By Steve Conway – 13/04/25 – Filmmaker
Is there a class divide in the UK film industry?
(Watch video below)
One day in late 2024, while scrolling through LinkedIn, I came across a post by filmmaker Mark Forbes that instantly caught my attention. It was about a documentary he’s been making called Quiet on Set: The Class Division in the Film Industry? — and as a filmmaker from a working-class background myself, the title alone struck a chord. The UK film industry has often felt like a closed shop unless you come from the “right” background or already have the connections to open those doors. So naturally, I was curious — massively curious.
The more I learned about Mark’s project, the more I wanted to hear directly from him. I reached out to him with the idea of having a proper conversation about the making of the film — and, generously, he agreed. What followed was a video chat where we explored everything from Mark’s own background in filmmaking, to what inspired him to tackle such a complex and personal subject, and how he’s managed to get the whole thing off the ground with no external funding.
We talked about the production process, the mental toll of pushing a project like this forward on your own, the lessons he’s learnt along the way, and what he hopes the film might achieve once it’s completed. It was an insightful and inspiring conversation — one that I’m really excited to share with you below.
Do I Need a Professional-Grade Cinema Camera to Make a Film?
Like most dedicated filmmakers, I shared similar equipment concerns when I set out to create my first feature-length film. This topic is a common point of discussion among fellow creators. Dive deeper into equipment considerations by downloading my free, concise 4-page PDF guide, available here.
Steve Conway Films 