EQUITY ANNUAL REPORT 2007 The seventy-seventh annual report Adopted by the Council at its meeting held on April 27, 2008 for submission the Annual Representative Conference 18&19 May, 2008 Equity Incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation Guild House Upper St Martin’s Lane London WC2H 9EG Tel: 0207 379 6000 Fax: 0207 379 7001 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.equity.org.uk ANNUAL REPORT 2007 1. GENERAL....................................................................... 1 A. Annual Representative Conference............................................................ 1 B. Ballots ........................................................................................................... 1 C. Diversity Conference ................................................................................... 1 D. Lobbying Activities...................................................................................... 1 E. Marketing and membership services ......................................................... 3 F. Clarence Derwent Awards 2005 .................................................................. 5 G. Rules Working Party.................................................................................... 5 2. THEATRE, VARIETY & CIRCUS ................................... 6 A. General.......................................................................................................... 7 B. London Theatre............................................................................................ 7 C. Commercial and Subsidised Theatre ......................................................... 9 D. Royal National Theatre .............................................................................. 12 E. Royal Shakespeare Company ................................................................... 13 F. Small Scale Theatre ................................................................................... 14 G. Opera .......................................................................................................... 15 H. Ballet and Dance ........................................................................................ 20 I. Theatre Specialist Committees .................................................................. 24 J. Variety and Circus ...................................................................................... 26 3. FILM, TELEVISION AND RADIO ................................. 33 A. Cinema Films.............................................................................................. 33 B. Television Agreements – Pan Industry Discussions .............................. 33 C. Television is Changing: The future of TV ................................................ 34 D. Television ................................................................................................... 34 E. Television Commercial .............................................................................. 38 F. Film and Television – Contract Enforcement........................................... 39 G. Royalties & residuals manager................................................................. 41 H. Audio, Radio and Recording..................................................................... 42 I. Voice Work ................................................................................................... 44 J. Gramophone Recordings (BPI Agreements)............................................ 44 4: FOREIGN ARTISTS ..................................................... 46 5. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES ................................. 47 A. British/American Equity Exchanges......................................................... 47 B. Mutual Recognition of Membership - Reciprocal Agreements with Overseas Unions ...........................48 C. Australian/Canadian/South African Exchanges .............................48 6. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ACTORS .......... 49 A. EURO FIA meetings ................................................................................... 49 B. FIA English Speaking Group..................................................................... 49 i ANNUAL REPORT 2007 7. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUTSIDE BODIES ............... 50 A. Amnesty .................................................................................................... 50 B. Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) ............................... 50 C. British Copyright Council.......................................................................... 50 D. British Equity Collecting Society (BECS) ................................................ 50 E. CDET 2007 .................................................................................................. 50 F. Dance UK .................................................................................................... 51 G. Evelyn Norris Trust.................................................................................... 51 H. Equity Trust Fund ...................................................................................... 51 I. Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU) ............................................... 52 J. The International Performers Aid Trust (IPAT)......................................... 52 M. Liberty......................................................................................................... 53 N. NCDT ........................................................................................................... 53 O. Performers Alliance................................................................................... 54 P. PPL Performer Board (formerly the Performer’s Forum) ....................... 55 Q. Save London’s Theatres Campaign ......................................................... 55 R. Sector Skills Councils ............................................................................... 56 i. Skillset 56 ii. Cultural and Creative Skills 57 S. The Theatres’ Trust.................................................................................... 58 T. Trades Union Congress ............................................................................. 58 8. THE COUNCIL.............................................................. 62 9. APPEALS COMMITTEE............................................... 63 A. The Committee ........................................................................................... 63 B. Hearings .................................................................................................... 63 10. NATIONAL, AREA AND OTHER COMMITTEES ...... 65 A. National Committees (i) Northern Ireland ........................................................................................ 65 a. Theatre 65 b. TV, films and radio 66 c. Variety 66 (ii) Scotland ................................................................................................... 66 a. Theatre 67 b. Variety 67 c. TV, Radio & Films 67 d. NationalCommittee 68 e. Staff in Office 68 (iii) Wales ........................................................................................................ 68 a. National Committee 68 b. Performing Arts 69 c. Television and film 69 d. Variety 70 e. Outside bodies 70 ii ANNUAL REPORT 2007 B. Area Committees i. London ........................................................................................................ 70 ii. Midlands ...................................................................................................... 71 a.Midlands Area Committee 71 b.Theatre 72 c. Film, television and radio 72 d.Variety 72 (iii) Northern ................................................................................................... 73 (iv) North-East................................................................................................. 73 a. Theatre. 73 b. Film, TV & radio 74 c. Variety 74 d. General Branch 74 e. Students 74 (iii) North West ................................................................................................ 75 a. Theatre 75 b. Film TV and Radio 76 c. Variety 76 d. General Branches 77 e. Claims 77 f. Student Visits 77 g. Ambassador’s workshop 77 h. Northern Actors Centre Manchester 77 (iv) South East ................................................................................................ 77 a .The committee 77 b. The Annual Meeting 78 c. Equity Business 78 d.Theatre & Live Matters 79 e. FTVR Matters 79 (v) South West ................................................................................................ 79 Branches: a. Bristol and West General Branch 81 b. West Of England Variety Branch: 81 c. Devon and Cornwall General Branch 82 C. Specialist committees ............................................................................... 82 i. Minority Ethnic Members’ Committee........................................................ 82 ii. Audio Committee........................................................................................ 82 iii. Concert & Session Singers Committee ................................................... 83 iv. Members with Disabilities Committee ..................................................... 84 v. General Branches....................................................................................... 85 vi. International Committee for Artiste’s Freedom – ICAF .......................... 85 vii. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Committee ........................... 85 ix. Stunt Committee.......................................................................................