BC Institute of Film Professionals
1385 Homer Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 5M9
Phone: 604.291.6525
Fax: 604.692.2551
info@bcifp.com

THE BC INSTITUTE OF FILM PROFESSIONALS LAUNCHES RESEARCH STUDY TO ADDRESS WOMEN'S LABOUR ISSUES IN LOCAL FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

Vancouver, British Columbia: The BC Institute of Film Professionals, with funding support from Human Resources Skills Development Canada, has launched a labour market study of BC's film and television industry, with a specific focus on the participation rate and employment of women in the industry.

"One of the difficulties in this industry", asserts Eileen Hoeter, president of BCIFP "is that there are no comprehensive statistics on the size of the industry, or a solid understanding of the industry's occupational diversity and unique employment characteristics. This study will develop a statistical profile of the labour market to help us understand and diagnose the apparent decline in women's participation rates and develop action plans and implementation strategies to encourage greater employment and career opportunities for women."

The BCIFP has commissioned Ference Weicker and Company, a Vancouver based management consulting firm to conduct the research for this study. The study will analyze key employment trends, skills gaps and workforce composition of women employed in public and private broadcasting, film and television production and distribution. The information and data collected will provide a basis for the further development of strategic plans and the training initiatives needed to implement them.

According to Dusty Kelly, Business Agent IATSE 891, "This study will be instrumental in identifying integrated strategies to increase the creative, business and technical skill levels of women within the industry and guide the industry to that perfect production where there are no gender barriers, where opportunities are accessible to anyone who wants to pursue them".

The BCIFP is an alliance of film industry stakeholders formed to ensure that the British Columbia film industry workforce is highly skilled and world class. BCIFP is supported by all sectors of the industry, including labour organizations, producers, suppliers, post production facilities and public and private educational institutions. The Institute's mandate is to ensure that the BC film and television industry workforce has access to high quality education and training programs and the association acts as a point of contact for the public, government, educational institutions and the industry.

For further information please contact: Susanne Redlig at BCIFP
Telephone: (604) 291-6525
Email: info@bcifp.com

Previous releases:
The BC Institute of Film Professionals Announces Studying Addressing Women's Labour Issues in the Film & Television Industry in British Columbia

1. WLC - Request for Proposals
2. WLC - Notice to Contrators
3. WLC - Glossary