Nutopia partners with Creative Access and National Geographic to launch pioneering new initiative to tackle senior-level diversity in TV

Posted on February 10, 2022

Ambitious Nutopia x Creative Access positive action programme offers opportunity to join the team on a new global adventure series

Award-winning production company Nutopia and Creative Access, the leading diversity social enterprise, are today launching ‘Nutopia Partnerships,’ an ambitious new collaboration to address the under-representation of people from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds at senior levels in the TV industry.

As part of the new landmark programme, Nutopia is offering a unique opportunity, funded by National Geographic, for four experienced individuals to join the team on a multi-part multi year global adventure series.

Less than 10% of senior production roles in the UK TV industry are held by people from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds, according to the Creative Diversity Network*. The Nutopia Partnerships initiative is the first programme of its kind specifically designed to tackle senior-level diversity in the industry and the first to be led by an independent production company. It is part of Nutopia’s ambitious new diversity and inclusion strategy spearheaded by CEO and Founder, Jane Root and supported by Creative Access, who work with over 450 employers across the creative industries to enable them to be more accessible, representative and inclusive through progressive recruitment, training and mentoring.

The Nutopia Partnerships will be an accelerator programme aimed at creating the next generation of creative leaders by offering a training opportunity to traditionally underrepresented groups.

From today candidates from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds, who have already taken on senior roles in TV and film. The positive action programme is designed for both the existing senior production team and the successful applicants to learn new skills and approaches. The successful candidates will receive insight and experience on the making of an episode from start to finish, under the guidance of senior leadership; deepen their leadership, financial and technical skills and have first-hand on location experience in the most challenging situations. They will bring new insights to our senior team, driving the next level of creative aspiration across Nutopia. To find out more and apply, click here.

“While we are seeing progress being made to address diversity at entry-level in the TV industry, the lack of diversity at senior levels remains a serious and concerning issue and is a real barrier to the retention and progression of the new, more diverse junior talent coming in to the industry,” says Josie Dobrin, founder and CEO, Creative Access.

“This new, industry-leading collaboration between Nutopia and Creative Access is designed to specifically target this issue. We are very proud to be working with Nutopia, as well as National Geographic to drive meaningful change in diversity at senior levels in the industry,”

“At Nutopia to achieve the next level of creative aspiration we need to invite people in and embed different voices and experiences in our core. We are proud to partner with National Geographic and Creative Access on the Nutopia Partnerships,” says Jane Root, founder and CEO, Nutopia.

“Our aim is to create a lasting legacy within factual television across senior levels. There’s much work to be done, and we will continue to learn as we make progress through our most comprehensive initiative to date.”

Who is eligible to apply?

Candidates applying should be currently working at Line Producer/Producer / Series Producer / Director level or similar and looking to further progress to the next level or make the move into high end factual TV.  The Nutopia Partnerships are designed to give the successful candidates space to bring their creativity into the world of factual adventure.

As a Nutopia Partner they will embark on a 12-month programme that will take them through all the processes of senior leadership in a multi-part global factual series, from development of the episode story, production on location with a large crew and then edit oversight.

In addition, they will also be provided with a curriculum of leadership coaching, a bespoke training plan with focus areas for individual development and a mentor, to give them the skills and experience to make the move into a senior role in the premium factual genre. They will be funded to participate at a rate commensurate with current salary.

The ‘Nutopia Partnerships’ will run over two years. There will be four Nutopia Partners who each join the team for 12 months and we are looking for people to join the 2022 cohort. 

*Source: UK Race and Ethnic Diversity: a deep dive into Diamond data, Creative Diversity Network, October 2020

FURTHER APPLICATION DETAILS

The Nutopia Partnership project will run over two years. There will be four Nutopia Partners in total, completing 1 year each and recruitment is opening from February 10th for year one.

The team particularly want to hear from adaptable and collaborative individuals with the following knowledge, skills, and experience:

  • Demonstrable experience at mid- senior level, Line Producer, Producer, Series Producer
  • The desire to learn more about the whole process of making high-end factual entertainment TV.
  • Proven creative leadership
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, able to maintain key relationships with multiple stakeholders.
  • Confidence to think analytically and make effective decisions in fast changing environments.
  • A commitment to this project for 12 months with an interest in building a career in factual documentary.

To apply

Please upload your CV & covering letter as a single document to Creative Access by 3rd, March 2022.

The partnership has been covered in Televisual, Broadcast and C21 Media.