|
Neil Percival
Principal Lecturer in Film and Television Production Research interests: employment practices, precarious labour, unpaid work, sustainability of careers, diversity and workforce mobilisation in the film/TV industries |
About
I spent 15 years in the UK TV industry from 1992-2007, mainly as a freelance producer/director. I worked for a mixture of small indies and major broadcasters shooting, directing and producing factual one-offs and observational series.
I also ran an online community for over 9,000 TV freelancers, gathering information about freelance working experiences and raising awareness of illegal employment practice. The community changed industry practice in relation to unpaid work experience through the impact of the 2005 ‘TV Wrap’ campaign.
I joined Northumbria University as Senior Lecturer in 2007, becoming a Principal Lecturer in 2009. My research continued my interest in employment practices, precarious labour, sustainability of careers, diversity and workforce mobilisation in the film/TV industries. I’ve carried out a large research project surveying attitudes to unpaid work, and recently another project interviewing professionals about their reasons for leaving the TV industry. I've also recently co-written a journal article about the factors that trigger mobilisation to activism and resistance in the creative industries, with David Lee at Leeds University. My PhD, a longitudinal study tracking progress of 150 new entrants to the media sector over a two-year period, contributes to the same field.
At Northumbria I teach two professional practice modules on BA Hons Film and TV Production.
I spent 15 years in the UK TV industry from 1992-2007, mainly as a freelance producer/director. I worked for a mixture of small indies and major broadcasters shooting, directing and producing factual one-offs and observational series.
I also ran an online community for over 9,000 TV freelancers, gathering information about freelance working experiences and raising awareness of illegal employment practice. The community changed industry practice in relation to unpaid work experience through the impact of the 2005 ‘TV Wrap’ campaign.
I joined Northumbria University as Senior Lecturer in 2007, becoming a Principal Lecturer in 2009. My research continued my interest in employment practices, precarious labour, sustainability of careers, diversity and workforce mobilisation in the film/TV industries. I’ve carried out a large research project surveying attitudes to unpaid work, and recently another project interviewing professionals about their reasons for leaving the TV industry. I've also recently co-written a journal article about the factors that trigger mobilisation to activism and resistance in the creative industries, with David Lee at Leeds University. My PhD, a longitudinal study tracking progress of 150 new entrants to the media sector over a two-year period, contributes to the same field.
At Northumbria I teach two professional practice modules on BA Hons Film and TV Production.
|
Qualifications
|
Institutional Roles
I'm currently the Faculty's Director of Placements & Employability (Arts, Design & Social Sciences). I've also held roles relating to L&T, student wellbeing, and enterprise. |
|
Employment
2007-present: Principal Lecturer - Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne. Currently Director of Placements and Employability, Faculty of Arts, Design & Social Sciences. Other leadership roles have included Enterprise, Student Experience, and L&T Lead. 1995-2007: Freelance producer/director on TV productions for companies including Touch Productions, Lion TV, Endemol UK, Leopard Films, Granada, BBC Factual. Specialised in observational documentary and factual entertainment. Established and ran national ‘TV Freelancers’ online community as well as North East regional media network ‘NE Telly Net’. 1992-1995: filmNOVA, Newcastle upon Tyne. Full-time production trainee, later writer/director; broadcast sport TV and commercials. |
Modules Taught
|
|
Recent Publications
Published: Percival, N., & Hesmondhalgh, D. (2014). Unpaid work in the UK television and film industries: Resistance and changing attitudes. European Journal of Communication, 29(2), 188-203. doi: 10.1177/0267323113516726 In press: Percival, N. (2019): ‘Gendered reasons for leaving a career in the UK TV Industry’. Journal article accepted for forthcoming publication in ‘Media, Culture and Society’. Percival, N. and Lee, D.: ‘Get up, stand up? Theorising mobilisation in creative work’. Journal article under submission (Journal: ‘Television and New Media’) |
Conferences & Talks
|
