MembershipOverview
Since 1991 Pact has supported and represented the interests of UK independent producers and distributors.
Whether you're a small company just starting out or are well-established and making and selling programmes around the world, your business and your teams will benefit from Pact membership.
Your membership fee helps us to provide a range of services and also supports our wider work of lobbying Government and regulators, negotiating with unions and broadcasters, and conducting research and analysis on behalf of the independent production community.
Membership Types,Eligibility & Costs
We have a number of different membership types. Please select the option below which best suits your area of business and read on for details about eligibility and costs before beginning your application to join Pact.
TV, Film and Commercialised Content and Rights Distribution
We have three types of membership within this category. Please begin by reading the details of the one which applies to your company and check your eligibility.
Affiliate Membership
Affiliate membership is intended for small, start-up companies that produce or distribute TV, film or commercialised content, with annual turnover under £200,000 and that have not previously been a Full Producer member of Pact.
Affiliate membership is only available for three years, after which time members are asked to upgrade to the Full Producer category irrespective of their turnover.
- What you get:
- all of the benefits of Pact membership, including legal and business affairs support and free access to Pact's programme of events.
- the option to sit on Pact Working Groups.
- What you don’t get (due to the fact that Affiliate membership is heavily subsidised):
- the right to vote in Pact Council elections or on other matters taken to a member vote.
- the right to nominate a company representative for Pact Council.
Companies that qualify as Affiliate members can however upgrade and join as a Full Producer member on the lowest fee (£525 plus VAT) in order to access these additional benefits. Please see the Full Producer member category below for details.
- What you pay:
- the Affiliate rate of membership is heavily subsidised, to help new entrants to the industry.
- the annual fee is £350 plus VAT, which can be paid in monthly instalments of just £35 (incl. VAT)
- Eligibility criteria:
- must be actively trading in the UK, producing TV, film or commercialised content or are a rights distribution company.
- must either have turnover below £200,000pa, as per the last set of accounts filed at Companies House, or are in their first year with no accounts yet filed.
- cannot have previously been a Full Producer member.
- must not have already had three years of Affiliate membership.
- must not be in a group of companies that already have Full Producer membership.
- cannot be a public service broadcaster, or be controlled or under the dominant influence of a public service broadcaster.
Are you a new company that already has a commission?
Although Affiliate membership is suitable for newly formed companies that are yet to file accounts, where a company already has a commission for a production with a significant budget, such as High-end TV, and intends to register this production with us to obtain access to the Pact Equity Agreements, you may need to pay a separate fee under the Pact Production Levy scheme.
This is due to the fact that it would be unfair for Pact to service a production with a significant budget for the subsidised Affiliate membership fee, when the company may decide not to renew its membership in the following year.
In order to prevent the fee being taken on the same production twice, any Production Levy paid will be deducted from future Pact membership fees when the production income hits the company accounts.
Find out more about the Pact Production Levy on our Register a Production page.
Full Producer Membership
This membership type is intended for companies that produce TV and film or commercialised content, or rights distribution companies, who do not meet the eligibility criteria for Affiliate membership.
- What you get:
- all the benefits of Pact membership, including legal and business affairs support and free access to Pact's programme of events.
- the option to sit on Pact Working Groups.
- a company vote in Pact Council elections and on matters taken to a member vote.
- the option to nominate a company representative for Pact Council
- Eligibility criteria:
- must be actively trading in the UK, producing TV, film or commercialised content or are a rights distribution company.
- cannot be a public service broadcaster, or be controlled or under the dominant influence of a public service broadcaster.
- What you pay:
- the rate is based on an ascending scale of fees, using company turnover as per the most recent set of accounts filed at Companies House. In the case of companies applying for Group membership* – this must be the consolidated turnover of the group.
- the annual fee can be paid in one payment, or via monthly Direct Debit.
- You can calculate your potential membership fee by entering your annual turnover as per the last set of statutory accounts filed at Companies House into the calculator at the bottom of this page.
*My company sits within a group of companies, do we all have to join?
Where a company is in a group of companies that are also working within the industry, we would ask that all of the companies join under Group membership.
The parent company will usually pay the fee for the group, using the consolidated turnover of the group as the basis of the fee.
All subsidiary companies will be registered as Pact members and able to access all services, and their employees will be given their own logins to the Pact website.
Please note that under Group membership, only the parent company of the group is given the right to a vote in Pact Council elections or any item taken to a member vote (if the company is eligible for a vote).
You can apply for Group membership using the same online joining process.
Broadcaster Membership
This membership type is intended for companies that produce TV and film or commercialised content, or rights distribution companies, who are either a public service broadcaster or are owned, controlled or under the dominant influence of a public service broadcaster.
- What you get:
- all of the benefits of Pact membership, including legal and business affairs support and free access to Pact's programme of events.
- the option to sit on Pact Working Groups only where there is no conflict of interests.
- What you don't get (due to a potential conflict of interests):
- the right to vote in Pact Council elections or on matters taken to a member vote.
- the right to nominate a company representative for Pact Council.
- Eligibility criteria:
- must be actively trading in the UK, producing TV, film or commercialised content or are a rights distribution company.
- is either a UK public service broadcaster, or a company controlled or under the dominant influence of a UK public service broadcaster.
- What you pay:
- the rate is based on an ascending scale of fees, using company turnover as per the most recent set of accounts filed at Companies House. In the case of companies applying for Group membership – this must be the consolidated turnover of the group.*
- the fee can be paid in one annual payment, or via monthly Direct Debit.
- You can calculate your potential membership fee by entering your annual turnover as per the last set of statutory accounts filed at Companies House into the calculator at the bottom of this page.
*My company sits within a group of companies, do we all have to join?
Where a company is in a group of companies that are also working within the industry, we would ask that all of the companies join under Group membership.
The parent company will usually pay the fee for the group, using the consolidated turnover of the group as the basis of the fee.
All subsidiary companies will be registered as Pact members and able to access all services, and their employees will be given their own logins to the Pact website.
Please note that under Group membership, only the parent company of the group is given the right to a vote in Pact Council elections or any item taken to a member vote (if the company is eligible for a vote).
You can apply for Group membership using the same online joining process.
Film Production Companies
Film membership is intended for companies that exclusively produce films for theatrical release.
- What You Get
- all of the benefits of Pact membership, including legal and business affairs support and free access to Pact's programme of events.
- the option to sit on Pact Working Groups.
- a vote in Pact Council elections and on matters taken to a member vote.
- the option to nominate a company representative for Pact Council.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- must be actively trading in the UK, exclusively producing films intended for theatrical release.
- What You Pay:
- an annual fee of £500 plus VAT
- the fee can be paid in one annual payment, or via monthly Direct Debit of £50 per month, incl. VAT
Professional Companies Providing Services
Pact Facilitator membership is for companies that provide support services to the industry (such as media lawyers and accountants).
- What You Get:
- all of the benefits of Pact membership, including legal and business affairs support, free access to Pact's programme of events
- option to sit on relevant Pact Working Groups.
- a dedicated entry on our Find a Professional database.
- What You Don’t Get:
• the right to vote in Pact Council elections or on matters taken to a member vote.
• the right to nominate a company representative for Pact Council.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- a company actively trading in the UK that provides professional and/or business support services within the independent production sector.
- What You Pay:
- an annual fee of £2,750 plus VAT.
- the annual fee can be paid in a one off payment, or via monthly Direct Debit instalments.
Calculate Your
Membership Fee
If you are applying for Full Producer or Broadcaster membership, you can calculate your potential membership fee by entering your annual turnover as per the last set of statutory accounts filed at Companies House into the below calculator.
Please note, this calculator does not apply to Affiliate, Film or Facilitator membership types. Those have fixed membership fees, information about which can be found above.
Banner Image supplied by Pact member, Neon Films.