The UTVU Committee is made up of Unscripted TV Freelancers, just like you.
We are all volunteers who work in Production Management, Editorial, and Development roles, who donate our time to represent you and amplify your voice.
The committee is open to all Unscripted Bectu Branch members.
Elections happen once a year at the AGM, but if there’s something you feel passionate about, please get in touch anytime and we can help you be more involved.
Liz Biggs
Co-Chair
Liz is a freelance Director and Executive / Series Producer working across Specialist Factual and Documentaries.
She was drawn to the world of science documentaries and began her career at the BBC before moving into the indie sector where she has worked on BAFTA-nominated series and directed films for the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery, National Geographic and Sky. She also works in immersive storytelling, collaborating on some of the top-grossing VR docs. She is currently at Century Films, looking after a slate of unscripted and scripted developments.
This is her third year on the committee after realising there was no point moaning about the TV industry without being the change.
Dudley Cruse
Co- Chair and Branch Secretary
Dudley is a Producer in Specialist Factual and Docs, having worked in TV for around 15 years.
He joined the Unscripted TV Bectu Committee because he spent years complaining about what is wrong with working in TV and decided it's time to do something about it. He has been on the committee since the beginning, ive years years ago, and is now into his third year as Secretary and his first as Co-Chair.
Celine Fitzmaurice
Co-Secretary
Celine is a specialist factual SP with 15 years experience in the industry. Always a freelancer, she's very aware of how precarious the industry can be and how that leaves little space for being aware of disabled talent. Celine is keen to reframe the attitude to the workplace and create an inclusive space for all of the talented individuals in tv.
Anna Coane
London Production Division (LPD) Officer
Anna is a London based freelance Series Producer and Writer with 20 year’s experience working in Comedy, Entertainment and Fact Ent TV, in editorial (but previously also in production).
She joined the committee because she is committed to ‘fair pay, fair hours, fair conditions’, and to making the TV industry safer and more accountable. She’s also keen to try and help improve the prospects, rights, mental health and working conditions of all UK TV freelancers and is particularly passionate about improving how women and parents/carers experience the industry.
Ben McIntosh
Committee Member
Ben is a a Glasgow based development producer focusing on large scale entertainment, reality and gameshow formats, while also working across digital and branded entertainment as well.
Ben is especially concerned by the industry's eagerness in adopting AI at the expense of freelancers, the work & rights of artists and, most importantly, the environment.
As well as this, he’s interested in the wider discussions around the industry's outdated methods of recruitment, lack of training for mid level workers, the serious lack of both social and ethnic diversity in the industry, and finally, the inequities being faced by freelancers in the nations and regions.
Erin Bottari
Rates Officer
Erin is a senior member of production who has worked on multiple award-winning documentary films, including BAFTA-nominated The Crossing, and Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, the most streamed programme ever on Channel 4.
Erin's focus is making programming around social, political and humanitarian issues. She is interested in the combination of compassionate storytelling with high-end production values - and about diversity and accessibility both on and off screen. A freelancer for 12 years who is responsible for hiring and contracting crew, she understands the employment process from all sides. She also has lived experience of working in the industry with a disability. Erin is particularly committed to supporting junior workers in the awareness of their labour rights.
Laura Thomson
Committee Member
Laura is a freelance Shooting PD and Series Director working in Factual and Specialist Factual TV. Her TV career began in London, where she has been based for the past 13 years but she has spent the past year working between London and Northern Ireland. She has had a varied career, most recently specialising in sensitive, access-based documentaries within the world of crime and justice. She is acutely aware and committed to improving duty of care for everyone involved in the making of sensitive content, not just those appearing on camera.
She has been a member of Bectu since joining the industry and recently joined the committee with the aim of contributing to positive industry change for all freelancers. She is has a keen interest in pay parity, flexible working, and will work to amplify the voices of Unscripted members in the Nations and Regions.
Lucy Gastor
Committee Member
Lucy is a Producer/Director and Edit Producer in Factual TV with 15 years in the industry.
She is committed to improving working conditions within Unscripted, particularly for those with hidden disabilities.
Jonathan Schütz
Committee Member
Founder of Curly Lizard Films, Jonathan has worked in documentary and factual television for over 25 years. A highly experienced Executive Producer and Series Producer, his trademark is international production, with a special focus on Southeast and East Asia, and previously across Central & Eastern Europe. He has recently set up Gecko at Curly Lizard, which makes broadcast-quality videos for arts, culture and heritage organisations, charities and non-profits.
He joined the committee to see if he can help counter the insecurity we all feel. As someone who embraces new technologies and new content outlets, he would like to focus on resilience and adaptability; alongside that, he would like to bolster support for male mental health issues and for older workers who are often marginalised.
Jude Winstanley
Committee Member
Jude Winstanley is a freelance,Skills Project Manager at Ascend Global Crew Training within Amazon MGM Studios. Jude helps productions find trainee and stepping up support around the world.
Prior to this, Jude was a freelance TV Line Producer and the founder of theunitlist.com the first ever, free, TV jobs board and now a screen industry, careers resources page.
Jude has hired hundreds of people on productions and helped thousands more get their foot in the door of the UK screen industries via delivery of screen industry training programmes, events and resources for a variety of stakeholders that include; ScreenSkills, BFI Film Academy and the Royal Television Society. She has been invited to contribute to significant industry developments by the Coalition for Change, the Film & TV Charity, BAFTA and PACT.
Rosanna Armenante
Young Members Officer
Rosanna is an experienced Assistant Producer and Translator based in the Midlands, working in factual TV on productions filming all over the world. Most recently she produced the powerful ‘The Pelicot Rape Case: A Town on Trial’ for Five, which leant on her experience in sensitive access.
She is very passionate about improving conditions in the industry and promoting healthy work environments, and has been involved with Bectu for several years.
She joined the UTVU committee this year and is particularly keen to advocate for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent workers, women in the industry, and people in junior roles.