SCRIPT SUPERVISORS TODAY:  Charting the commencement of the UK Script Supervisors Group.  

We hope to make occasional changes to this page with any interesting information regarding today's working Script Supervisors.



 1.  Commencement of UK Script Supervisors group


BACKGROUND TO TODAY'S UK SCRIPT SUPERVISORS GROUP

The change to the structure of unions in Britain, which resulted in the amalgamation of the ACTT (Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians) into BECTU, seemed to remove a common meeting ground that Script Supervisors (amongst, no doubt, other technicians) were able to take advantage of.  It is sad to say that BECTU does not seem to instil quite the same interest that Union matters used to generate in the days of the ACTT, when representation appeared to be more 'hands on' and visible.

This lack of 'official' support, for those of us in a job which is essentially carried out by a department of one, prompted a few Script Supervisors in Britain to get together and discuss the formation of some type of group, through which all UK Script Supervisors could communicate, and thereby hopefully raise the sadly dwindling profile of this job, which is so crucial in the making of a film.

The initial group, which first met in 2005, contacted all the Script Supervisors in the UK to ascertain whether they would be prepared to back the formation of a committee which would try to 'field' queries and problems and attempt to re-educate the new crop of producers and production managers who had possibly come from a background where the job of continuity was not considered as important as we know it to be.

There was wholehearted support from a large majority of UK Script Supervisors and an AGM was held in 2007, when all ground covered to date was reported.

   
Script Supervisors Group AGM 2007 - held at Pinewood Film Studios

After such overwhelming support, the committee tried to make inroads into re-establishing the high profile in which script supervision used to be held, met with various technicians to discuss this subject plus the collaboration between our department and others, and took up the challenge of creating National Occupational Standards for Script Supervisors - which is ongoing.

The committee is not active at the present time, but following the creation of the first group, which communicated via email, a Yahoo support group was formed and this forum (membership by invitation) is active and proves extremely helpful to many Script Supervisors who wish to discuss any work related matters.

Meanwhile, Script Supervisors in the UK have often gathered together for a celebratory Christmas lunch - and below are photos of a few of those occasions.



 

Christmas 2003






Christmas 2004






Christmas 2005

 


  

Christmas 2007

 

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