Action for Freelancers names project lead

Action for Freelancers, the group which aims to take a coordinated cross-industry approach to better safeguard the freelance community has appointed its project lead.  

Freelance executive producer Sarah Swingler, who most recently has worked on series such as Michael Portillo’s Long Weekends and Clean It Fix It will take up the full-time, paid position in January.  

She will be tasked with leading work across the broadcasters, streamers and key stakeholders such as Bectu, Pact, ScreenSkills and the Film and TV Charity to drive action.  

She will focus on driving change in five key workstreams: working conditions, recruitment, skills and training, mental health and wellbeing and communication. 

Swingler will split her time between Bristol and London. Core groups of people will be convened to lead on each of the workstreams, with a delivery plan through 2025.  

Swingler has previously held positions as head of Curve Media Wales and head of Dragonfly Film and TV West. She has freelanced across a range of documentary, specialist factual, factual entertainment and daytime programming as well as holding senior in-house roles. 

She said: “After many years working both as a freelancer and a senior team member within a number of indies, I’ve seen the benefits of fostering a culture that promotes the wellbeing of our freelance workforce.  

“But I’ve also experienced first-hand the lack of protections faced and the myriad ways that impacts the freelance worker. 

“I’m energised to be joining Action for Freelancers at such an important time to lead this vital industry-wide collaboration to safeguard the current and future wellbeing of our self-employed community.” 

This week also saw Prime Video become the first streamer to sign up to the Action for Freelancers project, joining broadcasters including the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Channel 5, Sky and UKTV in funding the work.  

Broadcast first revealed in August that the group was being formed with plans to bring together some of the industry’s biggest organisations to reignite efforts to improve the working lives of freelancers. 

Swingler was chosen by a panel which included the Film and TV Charity chief Marcus Ryder and broadcaster representatives. The Film and TV Charity will umbrella the AfF project lead and provide support and help with convening the working groups.  

Ryder said her appointment is a significant step towards changing the game for freelancers.  

“Her experience as a freelancer and her deep-seated knowledge of how the industry does and far too often doesn’t work is second to none, so she is ideally placed to deliver the laser-focused care and attention the role deserves. 

“We’re sure that AfF will be a powerful, positive collaboration and we’re so excited by the opportunity to help deliver the meaningful support our brilliant creative freelancers desperately need.” 

UKTV chief creative officer Richard Watsham, who has helped shape the AfF project, said: “This is urgent, vital work that belongs to us all and everyone must play their part if we’re to achieve any success. Sarah’s role will be to make sure all the right voices are heard and ensure concrete and swift action across the industry.  

She has a strong track record of advocacy and unifying stakeholders in collaboration and co-operation, and I’m confident she will kickstart Action for Freelancers to bring about meaningful change.” 

Swingler’s appointment was welcomed by Pact’s John McVay and Bectu’s Philippa Childs, with the latter adding “Freelancers are critical to the success of the UK’s world-class film and TV production sector and yet Bectu research in the summer laid bare that more than half of them are still out of work”.  

Outside of TV, Swingler been a development coach for Mencap, championing people with learning disabilities in the workplace and this year stood as a councillor for the 2024 local elections for Bristol Central ward. 

Her task at AfF builds on the extensive work already undertaken by pan-industry group Coalition for Change which was founded by and led by Adeel Amini and its Freelance Charter. Coalition for Change closed in August this year to avoid overlap with the new group.