Film, TV and music production compliance checklist

Work through every section that applies to your business. Tick off each item when you have confirmed it is in place. If an item does not apply — for example you do not exhibit films to the public — skip that section.

Section 1 — Health and safety at work

• Have you identified your general duties as an employer (or self-employed person) under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974?
• Have you carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment covering your premises, equipment, locations and work activities — including production-specific risks such as stunts, rigging, working at height, electrical installations and pyrotechnics?
• If you employ five or more people, have you recorded the significant findings of your risk assessment in writing?
• Have you appointed a competent person to help you comply with health and safety law?
• Have you set up arrangements for first aid, accident reporting and emergency procedures?
• Have you provided your employees with the information, instruction, training and supervision they need to work safely?
• Have you consulted your employees (or their safety representatives) on health and safety matters?
• Have you displayed the HSE-approved health and safety law poster (or given each employee the equivalent leaflet)?

Section 2 — Fire safety

• Have you carried out a fire risk assessment of your premises — studios, offices, edit suites, cinema venues?
• Have you identified and maintained clear escape routes and exits?
• Have you installed appropriate fire detection, alarms and firefighting equipment?
• Have you provided fire safety training to your staff?
• Do you have a written fire emergency plan, and have you practised it?

Section 3 — Employers' liability insurance

• Do you employ anyone (including part-time staff, trainees or family members)?
• If yes, do you hold employers' liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5 million from an authorised insurer?
• Have you displayed the certificate (or made it available electronically to employees)?
• Have you assessed the employment status of freelance crew, camera operators and other specialists to determine whether they are employees in substance?

Section 4 — Equality and data protection

• Do you understand your duties under the Equality Act 2010 (or the equivalent Northern Ireland legislation) not to discriminate against employees, job applicants or service users on the basis of the protected characteristics?
• Where you rely on the occupational-requirement exception for casting, have you applied it narrowly and proportionately?
• Have you made reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and service users?
• Have you registered with the ICO for data protection (unless exempt)?
• Have you identified a lawful basis under UK GDPR for each type of personal data you process — contributor release forms, casting databases, crew contact details, on-screen identification, audience data, CCTV footage, staff payroll?
• Do you have a privacy notice informing individuals how you use their data?
• Are personal data stored securely — both paper records and electronic systems?

Section 5 — Child performance licence (if applicable)

• If your production engages a child of compulsory school age, have you applied for a child performance licence from the child's home local authority?
• Have you engaged a registered chaperone who is not a parent of the child or a person involved in the production?
• Are you complying with the limits on working hours and conditions set by the relevant devolved regulations (England 2014, Scotland 2014, Wales 2015)?

Section 6 — BBFC video classification (if applicable)

• If you supply video works on physical media (DVD, Blu-ray), have you submitted each work to the BBFC for classification before supply? (Online and download-only supply is outside the Video Recordings Act.)
• Do you understand that the classification duty falls on the supplier or distributor, not the producer?
• Are you complying with the age restrictions on the BBFC certificate when supplying to the public?

Section 7 — Cinema premises licence (if applicable)

• If you exhibit films to the public, have you obtained a premises licence from the local authority under the Licensing Act 2003 (England and Wales)?
• Does your licence carry the mandatory film condition restricting admission in accordance with the relevant age classification?
• In Scotland, have you obtained a cinema licence from the council under the Cinemas Act 1985?

Section 8 — Copyright and music rights

• Have you identified all pre-existing copyright material (scripts, music, images, archive footage) incorporated in your production and cleared the necessary rights?
• Do you have written licence agreements for every piece of third-party material?
• If you record or publish music, have you obtained the correct licences from PRS for Music and PPL (or directly from rights holders)?
• Do you understand that PRS for Music and PPL are commercial collecting societies, not statutory regulators — there is no government permit to record or publish music?