Spotlight

Spotlight Forum 2026

by Kristyn Coutts

Spotlight Forum 2026 is heading to Leeds as part of the Leeds International Film Festival.

We’re delighted to announce that this year’s Spotlight Forum sponsored by Streets Media Accountancy will take place on Wednesday 4 November in Leeds from 9am to 6pm followed by an exclusive evening celebration.

Forming part of the 40th anniversary edition of the Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF), the Spotlight Forum celebrates the thriving creative sector across the North of England, positioning the region as a central hub for UK production and casting. Themed The North Star: Connecting Our Creative Community, Spotlight Forum brings together performers, casting directors, talent agents and directors for an engaging day of panel discussions, practical masterclasses, policy roundtables, and performance showcases.

Based in the hub of Millennium Square and hosted at both Leeds Carriageworks and Leeds City Museum, the day covers a range of critical industry topics from regional production to the digital evolution of Northern soaps to the emerging technologies and platform shifts shaping the future of creative careers.

Tickets are available to Spotlight members for £25 with all proceeds donated to The Film and TV Charity. A ticket includes access to panels, sessions, a lunch voucher and access to our exclusive evening celebration. LIFF ticket holders are able to book a spot for the afternoon panels.

Spotlight Forum 2026 Programme

Morning Sessions

Morning sessions are exclusive for Spotlight members and industry ticket holders.

Afternoon Sessions

Afternoon sessions are open to Spotlight members and LIFF ticket holders.

⭐ Navigating A.I. Contracts and Performer Rights

9.30am – 11.00am | Agents, Directors & Casting Professionals

How to spot hidden A.I. terms, defend client likeness and negotiate fair compensation in synthetic media.

A.I. technology is moving fast, putting agents and casting professionals on the front lines of contract negotiation. From broad consent forms to digital voice cloning, knowing where to draw the line – and how to safeguard your clients’ future earnings without stalling deals – has become an essential industry skill.

Led by Dr. Mathilde Pavis, the leading legal mind behind Equity and the PMA’s A.I. guidelines, this actionable Q&A session breaks down complex digital rights into plain English. Supported by two free online pre-forum workshops to lay the groundwork, this session is your dedicated space to tackle real-world contract headaches and gain immediate leverage at the negotiating table.

Speaker:

Dr Mathilde Pavis – Legal Counsel and Policy Advisor on AI

What You’ll Gain:

Hidden Clause Spotting: Master the ability to identify subtle, overarching A.I. language buried in release forms and agreements.
Voice and Likeness Defense: Strategies to shield performers from unauthorised digital cloning, training data exploitation, and synthetic manipulation.
Fair Pay Frameworks: Practical guidance on digital usage fees, securing ongoing royalties, and valuing A.I. licensing.
Negotiation Leverage: How to use current legal standards, copyright frameworks, and industry guidelines to advocate confidently for your clients.

Submit Your Questions

We want to address your real-world contract headaches. Submit your questions in advance so Dr. Pavis can answer them live during the session. (We will contact you in advance).

Session Note: To encourage open, candid discussion around commercial terms and contract practice, this session will not be recorded.

⭐ Prioritising Mental Health and Wellbeing in Casting

9.45am – 11.00am | Casting Professionals and Agents

Fostering healthier environments, managing workload pressures and introducing a new tool for the film and tv industry.

Casting sits at the fast-paced heart of production, where tight turnarounds, high volume workloads, and deadlines take a real toll on mental health. It’s time to shift the conversation from surviving the pressure to actively transforming how our industry operates and improving culture and behaviour.

Join Sophie Freeman from The Film and TV Charity’s Mentally Healthy Productions Team alongside a panel of leading casting directors for a candid discussion on mental health behind the scenes. This session offers a compassionate, practical space to share frontline realities, discover vital support, and help establish a healthier working culture across casting.

Speakers:

Sophie Freeman – Engagement and Partnerships Producer,The Film and TV Charity
Sally Broome CDG – Casting Director
Claire Bleasdale CDG – Casting Director

What You’ll Gain:

The Principles of Mentally Healthy Productions: Insight into this new framework, launched earlier this year, designed specifically to enrouage a preventative approach to improving mental health and wellbeing in production.
Exclusive Tool First-Look: Be among the first to hear about The Film and TV Charity’s new, dedicated tool and resource specifically designed for industry professionals.
Practical Workload Strategies: Actionable ways to set boundaries, improve working relationships and cultivate long-term, sustainable practices for you and your team.
Peer Support Network: Honest discussion with fellow casting professionals and agents navigating the exact same pressures.

Session Note: To encourage open, candid discussion, this session will not be recorded.

⭐ The Northern Powerhouse Pipeline: From Soap to Cinema

Part 1: 10.15am – 11.15am | Open to all attendees

Part 2: 11.30am – 12.50pm | Performers Only

Celebrating iconic Northern soaps, navigating the digital-first pivot, and connecting directly with leading soap casting directors.

With over 200 combined years of broadcasting history, Northern soaps have long served as the UK industry’s ultimate training ground – propelling local performers from kitchen-sink drama to global streaming stardom. Today, as continuing dramas adapt to digital-first models and social media expansions, their role in shaping the future of screen acting is more vital than ever.

In a landmark industry first, Spotlight brings together the casting teams behind the North’s powerhouse continuing dramas – Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks – for an unmissable panel and interactive breakout event. Moderated by actor Tom Lorcan (Coronation Street), this session explores the legacy of these flagship soaps, how digital shifts are creating new opportunities, and what the casting directors are looking for today.

The panel will be followed by an intimate breakout session where performers will get time to connect directly with each casting team in small groups to discover the nuances of each production with unique insight into the process from casting right up to your first day on set. Come prepared with your questions, and don’t forget your notepads!

Speakers:

Moderator: Tom Lorcan – Actor, Coronation Street)
Gennie Radcliffe and Katy Scully – Casting, Coronation Street
Ezra Tren-Humphries and Faye Styring – Casting, Emmerdale
Gill Charnock and Peter Hunt – Casting, Hollyoaks

Session Structure

Part 1: The Industry Panel (open to all). An insightful discussion exploring the legacy, digital evolution, and future trajectory of continuing drama, featuring the stories of talent transitioning to international platforms.

Part 2: Interactive Casting Breakout Sessions (exclusive for performers). Following the main panel, performers will divide into small, dedicated groups for direct Q&As with each casting team.

⭐ Make Your Own Break Through Short Film

10am – 11.00am | Performers

How to step behind the camera, produce high-impact micro-budget shorts, and propel your acting career onto the international stage.

Tired of waiting for permission or hoping the right breakdown lands in your inbox? The fastest way to transform your screen career is to step behind the camera and build your own breakout vehicle. Highlighting your unique strengths on your own terms isn’t just liberating – it’s a great way of getting your talent discovered; but where do you even begin?

Led by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Overton (The Silent Child) and acclaimed Northern director Alfie Barker (Berlinale Dreammaker winner 2026), this practical session breaks down the end-to-end process of producing low-budget short films. Discover how to take a project from an initial concept to the international film festival circuit, using self-made work to capture the attention of top agents, casting directors, and industry decision-makers.

Speakers

Chris Overton – Oscar-winning filmmaker (The Silent Child)
Alfie Barker – Acclaimed Northern director (Berlinale Dreammaker Winner)

What You’ll Gain

Script to Screen Strategy: How to write and select low-budget concepts designed specifically to bring your creative vision to life and show your strengths as a storyteller.
The Micro-Budget Toolkit: Practical baselines for managing realistic budgets, sourcing crew, and securing equipment without sacrificing production value.
Festival and Discovery Pipelines: Strategies for navigating the festival circuit, gaining industry visibility and converting festival buzz into meetings industry decision-makers.
Career Empowerment: Practical methods for shifting away from waiting for roles to creating them, putting your artistic future back in your own hands.

⭐ Safeguarding Children Roundtable

9.30am – 1pm | Invite-only

As part of the Spotlight Forum at Leeds International Film Festival, Spotlight is hosting a private working session to help shape the future of young performer protection.

With the Children’s (Performance and Activities) Regulations 2014 due for review next year, Spotlight is collaborating with the Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA) and Baroness Floella Benjamin – the architect of the original regulations. We’re bringing together key industry leaders, agents, casting directors, and policy experts to capture existing best practices and build an actionable blueprint for legal reform.

Session Structure:

Part 1: Sector Review and Policy Gaps: An open forum to share frontline experiences and highlight policy areas requiring urgent reform.
Part 2: The Action Blueprint: Synthesising these insights into practical, sector-specific recommendations for next year’s official government review.

Session Note: Please note this session is by invitation only. This session will not be recorded to allow for open dialogue. Spotlight will aggregate all findings to produce a comprehensive industry report.

⭐ Demystifying Intimacy Coordination On Set with Ita O’Brien

11.30am – 1.00pm | All Attendees

So you get the gig and know there’s intimacy involved, but what is actually required of you on set? For first time actors, the prospect can be daunting, but also, as agents and casting professionals, how are you supposed to prepare the actor for their on-set experiences from the breakdown to contract and access rider stages?

As intimate storytelling becomes increasingly explicit across film, television, and in less-regulated short-form content, boundaries and expectations on set need to be agreed in advance now more than ever. How do we navigate the practical, legal, and creative realities of filming intimate content without compromising safety, consent, or artistic vision?

In this session, pioneering Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien (Normal People, I May Destroy You) demystifies and de-sensationalises intimacy work on set. From initial script breakdowns through to post-production, learn how structured best practice elevates the creative work rather than restricting it.

Speaker

Ita O’Brien – Intimacy Coordinator, Movement Director and Author

What You’ll Gain

The Step-by-Step Workflow: A walkthrough of the intimacy process at every production stage – with Ita’s top 10 tips for each stage delivered as a tangible takeaway from the session.
- Script Breakdown, self-tapes and auditions
- Nudity and riders
- Costume adaptations and modesty garments
- Navigating boundaries and conversations with loved ones
- On set etiquette and expectations
- Red lines and reporting bad behaviour
- How to spot a genuine intimacy coordinator

Session Note: To encourage open, candid discussion, this session will not be recorded.

⭐ Navigating Northern Production Funds and Attaching Talent

11.45am – 1pm | Open to all attendees

How to leverage regional production funds and attach talent with Screen Alliance North.

Understanding how film and high-end TV projects are funded across the North gives performers, agents, and filmmakers a distinct competitive edge. From regional equity investment to production spend requirements, regional funds play a crucial role in deciding where productions shoot and how talent gets attached.

Hosted by Screen Alliance North – the collective skills body driving the region’s screen sector – this industry session brings together the leaders of all four partner film offices. Discover how regional funding mechanisms operate behind closed doors, how local casting decisions are made, and how to position yourself or your roster for high-profile Northern productions.

Speakers

Moderator: Sam Barnett (NFTS)
Caroline Cooper Charles – Chief Executive, Screen Yorkshire
Alison Gwynn – Chief Executive, North East Screen
Lynn Saunders – Head of Liverpool Film Office
Rob Page – Managing Director, Screen Manchester

What You’ll Gain

Regional Funding Intelligence: Clear insights into how production money flows through Northern film funds and how funding criteria impacts casting decisions.
Talent Attachment Strategies: Practical advice on how performers and agents can align with funded projects early in the development pipeline.
Direct Executive Access: Unrivalled visibility into the leadership teams governing screen investment across Yorkshire, the North East, the Liverpool City Region, and Greater Manchester.

⭐ Getting to Know Your Crew On Set

9.30am – 11pm | Performers

A practical guide to understanding crew dynamics, mastering set jargon, and stepping onto set with total confidence.

Walking onto a high-budget film or TV set can feel like stepping into a foreign country with its own language, hierarchy, and unwritten rules. Knowing who does what behind the camera – and how to communicate effectively with each department – can help keep your focus on your performance rather than set mechanics.

Delivered by the team at Sticks & Glass Skills Hub, this practical session is designed to bridge the gap between creative talent and professional craft. Led by active industry practitioners who know exactly what modern broadcast and film sets demand, you’ll gain a jargon-busting breakdown of set etiquette, crew roles, and real-world floor dynamics.

Speakers

Sticks & Glass Skills Hub – Experienced film, TV, and broadcast practitioners

What You’ll Gain

Set Jargon Decoded: Master the essential terminology and shorthand used across modern production floors.
Department Breakdown: Clear insights into who’s who behind the scenes – from 1st ADs and gaffers to sound recordists and focus pullers – and how each role impacts your work.
Professional Set Etiquette: Practical techniques for working seamlessly with crew members.
Real-World Prep: Practical, up-to-date knowledge straight from active practitioners, ensuring you hit the ground running on every shoot.

⭐ Casting: Access in Action

11.30pm – 1.00pm | Agents, Casting Directors and Directors

Practical tools for confident casting of deaf, disabled, and/or neurodivergent actors.

Spotlight is delighted to host TripleC for a relaxed, practical session designed to help innovative casting directors, agents, and directors build real-world confidence around access and inclusion.

This interactive session offers a safe, judgment-free setting to meet deaf, disabled, and/or neurodivergent (DDN) actors, discover fantastic talent not yet on your radar, and build lasting professional relationships that will shape your future casting and representation.

Together with experienced practitioners, we’ll demystify what access actually looks like on the ground from exploring what an access rider is, how it should be used during casting and auditions, how to support actors who haven’t disclosed DDN status, and how to open traditionally ‘non-disabled’ roles to DDN talent without fear of the ‘elephant in the room’.

Facilitators

Jules Hussey – TripleC CEO and HETV Drama Executive
Melissa Johns – Co-Artistic Director, Writer and Actor
Steph Lacey – Learning and Development Coordinator, Writer and Actor
Natalie Amber – Assistant Artistic Director and Actor
Gabriella Leon – TripleC Freelance Project Co-ordinator and Actor

What You’ll Gain

Clear Access Frameworks: A thorough understanding of what access actually means in practical, everyday casting and production settings.
Access Rider Mastery: Practical guidance on how to effectively implement access riders throughout the casting and auditions.
Post-Booking Support: Clear steps to ensure access needs are seamlessly met once a DDN actor is cast and goes onto set or stage.

⭐ Opening Remarks and The Film and TV Charity Presents ‘Break the Cycle’

2.30pm – 2.45pm | All Attendees

Join us for an introduction to Break the Cycle, a powerful film from The Film and TV Charity. Discover the vital support services available to help navigate the industry’s toughest challenges and learn how you can champion positive workplace cultures, call out bad practice and become an active ally for change.

Speakers:

Matt Hood – Managing Director of Spotlight
Sophie Freeman – Engagement and Partnerships Producer at The Film and TV Charity

⭐ ‘The Split Up’: How Regional Production Powers Northern Creativity

2.45pm – 3.30pm | All Attendees

How relocating a hit TV franchise to Greater Manchester drives local casting, authentic storytelling, and regional industry growth.

When major high-end TV productions set up home in the North, the positive impact reaches far beyond the broadcast screen. Relocating established television franchises brings fresh creative perspective, vital industry investment, and long-term career opportunities directly to the regional talent pool.

This behind-the-scenes case study examines the production journey of The Split Up (Sister / BBC). Featuring key members of the production and local leadership teams, the panel explores critical commissioning decisions, the casting wins for local performers, and how shifting production to Greater Manchester creates dedicated space for authentic South Asian stories.

Speakers

Moderator: David Flynn (Spotlight)
Bryony Arnold – Executive Producer, Sister Pictures
Kasheina Vencatasawmy – Head of Development, Sister Pictures
Sonia Allam CDG – Casting Director
Debbie Rush – Actor (Linda Taylor in The Split Up)
Councillor Keith Cunliffe – Deputy Leader, Wigan Council

What You’ll Gain

Local Casting and Storytelling: Insights into creating authentic South Asian representation on screen and expanding opportunities for Northern actors.
Northern Corridor Impact: How strategic investments in high-end drama strengthen the regional creative ecosystem.
Community Legacy: The practical impact on upskilling local crews, fostering emerging talent, and building regional pride behind the camera.

⭐ Casting in the North: Changing the Mindset

3.45pm – 4.45pm | Performers, Agents, Casting Directors, and Production Executives

Confronting audition travel costs, environmental impact, and systemic regional bias to build a fairer national casting ecosystem

With production booming across the UK regions and soaring living costs pushing talent out of the South East, the argument for casting locally has never been more compelling. However, translating regional growth into truly equal access for talent based outside major hubs requires ongoing, practical collaboration across the industry.

This vital closing session tackles the hard realities of regional casting head-on. From peak travel fares that exclude working-class performers to the unnecessary carbon footprint of long-distance audition travel, industry leaders unpack what needs to change. Discover how producers, casting directors, and agents can shift established habits, strengthen regional infrastructure, and ensure equal access for performers across the North and beyond.

Speakers

Moderator – Ash Palmisciano (Actor)
Sam Claypole CDG – Casting Director
Orla O’Connor CDG – Casting Director
Sally Broome CDG – Casting Director
Emma Garrett CDG – Casting Director
Melissa Johns – Actor
Georgina Andrew – Agent, Lime Talent Agency and Management
Erin Carter – Theatre Maker, Director, Writer and Programme Leader at Leeds Conservatoire

What You’ll Gain

Breaking the London Bias: Strategies for bridging geographical divides, reducing audition travel burdens, and unlocking the full potential of regional casting ecosystems.
Economic and Environmental Solutions: Practical ways to address travel costs, improve working-class accessibility, and cut the carbon footprint of the audition process.
Strengthening Regional Ecosystems: How supporting local agencies and casting hubs builds a more resilient, sustainable industry outside London.

Ticket Information

Tickets are £25 with all proceeds donated to The Film and TV Charity. Performer tickets are now sold out. Links to tickets for Spotlight agents and casting directors are available on your Spotlight homepage. For further information regarding tickets, including industry and LIFF attendees, please email performer.success@spotlight.com.

Our Sponsors

We’d like to thank Streets Media Accountancy for joining us as this year’s headline sponsor.

“Streets are delighted to be the headline sponsor of The Spotlight Forum 2026 […] We know that behind every performance, production and creative project is a business that needs to work financially too. We work alongside our clients to provide the clarity, confidence, and financial support they need – so they can focus on their creativity and what they do best.” — Mark Carr, Director of Streets