Page 3 - 16_Bafta ACADEMY_Samantha Morton_ok

the big picture
Well, here I am: after two years as Deputy Chairman, doing... well, not a lot really. Suddenly it’s meetings, decisions, more meetings, more decisions. A real job at last...
so to speak!
But I find myself asking what’s it all about? What’s the Chairman of BAFTA for? Is there any real point to it, other than turning up to enjoyable social events and glitzy awards ceremonies?
I don’t know the answers yet but at least I know what I’d like BAFTA to achieve, and I can do no more than try and make it happen.
BAFTA has changed a lot over the last few years. We have tried very hard to make it more mod- ern, more open, and more inclu- sive. This is not for political cor- rectness. It’s because to survive, we have to be relevant. That means keeping in touch – and film, television, and the new media are all changing very rapidly. So staying relevant, and continuing to combat the idea that we’re a stuffy organisation only for bigwigs will certainly remain a major goal.
There’s been a huge increase in membership over the last few years – which is great. Both the age and job range of our mem- bership has broadened consider- ably. But there’s more to do. We need more craft people, and more young people, and more members from ethnic minorities. Please encourage anyone you know – in these or any other cat- egories of membership – to join. BAFTA is its members. BAFTA only exists because you, its members, want it to. So a healthy, exten- sive, representative membership base is the essential foundation of everything.
BAFTA’s role is to encourage excellence in our crafts. We do this in many ways: by discussion, by education, by voting, and ulti-
Michael Attwell, Chairman
mately by rewarding good work. Interestingly, the public recognis- es this. The name BAFTA actually gets 90% plus recognition in sur- veys, and the public knows what we stand for.
And that’s why the Awards
are important. It’s not just that we like occasions to get convivial with our colleagues: it’s to cele- brate our craft and showcase it to the world. We couldn’t, as it happens, survive financially and hold these Awards without our sponsors: Orange, Radio Times and LEGO, plus all those who sponsor categories at the Craft and Interactive Awards. They actually make these events possi- ble. So my job is to make sure that we appreciate them enough and to maintain their support. Without them, we couldn’t go on.
The Awards have had an incredibly high public profile over the last few years. Amanda Berry, our Chief Executive, is largely responsible. Amongst many other contributions, she has been instrumental in moving our Film Awards before the Oscars. She and Stephen Woolley have helped to make Hollywood very conscious of what we do and very keen to participate.
The TV Performance and Production Awards have benefit- ed greatly from Bea Ballard’s out- standing stewardship of the TV Committee, and the TV Craft Awards are a tremendous testa-
ment to Hilary Bevan Jones and Ken Trodd. We are also indebted to the BBC and ITV, who still con- tinue to support us by televising our ceremonies. Sue Thexton, in Interactive, and Jill James, in Events, have been other key play- ers who’ve helped to make BAFTA thriving, fun, and meaningful.
Finally, there’s the building – 195 Piccadilly. We have to spend £500,000 on roof repairs, which we’ll have to borrow, thus unavoidably saddling ourselves with heavy liabilities. We’ve decided, I hope sensibly, to bor- row an additional £500,000 at the same time to refurbish the build- ing and try and make it the kind of place we might all want to spend our leisure time in.
My predecessors, Tim Angel and Simon Relph, did a terrific job restoring BAFTA to solvency. I’m conscious of their legacy, so I hope we’re able to continue their pattern of prudence, despite new commitments.
These various goals will all require time and careful management. Kevin Price, our Director of Finance and Administration, is a tower of strength. I know he’ll keep me in line. I’m also enormously aware of the great heritage of the British film and television industries, and that at BAFTA we play an important part in maintaining that heritage and keeping it alive.
So no pressure then... Wish me luck.
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