Job market information
Finding out about creative industries facilities
‘Facilities’ is part of the creative industries, which is represented by Creative Skillset. This includes: advertising; animation; computer games; corporate and commercial production; fashion and textiles; film; interactive media; photo imaging; publishing; radio; and television.
‘Facilities' is the collective term for a group of sub‐sectors (including: Outside Broadcast; Studios and Equipment Hire; Post Production; and Special Physical Effects), which offer support services for the creative industries. It also includes post‐production, studio and equipment hire, special physical effects, outside broadcast, processing laboratories, transmission, manufacture of audio visual equipment and other services for film and TV.
Key facts:
- 45,050 people are employed in facilities, which is around 9% of the creative media workforce.
- Only 5% of companies have 51 or more employees (including just 1% that has more than 200 employees).
- 78% of the industry is located in London, the East of England and the South East.
- 35% of the workforce is freelance or self‐employed.
- 69% of the special physical effects workforce are graduates, 63% in post-production and 52% in studio and equipment hire.
Jobs in the industry can be divided into:
- Outside Broadcast – Camera Operators, Sound Supervisor, Maintenance Engineer, VT Engineer, Transport Manager, Facilities Manager
- Studios and Equipment Hire – Sound Supervisor, IT Engineer, Camera Assistant, Facilities Manager, Head of Finance, Bookings Co‐ordinator, Van Driver, Runner, Accountant
- Post Production – Runner, Editor offline/online, Track Layer, Colourist, Quality Control, Client Liaison, IT Engineer, Wireman, DVD Producer
- Special Physical Effects – Production Manager, Carpenter, Welder, Sculptor, Accountant Assistant, Mechanical Engineer, SFX Make‐up, Wire FX
Entry and progression
Usually, no specific qualifications are required to enter this industry, although relevant technical degrees or equivalent qualifications are useful. Engineering or IT degrees are useful, together with relevant technical degrees or equivalent qualifications, such as a Foundation Degree in Broadcast Operations and Production. Good technical knowledge is extremely important, and sometimes a formal engineering qualification may be required.
Personality and communication skills are important at entry. Successful entry and progression through some industries require a Showreel that displays the candidates key skills (such as editing in visual effects, physical effects).
The majority of employers use informal methods of recruitment, such as personal contact with individuals or industry networks and contacts.
Special Effects, though one of the smallest occupational groups within the industry, is one of the most prestigious. Special effects is a small and specialist area, and entry is difficult. Media and graphics courses are available, but new entrants will still have to shadow those working above them for some time before they have the experience to progress.
There are a range of industry endorsed courses (both at undergraduate and post‐graduate), training schemes and a Diploma available.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
45,050 |
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| Number of UK employers: |
3,900 |
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| Gender: |
67% male |
33% female |
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| Ethnicity: |
5.2% of the workforce is from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background. |
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| Age: |
47% of the workforce is under 35 years. |
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| Disability: |
6% report themselves as having a disability. |
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| Employment: |
32% of the workforce is freelance or self‐employed. |
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| Education: |
59% of the workforce is a graduate (69% of the special physical effects workforce are graduates, 63% in post‐production and 52% in studio and equipment hire). |
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Employment trends and future prospects
Since 2000, the facilities workforce as a whole has increased from approximately 13,000 to 45,050 in 2006. In particular, post‐production, studio and equipment hire and special physical effects workforces have increased significantly since 2002.
An average 10.1 hour day is worked by the studio and equipment hire workforce, 9.7 hours by the post production workforce and 9.6 hours by the special physical effects workforce. These are all longer than the average day worked across the UK creative industries as a whole of 9.3 hours a day.
The facilities industry is reported to be facing significant changes in technology and from overseas competition.
Skill requirements and shortages
The facilities industry is reported to be facing significant changes in technology and from overseas competition. Although there are advantages to knowing the latest software, the rate of technical development moves at such a pace that this knowledge can be made obsolete quickly. Employers cite the value of soft skills in addition to technical skills, including customer service, speaking and self-presentation, good timekeeping and self-organisation, plus good numeracy / literacy skills and attention to detail.
The most common skills that need improving are: engineering; editing; technical equipment skills; motion capture; use of specific software; general industry experience; and general business skills.
Across specific sub‐sectors, specific skills gaps and shortages are reported in:
- Outside Broadcast – Vision engineers and other high calibre technical staff
- Studios with Equipment and Equipment Hire – Vision Engineers; Productions assistants (particularly in Manchester and the north of England); Pyrotechnic stage hands; IT technicians/engineers; high definition technical staff; Electricians in equipment hire
- Post Production – IT competent staff with knowledge of file based media; Business skills around sales, negotiation and client management
- Special Physical Effects – Staff with combined technical and artistic skills
Occupational trends
The largest occupational groups within the facilities industry are:
- other occupational groups e.g. finance, HR, IT, sales and general management (8,300)
- post production (7,900)
- lighting (5,100)
- library/archives (4,000)
- broadcast engineering (2,700)
- art and design (2,100)
National and regional data
As with the wider creative industries, the facilities industry has a large proportion of its workforce in the south, with 78% of the industry operating in London, the East of England and the South East.
In the East Midlands, Finishing Post in Nottingham is an established editing and graphics post‐production facility house. Giltbrook Studios, owned by Finishing Post, is on the same site and offers a purpose‐built drive‐in sound stage. There are over 1,000 people working in the industry in the region.
In the East of England support facilities which include TV and film studios have an established track record; GoldenEye, Star Wars, Sleepy Hollow and the Harry Potter series were all based at Leavesden Studios. In Borehamwood, BBC Elstree has hosted EastEnders and Holby City, with Elstree Film and Television Studios productions including Gangster No.1 and Enigma. Other studios include Studio 2000, Epic Studios in Norwich, and the more specialist Underwater Studio in Basildon. There is a workforce of 6,700 in the region.
There are 16,700 people working in post-production, studio and equipment hire, special effects and outside broadcast in London.
In the North East, a high percentage of regional Tyne Tees Television adverts are made within the region, with a substantial proportion being made by Dene Films in Newcastle. These commissions help to sustain local post production houses. There are nearly 900 people working in the industry.
The facilities and post‐production industry in the North West is based in Manchester, BBC Resources and Granada have joined together to establish 3sixtymedia, the largest facilities company outside of the BBC in London. Sumner's, the region’s largest post‐production house, has increased its post-production facilities over two sites to include studio facilities at mediacity:uk. There are over 900 people working in the industry.
In the South East, there are 5,700 people working in post-production, studio and equipment hire, special effects and outside broadcast.
There are nearly 3,000 people working in post-production, studio and equipment hire, special effects and outside broadcast in the South West.
The studio and post‐production facilities in the West Midlands are mainly focused on television, digital TV production and corporate work with a workforce of 1,100. Businesses include Aquila TV, Audio Suite, HD Heaven in Birmingham and Oakslade Studios near Warwick.
In Yorkshire and Humberside, there are around 1,100 people working in the industry.
There are 400 people working in the industry in Northern Ireland and nearly 900 in Scotland.
In Wales, Welsh Company Barcud Derwen is the largest television and film facilities company outside of London; with has an established track record of award winning work for broadcast, film, and new media production. There are 700 people working in the industry.
Salary levels
The average income within the facilities industry varies from £40,720 per year amongst the special physical effects workforce, £32,662 for the post‐production workforce and £31,146 for the studio and equipment hire workforce. These figures compare to the average annual earnings for the whole creative industries workforce of £32,239.
BECTU 
, the industry trade union, can advise on rates for freelancers working in the industry.
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Skillet AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
