DirectorsUKrevisitsrecordyearofdistributionsat2023AGM

This week we were joined by our members both online and on the South Bank for the Directors UK AGM 2023. 

The evening provided an opportunity to go over official business, discuss the lived experiences of our members, and mark a financial year that saw Directors UK distribute over £19.6 million to over 5,800 directors - the largest sum, paid out to the most directors, in a single year. 

We began with an introduction from Directors UK Vice-Chair Anna Thomson, running through Directors UK’s achievements in the 2022-2023 period. From renegotiating an improved UK Rights Agreement to representing directors at industry and Government level, it was a productive year – you can read more about it here.

Our Finance Director Jo Bromley then took us through a record-breaking year for distributions. As well as paying out the highest amount to the highest number of directors in the reporting period, our dedicated distribution team also processed over 705,000 individual transactions – another record.

But our work on behalf of directors can’t stop there.

Alongside this year’s AGM, we tabled a motion to increase our management fees on UK distributions from 10% to 13.75%, and this motion - alongside all other motions – was approved by our membership. This increase will enable us to invest in the tools and resources we need to give us more clout when it comes to negotiating better deals for the use of your works. But the benefits are more than just financial. A stronger, better-resourced Directors UK is better equipped to address the issues that matter to directors day-to-day.

In his update for members, Directors UK CEO Andy Harrower thanked all the members who took the time to vote on the motions. “Firstly, thank you to everyone who voted on the resolutions – in particular, the proposal to increase our management fees to 13.75%. As you have just seen, this has been approved by the majority of those who voted and I’m really grateful for your support. But I also want to acknowledge those of you who felt that you were not able to support it. I’ve heard from several of you individually and I completely understand your concerns.  Why are we doing this now, during a severe cost of living crisis and at a time when so many directors are struggling to get work?  Well actually, it’s because we know how much of a lifeline royalty payments from us can be when you are between jobs, that we need to do everything we can to protect these and get more for you.” Andy also covered the state of play on deal negotiations, the drive for improved working conditions and the various factors threatening directors and the craft of directing. You can read the speech in full here.

Andy also paid tribute our members, colleagues and friends who have sadly passed away since our last AGM, including Piers Haggard OBE – one of the founding members of Directors UK. Piers was a tireless champion of directors’ rights, always fighting for fair payment and for respect towards directing as a craft. There is so much we can learn by acting in Piers’ spirit – importantly, how much we can achieve when we work together. You can read a tribute to Piers from earlier this year on our website.  

We then opened the floor to questions from members. This saw a discussion about the critical slowdown in work in factual – something that was also raised at our Spring Town Hall meeting– and also saw questions from members about the lack of progress on diversity and inclusion for directors. Honest discussions like these remind us of the issues that you feel are most pressing in your working lives,and we were grateful to hear from our members both online and in person. But don’t forget that you don’t have to wait until a Town Hall, AGM or other event to share your opinions or concerns. Your Board Reps are available to contact throughout the year - find out how to contact them.

At the end of the evening, former Directors UK CEO Andrew Chowns updated us on the work of Directors Charitable Foundation – which is supported by Directors UK. The Foundation provides support for directors, ranging from financial aid to assistance with mental health and wellbeing. You can access their services here.

The night then came to a close, and for our members who joined in person, an opportunity to network and come together over drinks. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us this week, either in person or over Zoom, and to everyone who took the time to vote on this year’s motions.

We can’t wait to see you at our next Town Hall, which will be a hybrid meeting held in Autumn at a venue outside of London, and of course at other Directors UK events throughout the year – as usual, we’ll provide the latest updates for members via our newsletter, website and on social media.