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BAFTA Scotland to Allow 'I Swear' Producer to Attend in Separate Room
Confirmed
In Short: BAFTA Scotland has made special arrangements for 'I Swear' executive producer John Davidson to attend the ceremony in a separate room following a controversy.
BAFTA Scotland has made special arrangements to ensure that 'I Swear' executive producer John Davidson can attend the Scotland Awards ceremony on November 15 in Glasgow, following a controversy involving the use of the N-word at the BAFTA Film Awards in February. Davidson, a Tourette syndrome activist, will watch the event in a separate room within the venue with his family and friends.
The independent review commissioned by the BAFTA Board in March identified specific areas for improvement, and the organization has since consulted with Tourettes Action and Tourette Scotland, as well as directly with Davidson. BAFTA has stated that it has made adjustments to enable John to attend in the way he has suggested, which is to watch the ceremony via video link from a separate relaxed space within the venue.
Davidson removed himself from the Royal Festival Hall audience during the February ceremony after his involuntary interruptions. The BAFTA team has worked extensively and consulted widely on best practices to learn from the racial harm experienced by the community and to make the awards events as inclusive and safe as possible.
I Swear' has received seven nominations, including Best Feature Film, at the upcoming Scotland Awards. This is considered the most nominations in the awards' history. The film's success and the controversy surrounding the February ceremony have prompted BAFTA to take significant steps to ensure a more inclusive environment.
BAFTA has also sent a letter to members from chair Sara Putt and CEO Jane Millichip, confirming that major considerations have been undertaken to allow Davidson to attend the upcoming ceremony. The organization has emphasized its commitment to learning from past incidents and making improvements.
If members or attendees have any questions about the arrangements or the work BAFTA has undertaken, they are encouraged to contact infoscotland@bafta.org.
What this adds
The arrangements for John Davidson to attend the ceremony in a separate room are a direct result of consultations with Tourette syndrome organizations and direct conversations with Davidson himself.
Background
"I Swear" is a romantic ballad co-written by American songwriters Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers in 1987. Written in 1987, the song was pitched for several years before being recorded.
What's confirmed
- The independent review commissioned by the Board in March identified specific areas for improvement.
- We have consulted organisations including Tourettes Action and Tourette Scotland and, most importantly, we have been speaking directly to John.
- Since then, the BAFTA team has worked extensively and consulted widely on best practice to learn from what happened in February and the racial harm experienced by our community, and to make our Awards events as inclusive and as safe as possible.
What's still developing
- Dear [Member] As the BAFTA Awards season is now underway, with the Cymru Awards set to take place on Sunday, quickly followed by the Scotland Awards in November, we wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the work BAFTA has undertaken since the Film Awards earlier this year.
- Just over than seven months after the British Academy faced one of its biggest controversies in years after the N-word was shouted out during the BAFTA Film awards ceremony, BAFTA has had to revisit the moment as it contends with the upcoming BAFTA Scotland awards.