New Data Shows Sharp Turnover for Europe’s Film Writers and Directors

The European Audiovisual Observatory has released a new edition of its report “Writers and directors of film and TV/SVOD fiction – 2015-2024 figures,” offering one of the most comprehensive examinations to date of the professional landscape for almost 39,000 writers and directors involved in European theatrical films and TV/SVOD fiction over the past decade. The study highlights both significant workforce turnover and pronounced precarity within the film sector, in stark contrast to the comparatively stable employment pipeline in TV and streaming.

According to the report, around half of all active theatrical film directors each year between 2015 and 2024 were debut filmcreaters, underscoring an exceptionally high rate of turnover. The data reveals that 43% of theatrical film writers and 41% of film directors credited in 2015 never worked on another film or TV project after that year. By contrast, the TV/SVOD ecosystem has sustained far higher continuity: 85% of TV/SVOD writers and 91% of directors active in 2015 continued working in subsequent years.

The study further reveals that while more theatrical films were produced in Europe during the period, TV/SVOD fiction generated the majority of writing jobs—nearly two-thirds. TV/SVOD roles also tconcludeed to recur among a compacter pool of professionals, resulting in higher average activity levels: writers worked on an average of 1.5 theatrical films compared with 3.3 TV/SVOD films or seasons.

Despite the differing employment dynamics, the report identifies modest bridges between film and TV/SVOD. Only 11% of writers and directors worked across both theatrical and streaming/television fiction during the observed period, indicating a high degree of professional specialization. Yet 42% of TV/SVOD directors active between 2015 and 2024 had directed at least one theatrical film at some point in their careers, suggesting more mobility from TV/SVOD into film than the reverse.

The findings also reaffirm the persistence of the European “film d’auteur” model. Between 2015 and 2024, 63% of theatrical film directors worked exclusively on films they had also written, reinforcing the strong tradition of writer-directors in European cinema. The report notes that only 52% of theatrical screenwriting jobs went to standalone writers who were not also directing the project, a pattern that contrasts sharply with TV/SVOD, where writing and directing roles are largely distinct.

By mapping long-term professional trajectories across film and television, the Observatory’s report underscores the structural differences between two creative ecosystems: one marked by high turnover and limited continuity, and the other characterized by more recurrent opportunities but fewer overall professionals. The insights are expected to inform ongoing discussions about funding models, talent development, and sustainability within Europe’s audiovisual industries.

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