The network announced its Disability Code of Portrayal which will take steps to change the amount of screen representation and strengthen the portrayal of disabled people.
Channel 4’s disability consultant contacted Justin Edgar, creative director of 104 FIlms who is renowned within the field of disability and who regularly partners with Sutton Coldield-based Ark Media on projects.
The team created a showreal using cuts from Channel 4’s existing productions which represent the disabled community - and this was released to accompany the code of portrayal.
The code, which is believed to be the only one of its kind within the industry, sets guidelines which cover a range of areas such as actively seeking out disabled actors to fulfil disabled roles and to provide a better representation of disabled people as well-rounded characters rather than just focusing on their disability.
It also requires commissioners to include characters that ‘happen’ to be disabled rather than this being a focal point within the programme.
Watch the short film below...
Justin Edgar, creative director of 104 Films, said: “I was delighted to be approached to provide the accompanying film for 'The Disability Code of Portrayal', and I was more than happy to once again work collaboratively with Ark Media Productions to support such a fantastic initiative.”
104 Films and Ark Media have already worked on projects to give disabled people a platform, such as producing a theatre production of Oliver Twist at the Leeds Playhouse which featured a cast of predominantly disabled actors.
Kaylee Haycock (pictured), senior editor at Ark Media, said: “These short edits are always good fun to piece together.
“You start off with hours and hours of footage, covering all sorts from news reports to TV shows like 'Screw' and put it together to create a fun, fast-paced story.
“I really enjoy working on this project as there was an important cause behind it and it’s great to know our work will be broadcast on a national basis.”
