Freelancers Without Financial Support Amid Virus Crisis Front Stirring Campaign
Video screenshot via The Talent Manager
Many freelance workers in the entertainment industry are left without jobs due to the coronavirus crisis, falling through the gaps of the UK government’s financial support schemes.
An online campaign titled Forgotten Freelancers hopes to bring light to the matter with a moving 90-second clip of the lesser-acknowledged workforce affected by drastic changes caused by the pandemic.
The clip spotlights around two million self-employed workers who are financially helpless during the COVID-19 unrest, as they are not eligible for monetary aid schemes. The video closes with the message reading, “This will be the end of the story for us.”
Affected freelancers include the recently self-employed, workers tied to ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) fixed-term contracts or belong in companies with stringent liabilities, as well as those without a full year of accounts.
The video was produced by Jane Merkin, an executive producer who worked in BBC2 and Channel 4, along with composer Simon Russell, graphic design company Compost Creative and Juliet Simmons from creative consultancy Piece of Cake. The Talent Manager and Bectu also offered support to the campaign.
[via Variety, cover image via The Talent Manager]
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