The sector, as defined by Skillset Sector Skills Council, includes the following industries: 

• television and radio
• film
• video
• interactive media
• games
• photo imaging
   

The audio visual industries are the fast growing sector which is increasingly dependent on the skills of the workforce.  It has a relatively high GDP of 2.4%.

The Skillset Industry Census shows that since 2003, employment levels have remained relatively stable with a 3% increase overall.  It is estimated that up to half the actual available labour pool is freelance.

The largest, fastest growing and most economically significant industry is interactive media employing around 53,100 people. 

Broadcast TV is the second largest industry employing around 23,700 people and around 22,200 are working in broadcast radio.  It is estimated that between 20-25% of people working in television and radio are freelancers.

The film production workforce employs around 27,000 people.  There is no permanently employed workforce, but rather a fluid pool of labour available on demand

Future skill demands relate to rapid technological developments.  Current skills shortages in the media industry are a result of:  an ageing workforce; a lack of people with the right skills and qualifications; technological developments; a demand for specialist knowledge; and an increase in film production.

This sector will continue to have relatively high levels of non-traditional employment patterns.  Many of the people employed in the media industries are self-employed freelancers.  These opportunities are set to increase in the future.

Although the audio-visual industries are concentrated in around London and the South East, there are significant clusters in other regions.  The South West is a centre for animation; Scotland, the North West and the South East have large numbers of games production companies.

It is reported that some of the fastest occupational increases are expected in other professional and associate professional occupations, including design, media, artistic and literary categories.

38% of the audio-visual workforce are female; 7% are from ethnic minority groups; and 1.3% of the workforce are reported to have a disability.

The sector employs a more highly qualified workforce than that of the UK as a whole. 

New professions, new skills and new technologies are emerging which require an increase in, and expansion of, current education and training opportunities.

Seven new film screen academies have been set up to educate and train new filmmaking talent and will provide new courses, work placements and master classes.