The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, (BAFTA) developed from the British Film Academy (founded 1947) and the Guild of Television Producers and Directors (founded 1953). The two organizations amalgamated as the Society of Film and Television Arts in 1958 which assumed its present identity as BAFTA in 1976. One of the Guild's stated aims was to provide awards of merit for outstanding work in television. The first of the Guild award ceremonies was held at the Television Ball of the Savoy Hotel in October 1954. The awards on this occasion were six in number, presented to actors (2 awards), writer, producer, designer, and a "personality" award. In 1957 the number of awards was expanded to nine to accommodate entries from Independent television, including one for "Light Entertainment Artist" which went to Tony Hancock. In 1960 the Desmond Davis award for "outstanding service to television" was added to commemorate a founding member and past chairman. The first recipient was the broadcaster Richard Dimbleby. The number and the categories covered increased and varied over the years, and by 1967 there were 17 Guild awards and 3 additional awards presented under the aegis of the Guild by Mullard Ltd., Shell International and the National Institute of Adult Education. The total had swelled by 1993 to 32 television and 21 film BAFTA awards.

BAFTA consists of approximately 3000 members in the United Kingdom with branches in Manchester, Scotland, Wales and Los Angeles. Any person working within the film and television industries in Britain is eligible to join. The organization prides itself on its democratic principles and has developed voting procedures with checks and balances to ensure that awards are allocated on a combination of popular vote and expert opinion. Nominations are collected direct from the members throughout a year. Broadcast companies are permitted to add programmes to the final members' lists in the television categories. Members then vote directly to select the Best Film as well as all the Film and Television Performance awards.

The Production and Craft Awards are decided by peer-group juries (the chairman appointed by the Council has absolute discretion to select experts of diverse interests whether members or non-members). The jury panel reaches its decision following viewings of the short-listed candidates' work.

The Film Committee determines the nominations for The Alexander Korda Award for the Best British Film and the Council of the Academy selects the winner. The Michael Balcon, The Alan Clarke, The Dennis Potter and The Richard Dimbleby Awards, The Foreign Television Programme, The Television Award for Originality, The Academy Fellowship and any special awards are awarded by the Council of Management.

These built-in safeguards in the award process ensure a balance between respect for democracy and professionalism. It has also resulted in high credibility and prestige attaching to BAFTA awards which, though not as influential as the American Academy Awards, are increasingly seen as enhancing the subsequent commercial success of films and programmes. Televising of the Award Ceremony in Britain is a media event second only to that for the Oscars, and keeps BAFTA awards in the public eye. Despite the benefits of awards, there has been little evidence in Britain of any lobbying to influence panel decisions.

Television awards are primarily devoted to British television, although there is a category for the best programme not in English and for Best Foreign Television. As yet there have been no submissions by satellite channels, but these are eligible to submit and are likely to do so in the near future. New categories of award are constantly emerging in response to developments within the media: a recent addition has been The Lew Grade Award for Significant and Popular Television and under consideration is an award for best interactive video production.

Film awards are international, although there is one reserved for best British film--The Alexander Korda Award. This category is increasingly difficult to determine given the prevalence of co-production arrangements, films made for television with prior release to cinema audiences (e.g. Film on Four by Channel 4) and films made in Britain with American backing.

As a registered charity BAFTA supports a wide range of educational and training initiatives for young people e.g. the Carl Foreman Award provides a scholarship to study script writing in the University of California.

Among distinguished contributors to the shaping of the organization have been: Richard Cawston, Lord Attenborough, Sir Sydney Samuelson and Sir David Puttnam. The current chairman is Edward Mirzoeff CVO.

-Brendan Kenny

 

The author would like to thank the following BAFTA personnel for their generous assistance: Doreen Dean, Harry Manley and Peter Morley.