Recent revealing interview I gave about the behind the scenes story of the the making of These are the Hands

Life goes on.

Mum died on 4th July 2013 (Independence Day in America). Dad had died in 1993. This is what Mum wrote to me in January 2012 just before she had an operation for her hip when she was waiting in hospital -

'Tim. Monday a.m.

Angela (Dr. Neilson's nurse) just called as I've had doubts about the op. Anaesthetist also came.  Hopefully all will go well.

Have had good life. Happy marriage. Especially with you & Gill. Life goes on.

Make the most of it. xxx

All paperwork in green case small bedroom. Trust you can sort.'

Originally published as a thought piece by EVCOM as part of their Executive Directors Digest.

'Ken Loach’s passionate and excoriating film Sorry We Missed You exposed the exploitation and human cost to a debt-laden family where Mum Abby and husband Ricky toil, like latter day serfs, in a service-economy based on zero-hours contracts.

The premise for Loach’s story is ‘the gig economy’ - which metro.co.uk recently defined as 'an economy where organisations and businesses rely more on freelancers and independent workers, contracted on a short-term basis’ - and although those of us who work freelance may not be delivering parcels (though I did once have a temporary Christmas job with the Royal Mail tramping Dudley’s impoverished Wrens Nest estate where I suspect the gig economy is now a way of life) a significant part of our industry relies on freelancers to fill temporary jobs or provide short-term services to companies; the BFI’s employment survey of 2017 found 49% of those working in film and video production were freelance.

So if we accept the proposition that the very foundations of our industry are dependent on this large temporary workforce just how mindful are we of how we treat freelancers?

Casey Bird - the founder of The Freelance Circle - argues that businesses that treat freelancers well will benefit from an engaged team of flexible workers and the standard of work will improve if employers embed certain good practices. Her advice is -

• Embrace them as short-term members rather than treat freelancers as a resource.
• All too often, freelancers get briefed as if they already know what’s going on. They don’t.
• Get the IT and the basics right.
• And crucially ‘get the money and the policies right’. In other words you can avoid a lot of aggravation if the payment terms are transparent from the get go.

From personal experience a lot of what underpins this is about good communication but there are also some wider long-term issues:

Training: can we address the skills gap? In the Annual ScreenSkills Assessment 2018-19 only a third of surveyed employers were able to provide training for freelancers, compared to 84% for in-house employees.

Mental health: A University of Westminster report found ‘that the mental health of musicians and producers was negatively affected by factors including anxiety about where the next piece of work might come from’.

Last minute scheduling: This is a fundamental part of the ‘gig economy’ and indeed the ‘just-in-time’ principle of the production process that we all have to manage. The question is do staff keep freelancers in the loop when things chop and change or are they left in the dark?

Policy making: a Creative Industries Federation report of 2017 found that ‘despite their importance to the sector, the self-employed in the creative industries feel invisible to policy-makers’. Freelancers said that they had never been consulted about how policies affected them and many of the businesses the CIF spoke to had never taken stock of how many self-employed they worked with.

I appreciate those running businesses and working within, who hire freelancers, have their side of the story not to mention the stresses they may be working under. The point is - one way or the other - we are all dependent on each other. We may not be delivering parcels but we are all trying to deliver good service.'

Brene Brown made a decision  'to live in the arena' because previously she had 'engineered smallness'. And because we live with a great fear of shame.  As she says 'You have to be vulnerable to be brave'. Show up and be brave. Dare greatly. But there's a caveat: Be warned  - you will know failure. And heartbreak.

Which brings me to These are the Hands that you can read about here -  https://www.evcom.org.uk/news/evcom-and-bfi-collaborate-on-new-film-to-support-the-nhs

These are the Hands, on reflection, was a project which was about stepping into that arena with that attendant fear of failure and the heartbreak that would surely follow. It began with a 'back of an envelope' idea, a 2+2 = 4 moment after I heard one verse of a poem called 'These are the Hands' by poet Michael Rosen read out on Radio 4 in the early part of April. That lightbulb moment just fired me up. With a passion. With a desire I haven't felt for a very long time. It propelled me to 'step into the arena' by pitching the idea to colleagues on the board of EVCOM. Three in particular - Claire Fennelow, Andrew Smith and Sara Cooper listened. Without them it was dead in the water.  I needed their validation. I feared they would disapprove. I feared the shame of their disapproval. I pitched it to Patrick Russell, the Head of Non-fiction film at the BFI. He listened. Without him it was dead in the water. These 4, early on, were the foundations of support I needed to carry this forward. 

There were so many challenges, so many hurdles, so many unexpected moments in the 4 week life of These are the Hands.  I needed a great voice-over artist. I wanted a top actor. Many turned it down or I just couldn't get reach them. I needed Michael Rosen's  (who was gravely ill)  permission and blessing and his agent took an eternity to get a decision and then said we would have to wait.  It's at times like these you fight impotence.  I needed an editor cut this film. My editor was not convinced with the idea. My music choice. The poem. It's at times like these doubts set in. 

There was so much I needed. People, resources and some luck. I needed free music, free images, free production facilities. I need the NHS to give the project it's official backing. I also needed to prove the idea would work. 

I needed a marketing plan. For a long time it was vague. We didn't have one. 

There are many lessons to be learned from the experience but for now the lessons are  -  trust your instincts and trust people.  Step into the arena.

Now I am going to blow some trumpets. Here's some of the feedback since the film was released:

Pete Stephenson, boss of The Edge Picture Company (who was a big supporter and believer) -

'Just wanted to say another huge congratulations on this film Tim. It feels like a real labour of love and I’m sure that it nearly killed you getting it over the line! But it was so worth it and so full of emotion. You should be very proud.' 

Martin Frizell - big wheel at ITV -

'That’s a lovely film, very powerful and timely.'

Jon Snow, Channel 4 news -

'I cried as I watched Michael Rosen's 'These are the Hands' a Fund-raising ad for NHS Charities Together: from @BFI and @evcomur How the NHS has cared for us for 70 yrs.  The most emotional 1 minute 50 second film I have ever seen! DON"T MISS IT - massive!'

Paul Widdowfield, Communications and Marketing Manager, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust -
'It's a great film and a brilliant watch.'

Fahira Mulamehic - RefugeeCouncil.org.uk - Head of the Building Bridges project working with the NHS -

'It is beautiful, can’t imagine anyone not being deeply moved after seeing it.
…..shared it widely, and crying lie a baby….'

That's my fave picture of Zak. Zak is my nephew. He grew up in San Francisco, he's played guitar since he was a little boy and he studied music at LIPPA in Liverpool where he chose to stay.

He's a very impressive young man. Full of life, positivity, zest and he plays a mean guitar. 

There's always been a certain innocence and naivety about him. I think it stems from his history of ASD as a child, Asperger’s Syndrome. But it turns out that what seemed like trauma and anti-social behaviour as a child has served him well.

How so? His obsessiveness drove him to practice and practice guitar which mean't that he became really accomplished - which mean't that he formed friendships around music and he learned how to express himself. It gave him a stage, quite literally, for his talent and his personality. 

Now he has a zillion friends and he's not afraid of anything. He's also full of humility. He helps others and he's a team player. 

From the left - Florrie Edwards (family name) - may dad's mum and my grandma, Auntie Fanny and Aunty Lou. The photo was taken in the 1950s. My memories of them are fragmentary now.  Florrie died in 1963 and I was 5 at the time. Aunty Fanny delivered the milk and kept cows for many years and then lived in a council flat. She brought up my cousins Father Fred after her sister Sarah committed suicide. Auntie Lou kept a monkey in a cage and dad always used to laugh when he told the story of treading gingerly past it in the dark as he headed for the outside toilet - or Lou's loo...

These are the Hands press release

EVCOM and the BFI are very excited to unveil a new short film created by EVCOM Board Member and film director, Tim Langford (BBC, Channel 4), to help raise urgent funds for the NHS Charities Together appeal. The film features historic footage of healthcare and the NHS from the BFI National Archive, as well as contemporary footage of NHS staff and volunteers currently on the front lines of Covid-19.

Text CLAP to 70507 to give £5 to donate or donate online here.

Speaking about the film Claire Fennelow, Executive Director at EVCOM said, “EVCOM are absolutely delighted to be involved in this wonderful project to support the NHS Charities Together appeal. The perfect synchronicity of Michael Rosen’s poem ‘These are the Hands’, the BFI’s archive footage of the NHS at work through the ages plus more recent film work directed and produced by EVCOM members, brought together by director Tim Langford has come together to form this short film. We hope that it drives donations to this fantastic cause and continues to raise awareness of the efforts of the many, many workers in the NHS.”

Actor Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey) reads ‘These Are the Hands’, the famous poem written by Michael Rosen (We’re Going On a Bear Hunt) to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the NHS.

Iain Glen commented, “I’m so happy to be able to support the NHS in any way I can during this exceptionally difficult time. As always, everyone working there is selflessly meeting the challenge. They unite us as a country, and I give them my heartfelt thanks. Please support the NHS if you feel you can.”

The purpose of the film is to promote the NHS Charities Together campaign, to encourage donations to support the brilliant work our NHS staff and volunteers are doing tirelessly to get us through this crisis. The BFI’s footage reminds us that the NHS aren’t just there for us today, they have been there for us since their inception in 1948.

Patrick Russell, BFI National Archive Senior Curator of non-fiction adds, “This archive short beautifully underscores the precious bonds between our past and our present by interweaving the NHS archive preserved by the BFI with superb contemporary work made by EVCOM and selfies taken from NHS staff on the frontline now, to tell a narrative of the generations of an NHS that has always been there for us. This powerful and important film is the latest example of a rich and detailed history of the NHS on film and we are delighted to bring it in to the BFI National Archive.”

The film has been released on a Thursday evening, at the same time as people around the UK will be standing in their gardens and leaning out of windows to clap for our NHS.

Ellie Orton, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, also said, “This is an incredibly powerful film that underlines just how vital the NHS is to our society. It also clearly shows just how important supporting the frontline staff and volunteers is at the moment and into the future. Our COVID-19 Appeal aims to do just that, and I’m sure this film will help to spread the message about why that’s so important.”

EVCOM and the BFI are proud to be supporting the NHS through this campaign. Text CLAP to 70507 to give £5 to donate or donate online here.

Film Credits:

Words: These Are The Hands by kind permission Michael Rosen and family

Director: Tim Langford

Voice Over: Iain Glen

Film clips take from BFI National Archive / Crown ©, UEA’s East Anglian Film Archive, The Edge Picture Company

With thanks to:

Alamy Ltd, Audio Network, BFI National Archive / COI Crown ©, Harrogate & District NHS FT, Iain Glen, Keith Wright/Mr. Wright TV, Lip Service, Medway NHS FT, Peter Booth/Bootherama Ltd, Quality Control post production, Ricky Barber/Bleach Productions, Ross Smith/Music for the eyes.tv, United Agents, UEA’s East Anglian Film Archive

And the many NHS employees for their pictures.

The Desire is an Indian film made by director Sarath. I wrote or 'polished' a couple of drafts Sarath's English language script. I have no idea if any of my dialogue or scenes or the ideas I introduced made it to the final cut. I know my name didn't make it onto the credits. But I am one of a long line of invisible writers who never get a mention in movies. So, here's to all the invisible people out there...

'You have to be vulnerable to be brave' - Brene Brown

The title photo - taken the day of filming 'Inquisition' at Holborn Studios -features some of the TOEIC students along with me and Nazek - the Director of charity Migrant Voice, who together, created such an amazing, life-affirming campaign for justice. It's taken many years but several have won their appeal against the Home Office.  Nazek took up the cause of the thousands of students in this country and gambled the charity on their cause. She was so passionate about it and incredibly brave to have done it when she placed the charity in such a position of vulnerability. But everything that has come out of this campaign has vindicated her design to support the students cause. The students, as people, are really endearing souls who deserved so much better. 

Favourite picture of Carol - New York sub-way

Jacqui Hamilton (and Mum) - early love, big influence. Now runs a theatre on the East coast of America. 

From the left - 1950's sisters Florrie (Dad's mum, my grandmother), Auntie Fanny, Aunty Lou.  I never new them well enough. I wish I had. But too young. 

corporate film-making and the client relationship. The commissioner (client) requires “art” that serves the interests of their viewpoint: The film-maker needs “art” to serve the interests of their own viewpoint.

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Career true stories. A true story. You couldn't make this up - even in Hollywood or Egypt

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