The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority has launched an online reporting system allowing workers to anonymously flag harassment, discrimination, victimisation and other harmful practices.

The service was soft-launched in June after it was recognised in Parliament, and since 1 October has received around 30 reports from individuals and organisations across all sectors CIISA represents.
CIISA said it expects the volume of reports to increase following the official launch today.

The service, which is delivered in partnership with Protect, The Survivors’ Trust, Help Musicians, Film and TV Charity and Wellbeing in the Arts, is designed to build up a clearer picture of the behaviours and practices affecting people in the creative sector, as well as offering targeted support.

It will not, initially, seek to take legal or regulatory action on individual cases, but those who report concerns may be entitled to additional legal protections under UK whistleblowing law, even if they have previously signed Non-Disclosure Agreements.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “There is absolutely no place for abuse, harassment or discrimination in the workplace, and it is crucial that people have a confidential place to report any concerns so that action can be taken.”

She added that the reporting portal is “is an important step in tackling this issue, and this government will continue to back them every step of the way.”

Chair of CIISA, Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, thanked the government and the industry for their support, adding: “This marks an important milestone for CIISA and the creative industries.”

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Picture features Chair of CIISA, Baroness Helena Kennedy KC

The Foundation is delighted to announce that actor, writer, director and producer Mark Gatiss has joined the Foundation as a Patron alongside existing Patrons, actor Rory Kinnear and writer/director Kirk Jones. We are thrilled to welcome Mark to the team.

Mark is best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen and as the co-creator, with Steven Moffat, and executive producer of the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, in which also starred as Mycroft Holmes. He both wrote for and appeared in the modern revival of Doctor Who and was the writer and executive producer of An Adventure in Space and Time, created for the programme’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

He also co-created the BBC and Netflix drama Dracula and has written and directed several acclaimed BBC ghost stories, including The Room in the Tower, Woman of Stone, Lot No.249  and The Mezzotint. As an actor, his screen credits include Fantastic Four: First Steps, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning, Operation Mincemeat, The Father, The Favourite, Christopher Robin, Gunpowder, Wolf Hall, Coalition and Game of Thrones.

His extensive stage work includes The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (RSC), Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse), The Boys in the Band (Park and Vaudeville Theatres), Three Days in the Country (National Theatre), for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the title role in The Madness of George III (Nottingham Playhouse), and Jacob Marley in his own adaptation of A Christmas Carol (Nottingham Playhouse and Alexandra Palace). In 2024 he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor playing Sir John Gielgud in ’The Motive and the Cue’ (National Theatre and Noel Coward Theatre).

Mark Gatiss’ involvement with the Foundation is particularly poignant, as he knew Mark very well, having worked with him on a number of productions.

Mark Gatiss said:
“It is a huge honour to become a patron of the Mark Milsome Foundation. I was privileged to know and admire Mark. We worked together on ’Sherlock’ and I have many happy memories of his creativity, endless enthusiasm and beaming smile.  He was the  embodiment of a ‘can do’ approach. I did some of my very first directing on the second unit of ‘Sherlock’  and couldn’t have asked for a kinder or more collaborative teacher. The work that continues in Mark’s name, fighting for higher standards in an often careless and ever-changing industry has never felt more urgent.”

Abbi Collins (MMF Chair) said:
“We are proud to welcome Mark to the Foundation and look forward to working with him as we continue to grow and further our mission to improve health and safety across the film and television industry.”

We are delighted that our Chair, Abbi Collins, was invited to speak at a recent event hosted by the Production Safety Guild.

During her talk, Abbi reflected on some of the Foundation’s key achievements and future plans and aspirations. Abbi introduced the Foundation’s newest trustees and also shared details of the preparations that already underway for the Foundation’s 10-year anniversary in 2027, which will mark a decade of campaigning for safer working practices across the industry.

The speech also highlighted the success of the Foundation’s ScreenSkills Production Safety Acredited course and its ever increasing uptake. Abbi spoke about her plans to refresh the course content to make sure it remains relevant and up-to-date.

A key theme of the presentation was the importance of tackling fatigue and excessive working hours. Abbi spoke about the Foundation’s support for Bectu’s Broken Turnaround campaign to protect the 11 hour turnaround between shifts, emphasising the important role adequate rest plays in keeping cast and crew safe.

Reflecting on the circumstances surrounding Mark Milsome’s death in 2017, Abbi spoke about all the warning signs and safety concerns that went unaddressed and ultimately led to his death, reinforcing the Foundation’s belief that accidents are mostly caused by a lack of H&S awareness and an inattention to well known safety protocols.

Abbi also highlighted the importance of watching the recently released documentary Safe Sets, which explores health and safety within the screen industries and reveals the shocking H&S breaches on productions which led to devastating consequences.

Following a successful four-year term as Chair of The Mark Milsome Foundation (MMF), Samantha Wainstain is stepping down and as of 16^th February 2026, the post will be taken up by Abbi Collins, a respected and seasoned Stunt Co-ordinator, Fight Arranger and Horse Master. With more than 39 years of industry experience, Abbi was instrumental in forming The British Stunt Register.  She is a passionate advocate for safety on all levels, and in maintaining the highest possible standards of best practice and work ethics in the film and television industry.  Abbi steps up to this new role after being an MMF Trustee since 2024.   She is particularly interested in addressing the cultural issue of excessively long working hours in film and TV.

During her tenure as Chair, Samantha Wainstein has been committed, determined and relentless in her pursuit of better, safer working conditions for British film and TV crews.    Highlights include advocating for the Government’s Freelance Champion role, working with government and industry to shape the terms of reference, and job description, as well as raising awareness amongst countless crew, by rolling out the MMF Health and Safety Passport to major studios and broadcasters, with almost 15,000 taking the course during her term.

MMF Founder and Mark Milsome’s widow Andra commented:

“I’m thrilled that Abbi has accepted to become the Foundation’s new Chair. I’m excited to not only continue building on all Kirk and Samantha’s important contributions thus far, but to bring a new energy and vision, moving the Foundation into more areas, expanding awareness in the Health & Safety arena, solidifying our relationships with the wider industry, as well as moving into neoteric territories. In addition to Abbi joining us, we will soon be announcing new Trustees and Advisory Council members”.

Commenting on her vision for MMF’s future, Abbi Collins said:
“I feel honoured and excited to accept the position of Chair of this innovative and progressive foundation. Thank you for the trust and confidence you have placed in me. It means a great deal and I am deeply committed to supporting our mission and confident that together we can build on MMF’s immense achievements so far. I believe in the importance of collaboration, respect and openness and with this in mind, we will campaign to make our industry a safer environment for all.”

The Foundation was delighted to attend Screen Manchester’s winter social last week, held on 4th December. The evening provided a fantastic opportunity to meet members of Screen Manchester and Space Studios, as well as to connect with a wide range film and TV  crew from the surrounding area.

MMF Founder, Andra Milsome delivers a poignant speech, that was very well received by all those in attendance, in a bid to raise awareness about health and safety within the Film and TV industry.

Events like this play a crucial role in enabling the Foundation to share its core message and continue its mission to improve safety standards across the industry.

Pictured above from left to right – Joseph Morris, Iain McCallum, Una Hill, Andra Milsome, Elli Metcalfe and Charles Abbott

ANNOUNCING: KIT START 2026! An initiative between Our House Pictures and the Mark Milsome Foundation, supported by Creative Scotland

KIT START the successful film and TV industry access and skills initiative founded by Dan Evans, ACO and Our House Pictures has joined forces with Mark Milsome Foundation (MMF) to create a new, expanded KIT START programme for 2026.  The collaboration will see MMF provide financial and administrative support, involvement in the selection process, provision of its Health and Safety Passport to short-listed candidates, as well as access to its extensive network of supporters within the industry.  Screen Scotland will provide additional funding.  Joining last year’s collaborator Panavision London on this important industry pathway are No Drama and Progressive Broadcast Hire who will provide new opportunities in Scotland for 2026

KIT START is a work experience programme aimed at adults with a burning desire to work in the camera department who may have faced barriers accessing the film and TV industry, because they come from a low-income background, have not had access to higher education or come from an underrepresented community.

Applications open in early November 2025 with placements taking place in February and March 2026.  Six successful participants will receive 3 days of hands-on, paid experience inside professional camera rental houses working alongside their technicians and freelance crew.   Each placement will provide practical skills, professional contacts and mentorship and career guidance from industry professionals.

Our House and Mark Milsome Foundation working together on Kit Start is particularly significant as Dan Evans first met Mark Milsome on Downton Abbey when he was Mark’s camera assistant.  They continued to work together on various projects until Mark’s tragic death in 2017.   Commenting, Dan said “Mark gave me my first opportunity behind camera and I’ve continued to operate with the mantra, ‘Be More Mark’. Taking Mark’s enthusiasm for filmmaking and his belief in nurturing new talent on and off set, I founded Kit Start.   Talent and passion should be what determines success, not access or privilege.   Kit Start continues to open doors for new voices and perspectives in the camera department”.

Applications are open to individuals who are 18 or over, are a UK citizen or have the right to work in the UK,  come from a background under-represented in the screen industries, live in Scotland for Glasgow placements or London and the surrounding areas for the Panavision placements, and are available for 3 consecutive days from 8am to 6pm during February or March 2026.

We are delighted that our Chair, Samantha Wainstein recently participated in Workwise for Screen’s podcast to discuss why on-set safety and speaking up is our collective responsibility.

In this episode Samantha shares what a safe set looks like and highlights simple steps every employer can take. She talks about the behaviours management can model to protect their crew, the moral and legal obligations employers hold, and the importance of training and speaking up. She also emphasises that safety is the shared responsibility of the crew. The conversation also touches on the issue of tiredness and broken turnaround, the role of our Production Safety Passport course, and the importance of understanding the pact/bectu agreements.

Samantha hopes that long term change will mean “That employers are aware of their responsibility to protect and empower all of the people that work for them.”

Please listen to this important and informative podcast if you haven’t done so already by clicking the link below.

We continue to be deeply encouraged by the unrelenting support for the Foundation.

Recently, we were honoured to receive a bespoke order from Ian Macdonald, assistant location manager, who requested a customised version of our Foundation Caps for his locations team on After the Flood 2. Ian knew Mark well and chose to support his legacy by purchasing these caps.

We were also touched by the support of Erica Ford, an actress currently working on the new series of Robin Hood. She, alongside her father – who knew Mark very well and worked with him on Memphis Belle – purchased Foundation Tees.

It’s these simple acts of generosity, support, and solidarity that help fund our mission: to create safer sets for all those working within the film and TV industry, and to help young people get started in the industry.

We are incredibly grateful for every contribution – large or small – that helps carry Mark’s legacy forward.

Featured in above photo from left to right – Augus Castle-Doughty, Steven Waddington, Sean Bean, Matija Gredic, Erica Ford, Lydia Peckham, James Farley, Ryan Gage and Klem Novak

Celebrated film stills photographer David Appleby has sadly died, aged 77, at home in Somerset, his wife Juliana Malucelli  announced earlier this week.

David’s long career saw him work on iconic films including Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita and The Life of David Gale. Known for his discreet, unobtrusive presence on set, he became one of the industry’s most respected stills photographers.

He worked alongside camera operator Mark Milsome on several productions, including Brassed Off and Memphis Belle, as part of the close-knit UK film community.

David is remembered not only for his extraordinary images but also for his honesty, down to earth nature, generosity, and humour. He is survived by his wife, family, and a remarkable legacy of work.

LONDON, 17 June 2025 –  During a House of Lords debate on proposed amendments to the Employment Bill, Baroness Caine of Kentish Town, CBE, called for greater protections for freelancers working in the film and TV industry. The debate was linked to a motion by the Earl of Clancarty to establish an Independent Freelance Commissioner.

Freelancers now make up over 70% of the UK’s production workforce, yet current legislation does not guarantee them the same safety rights, training, or protections as full-time employees. Many fear speaking up about unsafe conditions could damage their job prospects, while short-term nature of productions often blurs lines of responsibility.

Baroness Caine raised concerns about health and safety practices for freelance crew and highlighted the Mark Milsome Foundation’s ongoing campaign to improve safety within the film and TV industry – a sector that we know is largely powered by freelance crew.

Stating “Amendment 287 provides an opportunity to address a long-standing gap in protection for freelance workers. Current laws surrounding health and safety at work are often open to interpretation by those on productions who hire them, and, in some productions, a culture of minimum compliance becomes compounded by an industry that tends to self-regulate. I hope that the Government can find ways to protect freelancers better – if not in the Bill, then by secondary legislation or, following my specific example, by amending health and safety legislation.”

The Foundation was delighted by the response from Lord Katz, MBE, who said:
“It is essential that employers in the creative industries do not use — or rather, abuse — the multifarious employment statuses of those working in the sector to evade their responsibilities, particularly when it comes to health and safety. I am happy to take this back to colleagues in DBT and DCMS.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Baroness Caine for raising the issue of health and safety for those working in the film and TV industry,” said Samantha Wainstein, Chair of the Foundation. “It is deeply troubling that, so many years after Mark was killed, there has still been no legislative change to prevent serious injury or loss of life in an industry fraught with risk. Freelance crew are routinely expected to work dangerously long hours, and too often there is no accountability when things go wrong. We are hopeful that Lord Katz’s efforts to take these concerns to DBT and DCMS will lead to meaningful action.”

The Foundation is encouraged that its voice is being heard at the highest levels of government and will continue to advocate for improved health and safety standards, greater accountability, and lasting change across the film and television industry.

Baroness Caine’s full speech:
My Lords, I support Amendment 287 tabled by the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, which provides an opportunity to address a long-standing gap in protection for freelance workers. To illuminate that, I will focus on one area of specific concern: health and safety.

At least 70% of the production workforce in film and TV operates on non-permanent contracts. Technically classified as “self-employed”, they do not meet the standard definition of autonomous self-employment. Current laws surrounding health and safety at work are often open to interpretation by those on productions who hire them, and, in some productions, a culture of minimum compliance becomes compounded by an industry that tends to self-regulate. Freelancers often do not raise safety concerns or request reasonable adjustments to the work they are doing, as they fear gaining a reputation for being difficult in highly networked industries where word of mouth is a powerful currency.

To illuminate that further, let me turn to a tragedy raised in this place last February by my noble friend Lady Smith of Basildon—the now Leader of the House—while in opposition, during a very well received debate led by my noble friend Lord Bragg on the contribution of the arts to the UK economy and society. She referenced the work of the Mark Milsome Foundation, a campaign established following the tragic workplace death of this highly respected and experienced camera operator on a film set in 2017. At the inquest on Mark’s death, the coroner concluded that, on that set,

“the risk of Mr Milsome being harmed or fatally injured was not effectively recognised, assessed, communicated or managed”.

Despite these findings, no one has ever been held accountable, suggesting a gap or flaw in the law that needs to be filled or rectified, affording freelance employees the same safety rights, benefits and policies as others in employment.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that it is necessary to ensure that there is adequate training of staff so that health and safety procedures are understood and adhered to. It could therefore be argued that legislation is in place. However, the Act does not define “staff”, leaving some companies to believe that they have little legal duty here towards freelance crews. Because of the ways that productions need to work, crews are often asked to waive their rights under the Working Time Regulations 1998, which can lead to dangerously long hours on some productions.
The legislation before us will have a wide and positive impact on both the rights of employees and workplace relations. However, I also hope that the Government can find ways to protect freelancers better, including the many in the creative industries. Despite the brief time I have spent in your Lordships’ House, I understand that there is always caution about turning flagship legislation into what I believe is termed a Christmas tree Bill. In replying, can my noble friend the Minister say a little about the potential for the concerns that have been raised in this debate to be addressed, if not in the Bill then by secondary legislation or, following my specific example, by amending health and safety legislation?
I thank the noble Earl for proposing his amendment. I look forward to playing a continuing role in supporting freelance workers, specifically those in the creative industries, to secure their safety and indeed dignity at work.

The Foundation is encouraged that its voice is being heard at the highest levels of government and will continue to advocate for improved health and safety standards, greater accountability, and lasting change across the film and television industry.

The Mark Milsome Memorial Cup 2025 took place on Sunday 1st June – and what a day it was! Six brilliant teams battled it out on the pitch with Atwetico FC taking home the trophy with Wild Hunt Wanderers coming in as runners up. Well done!

A huge thank you to Andy Woodcock and Harry Bowers (and all those that helped them) for organising such a fantastic event. And thank you to all the teams who played, the sponsors and supporters who made it all happen. Without your help this day would not have been possible.

This event is a true highlight of our year. All proceeds from the match go directly to the Foundation, helping us in our mission to create a safer film and TV industry.

Special thanks to those listed below:

Venue Sponsor – Panavision / Panalux
Player of the Match – Bickers Action
Match Officials – Sway Locations
Kit Suppliers – KS Teamwear
Match Day Programmes – the ACO
Location Medical Services for medical cover for the day.
Audiolink for the Raffle tickets.
Ben Bailey Smith and Carl Jones – Match Day Pundits

Team Sponsors
Eternia Battlecats – Rexy Wheels
Atwetico FC – CineArk
Tinman – Sunbelt Rentals
Bridgerton FC – Electrical Hire Services
Lady Grace Mysteries FC – Location Logistics
Wild Hunt Wanderers – Steve Dent Stunts

Kit Sponsors
Proper Brew
Sway Locations
Panavision
Camera Revolution
Froggy Grips
Bloodline Effects
Panopticon
No Drama
MBS
Supply2Location
Can I Get A Watt Watt
IceFilm