unlock diverse stories, perspectives and talent that enrich our industry and connect with audiences in new, profound ways. That’s why we invited editor and journalist Jennifer McShane to chair a roundtable discussion on helping remove barriers facing disabled people on set.
McShane spoke with:
- Sara Putt, BAFTA Chair
- Sam Tatlow MBE, ITV’s head of diversity, equity and inclusion and chair of our Disability Advisory Group
- Julie Clark, ITV Studios’ director of production for drama
- Heloise Beaton (Eli), project lead for the TV Access Project (TAP).
Together they highlighted innovative tools to help members take immediate steps to improve accessibility on film, games and TV productions. And they suggested how you can play your part in making the industry more inclusive.
Read on for more…
The discussion
Jennifer McShane: To kick off, I’d like to share some statistics. There are 16 million deaf, disabled and neurodivergent (DDN) people living in the UK, but fewer work in the screen industries than in the wider UK economy. That’s 10% compared with 14%. What’s your thoughts on where the industry is at today, with regards to accessibility?
Julie Clark: Well, compared to a year ago, I think we’ve made huge steps. A year ago, some European production companies didn’t even know what ‘access’ meant. I remember one producer saying, ‘I’ve never come across anybody that needs access requirements,’ and I was horrified. But things have shifted. Accessibility is now a huge priority across the industry.
Sara Putt: That’s interesting because I’m seeing similar progress. Things are improving, and there’s genuine, authentic dedication. But we still have a way to go to make accessibility second nature across the industry. For instance, I visited a company’s office recently and found it wasn’t wheelchair accessible, and they work with disabled talent. It shows that accessibility isn’t always front of mind.
Eli Beaton: I’m glad you said that, Sara. We’ve seen progress in the numbers too. The Diamond Report highlighted that senior roles held by disabled talent have risen from 4.7% to 6.7%. It’s a great step forward, especially given the ‘glass ceiling’ for disabled professionals. But we’re not there yet – we need accessibility to become as ingrained as sustainability. This growth needs to be sustained and spread across the TV, film, and games sectors.
JMc: BAFTA is one organisation progressively working to remove these accessible barriers. Can you tell us more about this, Sam?
ST: After BAFTA’s 2020 review, there were over 120 recommendations – a lot of them, as Sara said. A whole section of those recommendations were around accessibility and disability equity, and it hadn’t happened elsewhere before or at BAFTA before. And happily, all of the accessibility recommendations were implemented.
Some of those things included ensuring all our awards shows having a ramp as part of the set. A visible ramp for the audience to see – so that we are really telling our audience, ‘You are welcome on this stage, and we expect to see you winning awards because you can get on it.’
It’s about embedding accessibility. Whether interpreters are on stage or when running events, asking attendees, ‘What do you need? What can we do to make your experience with BAFTA a good one?’
JMc: It’s removing that emotional labour of the disabled person always having to think ahead and ask that their needs be met ahead of time.
ST: Exactly, we should be working the opposite way. And in this case, what’s brilliant is that we saw the results quickly after the recommendations were there, because BAFTA’s membership numbers increased, and we have many disabled members. We’re doing lots of work to increase this and make disabled members feel like BAFTA is the place for them. It’s as you said, Jen, removing that emotional labour, not having the disabled person do all the work.
JMc: On that note, can everyone share what they feel are practical steps BAFTA members can take to improve accessibility? The first step is usually the hardest part, but it’s so important.
EB: You know, you don’t need to be an expert. Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking, ‘Is this the most accessible way we could do this?’. Or ‘How can I support you?’. Those small conversations can spark a butterfly effect.
JC: I totally agree. At ITV, we’ve introduced things, like a form for crew members to share their access requirements when signing contracts. It’s a simple way to make people feel supported without them needing to ask first.
Like Eli said, it’s those other small, low–cost tweaks – like, in our case, things like easy-read call sheets or colour-coded signage – that make a big difference. And we have our access coordinator go on the recce to ensure that any tricky locations, such as jumping over a stile to get into a field, have been adapted.
Another part of the problem, which has become so much better recently, is where to find disabled talent, whether in front or behind the camera. Now, our in-house access coordinator knows where to go for background artists, for instance, or which agencies have more DDN talent. We would never have known where to go before that.
SP: And agents can also play a role by asking upfront if a production is accessible when negotiating deals. If senior clients lead by example, it has a waterfall effect on the rest of the team. The burden should never fall on individuals to disclose their needs because that creates this potential barrier. Productions need to be proactive, thinking ahead, anticipating those requirements so that accessibility is built in. It’s about making everybody welcome, isn’t it?
EB: That’s so true. TAP’s Audit Checklist is another great tool. It helps teams self-assess their environments and practices, ensuring accessibility is built in from the start. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. Every production can start somewhere, and even small steps make a big difference.
JMc: That brings us nicely to the brilliant work that TAP does – which has really been transformative for the industry. Can you tell us about TAP’s 5As framework, Eli?
EB: TAP’s 5As – Anticipate, Ask, Assess, Adjust, Advocate – have really formed a framework that’s helped the industry to look at accessibility as not an afterthought but something embedded in the process. All of our members have agreed to fund access to production separately from the production budget. That’s important because it removes the barrier from production costs and ensures that inclusion doesn’t get sidelined due to finances.
Use the 5As and have open conversations. Accessibility doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s about consistent, thoughtful adjustments, as we’ve all mentioned here.
I think Sam mentioned freelancers at the start and how they often lack consistent support. Offering tools like Access Passports and ensuring inclusive hiring practices are critical steps, as well as making our spaces inclusive as standard, such as having quiet spaces available. Don’t forget, encouraging feedback loops where team members can share their experiences also helps refine practices over time.
JMc: Clearly, teamwork is key if we’re going to make strides across the industry. How does collaboration help move things forward in accessibility?
ST: That’s a great question. In this space, we’re not here to compete. We’re here to collaborate. And you know, if one person is able to land something and work through something that we can learn from or vice versa, that’s absolutely the way all of us are approaching this work. Because that’s the only way you’re able to make progress, if we’re all supporting each other and learning from each other’s experiences. At the end of the day, if we’re all saying the same thing, that’s the way that we land the message.
EB: Exactly, Sam. Embedding TAP’s audit into existing industry standards, such as the studio sustainability checklists, exemplifies effective collaboration. By sharing tools and templates, we ensure consistency and wider adoption. And ,we’re making it easier for productions to adopt these practices.
JMc: Of course, the industry is all about telling stories. To really make strides, we need storytelling that authentically reflects disabled perspectives. That starts at every level.
EB: I completely agree. Representation drives connection. But productions need to prioritise depth and accuracy, moving beyond tokenism. Authentic portrayals of disabled characters and hiring disabled creatives show that our stories matter.
JMc: It’s so true. Figures show disabled people have a spending power of over £249bn too, which is huge, and just shows how much we need their stories and expertise.
ST: Yes, and I’ve seen how disabled audiences are highly engaged when their experiences are genuinely reflected. We know inclusive content isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a smart business strategy.
JMc: We could talk about this for hours. But, one final question before we wrap up: what’s been most eye-opening about this journey so far, for you?
JC: Well, it’s been humbling to see the positive ripple effects of even small changes. Even using easy-read call sheets has improved communication for everyone, not just disabled colleagues.
EB: It was a lightbulb moment for me when I realised the transformative power of asking simple, direct questions about access needs. It demonstrated how even small actions can profoundly impact inclusivity. When someone asked me about my access needs for the first time in seven years, it was eye-opening.
ST: One of the best things BAFTA has done is to create a culture where accessibility is prioritised and the team is encouraged to try things out. And it’s okay to get things wrong as long as you’re willing to learn from the experience and try again next time. That openness is what drives change.
SP: As we all said at the start, I think the most significant shift has been cultural. Accessibility is now part of the conversation, not an afterthought. It’s a sign that we’re moving in the right direction.
BAFTA's commitment to accessibility
As part of our efforts to improve access to creative careers, BAFTA has joined other industry organisations in partnering with the TV Access Project (TAP). TAP’s goal is to remove all barriers to access for disabled people in the TV industry by 2030. Under the guidance of our Disability Advisory Group, we now consider access adjustments in the design stage of all our activities. We also work with other TAP partners to share our learnings, so everyone can benefit from the kind of career development opportunities we offer.
Read about TAP’s work on Pact’s website and find out what you can do to help create a more inclusive industry.