It is estimated that 22,100 people work in the audio visual industries (excluding photo-imaging) accounting for around 20% of all employment in the sector in the region.  76% of whom (17,000) are employees and 23% (5,100) who are freelancers.  No significant changes in the numbers working in the sector are expected.  The income profile of the region is: 44.4% <£20K ; 61.2% £20K<£50K and 13.3% £50+.

Over 10% of the UK's 1,500+ production companies are based in the region and some companies have regional offices in the South East.  There are a large number of SMEs in the regional sector.

25 Higher Education Institutions, including the UK's national centre of excellence in film and television, the National Film and Television School are located in the region.

Nearly three fifths of the workforce are employed in high level occupations: 14% of the workforce as managers and senior officials, 28% as professionals and 17% as associate professionals.  This is higher than the economy as a whole.

There are currently 89 independent production companies in the South East.  The region has the first full-time not-for-profit local television station, which was awarded the Restricted Service Licence for Isle of Wight (Rowridge).  The largest company in the UK involved in transmission is based in Hampshire.  There are 43 commercial radio franchises in the region.  The BBC has bases in Southampton (BBC South) and Tunbridge Wells (BBC South East).

The interactive media industry makes up 60% of all audio visual employment.  A cluster of interactive businesses are in Brighton and Hove, comprising largely web design companies.  In interactive media both electronic games and offline multimedia have over one third of their workforces based in the South East.  The Guildford area has a concentration of companies working in games development, an industry which is growing in the region.

The independent film industry is dominated by small, often micro production companies which has the highest user of freelance labour.  However, Europe's largest film and television studio facility, Pinewood studios, provides a work base, at full capacity, for 3,000 people is based in the region.  Within the film industry, production, facilities and distribution industries are largely based in the South East as well as London.

Equal opportunity issues:

• women represent 31% of the workforce
• 5.9% of the workforce are from minority ethnic groups, compared to 4.9% of the region’s workforce
• 1.4% of the workforce is reported as having a disability
• the region's age profile is: 13% 16-24; 40% 25-34; 35% 3-49 and 12% 50+

Source: Skillset website 2005 and Skillset 2005b

Click here for the South East skills strategy for the audio visual industries on the Skillset website.

Screen South is one of the nine regional screen agencies for the audio visual industries.