CIISA Annual Report 2024-2025 - Flipbook - Page 21
standards of confidentiality, can
there be confidence and trust, and
more broadly, for the integrity of
the industry to be assured.”
On the other side of the initial
desire for such a body was
legendary film and theatre
producer Barbara Broccoli, who
began working in the production
and casting departments at EON
Productions, the company set up
by her father Albert R. ‘Cubby’
Broccoli and Harry Saltzman in
July 1961.
Barbara and her brother Michael
G. Wilson have produced the last
nine James Bond feature films
and have produced and executive
produced several independent
film projects. Broccoli has also
produced successful stage
productions in the USA and
London including Once (2012
Broadway, 2013 West End), winner
of eight Tony Awards, including
best musical, and Fleabag (2019
Soho Playhouse NYC).
Broccoli, a Board Director of Time’s
Up UK, was equally determined
to see the creation of such an
industrywide independent body.
MISSION POSSIBLE
Although Smith was initially on
secondment from the BFI, had no
staff or infrastructure and was
only armed with initial startup capital of £65,000 from the
major UK broadcasters, plans to
create an Independent Standards
Authority (ISA) rapidly began to
solidify and gather momentum.
ISA ambitions quickly expanded
from being a body for those
working in the film and television
sectors to also include the music
and theatre sectors.
“It was impossible for me to turn
down the unique and important
opportunity to take Dame
Heather Rabbatt’s vision of a
safer working environment for the
creative workforce through the
establishment of an independent
body,” notes Smith.
Just over three months on, with
Smith working flat out to raise
financing for the next stage of
development, the organisation
changed its name to CIISA to
reflect its broadening ambitions.
By April 2023, Smith formally left
the BFI to continue to grow CIISA,
setting about her task supported
by burgeoning good will from
creative leaders and industry
workforce.
CIISA ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25
| 19
