Media Trust & ScreenSkills Reframing Disability Mentoring Launch Event

Acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne’s impassioned MacTaggart Lecture at last month’s Edinburgh TV Festival made the case for how “TV has failed disabled people, utterly and totally” and called for, among other things, quotas to be introduced and enforced for both on-screen and off-screen roles, all the way from drama schools through to production. 

At Media Trust, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we’re partnering with the BBC’s 50:50 Project to launch the Media Trust and ScreenSkills Reframing Disability Mentoring Programme which, in an industry first, will feature all disabled mentees and all disabled mentors. 

To discuss the importance of disabled representation and mentorship, join our panel discussion, moderated by Sean Dilley – BBC journalist, Reframing Disability project lead and mentor, which will feature illustrious disabled talent working in the screen industries: 

Panellists 

• David Proud – Writer, Producer and Actor who became the first lead regular disabled cast member of BBC Eastenders 
• Sophie Butler – Disabled Influencer and Empowerment spokesperson, Cosmopolitan’s Influencer of the Year
• Cerrie Burnell – Actor, Author and the BBC’s first Disability Ambassador. 
• Goz Ugochukwu – Photographer, Filmmaker, Performer and Journalist at BBC Children’s + BBC Bitesize 

Media Trust and ScreenSkills’ Reframing Disability Mentoring Programme will match early-stage and experienced level mentees who consider themselves to have a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, and who are looking to progress their career in behind-the-camera and below the line roles in film and TV, with disabled BBC mentors. If you are deaf or disabled, and currently working in the screen industries, you can apply to be a mentee here.

Please note: this event will be BSL-interpreted, and captioned. Should you have any particular access requirements beyond this please email [email protected]