C4 to supercharge disabled talent agency with cash boost and support

4 November 2016

Channel 4 will supercharge the work of a specialist talent agency dedicated to supporting disabled actors and talent as part of its Year of Disability.

In a major new year-long partnership, Channel 4 will give a cash injection to VisABLE People – a talent agency founded by Louise Dyson which specialises in promoting disabled talent for film, television and commercial work.

Through the investment, Channel 4 hopes to support greater representation of disabled people in film, television and advertising in the UK. The funds will be used across the infrastructure of the business and enable Louise to raise the profile of VisABLE People.

The announcement comes off the back of Channel 4’s widely praised coverage of the Rio Paralympics which was watched by more than 28 million viewers – nearly half of all UK television viewers.

The initiative to support the specialist agency comes after Channel 4’s acclaimed We’re The Superhumans campaign went viral after its launch in the run up to the Games and reportedly became the second most shared shared Olympic advert of all time within three weeks of its launch.

Channel 4’s trailer featured a cast of about 140 disabled people, most of whom were members of the public. As part of the Year of Disability, Channel 4 also ran a major initiative, Superhumans Wanted, in which it gave away £1m of commercial airtime to encourage brands and ad agencies to feature disability in their advertising. The competition was won by Maltesers and AMV BBDO and their winning advert was first shown during Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.

Channel 4’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Dan Brooke, said: “Disabled people aren't unheard of in the TV industry, but they are lamentably under-represented, on and off screen.

“Channel 4 is trying to change this, but as we found while making the Superhumans TV advert, discovering disabled talent takes more effort than it should. I hope this partnership with specialist casting agency VisABLE People means TV can more readily reflect real life in the future.”

Disabled contributors who appeared in Channel 4’s We’re The Superhumans advert will be invited to be represented by VisABLE People.

Louise, who founded the agency more than 20 years ago and currently runs it singlehandedly, said: “VisABLE People is unique in only representing individuals with disabilities for professional assignments.

“It is only when every member of society is represented in mainstream productions as a matter of course and in ordinary advertising campaigns promoting goods and services, where individuals are portrayed as consumers with spending power that we can hope for any kind of equality, in my view.”

 

Notes to Editors

Other Channel 4 disability initiatives include:

Two thirds of Channel 4’s on-screen talent working at Rio were disabled and 19 of 24 disabled Rio Production trainees worked on Channel 4’s Paralympics content as well as six disabled mid-level production staff who worked on the Paralympics coverage.

A competition offering £1m worth of commercial airtime for an advert featuring disability. The winning ad by Maltesers premiered during the Paralympics Opening Ceremony.

Channel 4 made 2016 its Year of Disability and has committed to doubling the number of disabled people appearing in 20 of its biggest shows

A commitment to provide bespoke career development for 20 disabled people already working in the industry with our 20 biggest suppliers

Ring-fencing 50 per cent of all Channel 4 apprenticeships and 30 per cent of work experience placements for people with disabilities

The Rio Production Trainee Scheme which offered up to 24 trainees with disabilities the chance of working on Paralympics-related content – 19 of the trainees worked on the broadcaster’s Rio content

Sponsoring and mentoring the Production Trainees upon completion of the Paralympics

VisABLE

VisABLE was founded by Louise Dyson more than 20 years ago to create mainstream professional opportunities for actors, presenters and models with disabilities

VisABLE represents highly motivated artists with disabilities of all ages but above all, abilities, including acting, modelling and presenting, many of whom have a decade or more of professional work under their belt, plus award-winning sportspeople, including World Champions and Paralympic medallists.

More details about VisABLE are available at http://visablepeople.com/about-us/