Directors UK
Directors UK is a London-based professional association and collecting society serving over 8,500 UK screen directors, distributing more than £18.5 million annually in secondary usage royalties under rights agreements with major UK broadcasters and 25+ international collecting societies, alongside legal, career, and advocacy services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Directors UK does
Directors UK is the professional association and collecting society for UK screen directors, founded in 1992 and headquartered in London. The organization serves over 8,500 director members and operates two integrated functions: as a collecting society that gathers and distributes secondary usage royalties for directors' work (repeat transmissions, international sales, DVD, cable retransmission, private copying, and educational recording), and as a campaigning and member-services body providing legal advice, career development, events, and industry advocacy. Last year it distributed over £18.5 million to members through distribution schemes underpinned by Rights Agreements with all major UK public-service and commercial broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C, Sky UK) and reciprocal collection arrangements with 25+ international collecting societies across Europe and beyond.
The organization's core technology is a director credit registration and distribution administration platform supported by a member database, quarterly bank-transfer payouts, and a publicly searchable 'Find a Director' directory of 3,167+ director profiles. Distribution management fees are deducted at 13.75% (+VAT) for UK payments and 15% (+VAT) for international payments, generating the bulk of organizational revenue. Membership is structured in three tiers: Full Membership at £168/year (with a 65+ half-price option), Associate Membership at £84/year for directors building credits, and a Distribution-Only Membership at a £84 one-off fee for permanent distribution scheme registration without ongoing benefits.
The go-to-market is community-led: directors are recruited via the website (directors.uk.com/join) based on verifiable professional credits, supplemented by industry events, the Directors UK Festival, the Directors UK Podcast, and partnerships with BAFTA, BFI, Film London, and others. The organization also markets a 'Find a Director' service to producers and broadcasters, runs co-funded training schemes with BBC Writersroom, BBC Studios, ITV Studios, and Channel 4, and convenes industry-wide initiatives such as the Directors and Producers Forum (established December 2023 with Pact, BBC Studios, and ITV Studios). The model is a member-governed, self-sustaining professional association with no external parent, private equity ownership, or public listing.
Directors UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Directors UK
- Legal name
- Directors UK Ltd.
- Website
- https://directors.uk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Directors UK is a London-based professional association and collecting society serving over 8,500 UK screen directors, distributing more than £18.5 million annually in secondary usage royalties under rights agreements with major UK broadcasters and 25+ international collecting societies, alongside legal, career, and advocacy services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Directors UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Collecting Society
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management (HSACAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Production Accounting & Business Affairs (Accounting, Legal Clearances) (MPADAFAM)
Keywords
Where Directors UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Directors UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Directors UK generates revenue through tiered annual membership fees. Full Membership costs £168 per year (with half-price for directors aged 65+), Associate Membership costs £84 annually, and Distribution-Only Membership requires a one-off £84 registration fee. These fees fund the organization's operations, member services, and campaigning activities.
- Distribution Collections and Disbursements: Directors UK collects payments from UK broadcasters and international collecting societies for secondary usage of directors' works (repeat transmissions, DVD sales, international sales, cable retransmission, private copying). The organization deducts a management fee (13.75% plus VAT for UK payments, 15% plus VAT for international payments) before distributing the remainder to members. Last year distributed over £18.5 million to members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full Membership for principal directors on broadcast TV or feature films - includes all member benefits and distribution scheme registration |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership for directors with 2+ completed credits on screened works not eligible for distribution schemes |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Distribution-Only Membership for permanent distribution scheme registration without other member benefits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Directors UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Directors UK is the professional association and collecting society for UK screen directors with over 8,500 members. It collects and distributes payments from UK broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C, Sky UK) and 25+ international collecting societies for secondary usage of directors' work, deducting a management fee (13.75%-15% plus VAT) before disbursement. It also offers tiered memberships (Full, Associate, Distribution-Only), career development training, advice and legal services, the Find a Director database, and runs advocacy campaigns on behalf of UK screen directors.
Product overview
Directors UK operates as a professional association and collecting society for UK screen directors with over 8,500 members. The organization provides a multi-tiered membership structure (Full, Associate, and Distribution-Only Membership) alongside its core distribution services that collect and distribute payments from UK broadcasters and international collecting societies. The 'Find a Director' database searchable directory connects industry professionals with director talent. Additional services include career development programmes with training schemes developed alongside BBC, ITV, and Channel 4; events including the annual Directors UK Festival; the Directors UK Podcast featuring masterclasses and conversations; and advice and legal services. The organization also runs extensive advocacy campaigns covering director engagement guidelines, working conditions research, bullying and harassment prevention, intimacy coordination guidance, sustainable filmmaking, diversity initiatives, and creative rights protection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Full Membership Principal membership tier for directors with a principal director credit on a broadcast UK television programme or commercially distributed feature film. Includes access to all member benefits, distribution scheme registration, legal advice, events, and career development opportunities. Annual subscription of £168 (half price for directors aged 65+).
- Associate Membership Membership tier for directors with minimum two completed director credits on audiovisual works publicly screened or commercially exploited but not eligible under distribution schemes (e.g., shorts, festival films, music videos, video games, VR projects). Annual subscription of £84.
- Distribution-Only Membership Membership tier for directors seeking permanent registration on distribution schemes to receive future payments without ongoing subscription costs or other member benefits. One-off registration fee of £84.
- UK Distribution Scheme Collects and distributes payments to directors for secondary use of their work from UK broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C, Sky UK) through agreements with producers. Covers programmes made from 1 July 2001 onwards under freelance contracts, deducting 13.75% plus VAT before distribution.
- International Distribution Scheme Collects payments from over 25 international collecting societies throughout Europe and beyond for private copying, cable retransmissions, educational recording, and international sales. Deductions of 15% plus VAT before distribution. Includes exchange arrangements with DGA (USA), DRCC (Canada), and ASDACS (Australia).
- BBC Residuals Administration Administration of residuals payments due to freelance directors and producers of BBC programmes made under 1976 and 1984 union agreements. Covers programme sales, repeat transmissions, and VHS/DVD payments.
- Find a Director Database Searchable online directory of over 3,167 director members with CVs and showreels. Allows filtering by skills and genres with options to search for women directors and directors of colour. Used by production companies and broadcasters seeking director talent.
- Career Development Programme Training, skills workshops, and masterclasses for Full and Associate members to support career advancement. Includes initiatives with BBC Writersroom (Continuing Drama Directors' Training Scheme), ITV Studios (multi-camera directing workshops), and Channel 4 (4Stories talent scheme).
- Directors UK Festival Annual festival bringing together TV and film directors for talks, panel discussions, demos, networking, and inspiration. Held in-person in London with online access options.
- Advice and Legal Services Access to advice and legal services on matters related to work as a director. Provided by Directors UK (not a law firm) to assist members on contract, copyright, and work-related matters.
Quantifiable outcome
- Directors UK distributed over £18.5 million to members last year through its distribution schemes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Directors UK
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Directors UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Directors UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and supporting.
- BBC StudioscoreBBC Studios partnered with Directors UK to establish Director's Engagement Guidelines for ways of working between producers and directors, announced March 2025. They also co-fund director mentorship schemes seeking underrepresented voices and run the Continuing Drama Directors' Training Scheme.
- ITV StudioscoreITV Studios partnered with Directors UK and BBC Studios to establish Director's Engagement Guidelines, announced March 2025. ITV Studios also collaborates on multi-camera directing workshops and training programmes.
- PactcoreDirectors UK, Pact, BBC Studios and ITV Studios established the Directors and Producers Forum in December 2023. Pact represents independent production companies and is party to the Directors' Rights Agreement governing distribution payments.
- BBC WritersroommajorDirectors UK and BBC Writersroom jointly run the Continuing Drama Directors' Training Scheme, providing career development opportunities for new directors on EastEnders and Holby City. The scheme has won the UK Television Diversity Award.
- Creative Skillset (ScreenSkills)majorDirectors UK and Creative Skillset partnered on the High-End TV Drama Directors Career Development Programme and Multi-camera Directors Training Programme to develop skills among working directors.
- Channel 4majorDirectors UK partners with Channel 4's 4Stories talent scheme, supporting emerging directors from underrepresented backgrounds in the industry.
- Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB)majorDirectors UK and WGGB created joint guidelines 'Creating Positive Collaborations: Writers & Directors' to support best practice in collaboration between writers and directors, addressing working relationships and creative conflicts.
- ARRIminorARRI partners with Directors UK on the Challenge ALEXA short film competition (now Challenge TRINITY), showcasing emerging talent. Winners premiere their short films in London events.
- First Option Safety ConsultantssupportingFirst Option collaborated with Directors UK on the 'Working Under COVID: Advice for Factual Directors' guidance document and the COVID-19 Production Manual ('The Yellow Book') used across the sector.
- Educational Recording Agency (ERA)supportingDirectors UK is a member of ERA and receives payments for the recording of broadcasts in educational establishments, monitoring transmissions in the UK and Europe daily.
- BFI (British Film Institute)minorDirectors UK partners with BFI London Film Festival on Industry Programme events exploring industry issues such as the casting conundrum.
- Film LondonminorDirectors UK and Film London partner for annual Creative Partnerships Day supporting collaboration between film and TV professionals.
- International Collecting Societies (25+ CMOs)coreDirectors UK has agreements with collecting societies in over 25 countries including AIPA (Slovenia), ATN (Chile), COPYDAN (Denmark), DAMA (Spain), SGAE (Spain), VG BILD-KUNST (Germany), and exchange arrangements with DGA (USA), DRCC (Canada), and ASDACS (Australia).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Directors UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Directors UK social profiles
Digital presenceDirectors UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Directors UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Directors UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Directors UK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Directors UK
What does Directors UK do?
Directors UK is the professional association and collecting society for UK screen directors with over 8,500 members. It collects and distributes payments from UK broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C, Sky UK) and 25+ international collecting societies for secondary usage of directors' work, deducting a management fee (13.75%-15% plus VAT) before disbursement. It also offers tiered memberships (Full, Associate, Distribution-Only), career development training, advice and legal services, the Find a Director database, and runs advocacy campaigns on behalf of UK screen directors.
Is Directors UK a public or private company?
Directors UK is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Directors UK founded?
Directors UK was founded in 1992. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Directors UK based?
Directors UK is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Directors UK make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are distribution Collections and Disbursements.
Does Directors UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Directors UK.
What industry is Directors UK in?
Directors UK's product category is Collecting Society. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAAAI, Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management, with a secondary code of MPADAFAM, Production Accounting & Business Affairs (Accounting, Legal Clearances). Its NAICS code is 711410 and its SIC code is 7819.