Hollywood forfeiting billions through lack of diversity

According to a new report released by McKinsey, Hollywood is losing out on billions over its lack of diversity. McKinsey estimates the U.S. television and film industry could bring in an additional $10 billion annually by increasing Black representation both on camera and behind the scenes. The report breaks down the industry by race and gender with figures illustrating Hollywood’s executive roles as disproportionately male and white. Read the full report here and see McKinsey’s recommendations to improve representation and overall racial diversity.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’d like to spotlight award-winning filmmaker, Emily Harrold. Emily is a South Carolina native known for her work as director of While I Breathe, I Hope, a documentary film highlighting Bakari Sellers, the youngest person in South Carolina history to be elected to the state legislature. The film captures Sellers on the campaign trail while grappling with the state’s violent and racist roots, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the Orangeburg massacre with his father, Civil Rights activist Cleveland Sellers, a survivor of the 1968 attack on South Carolina State’s campus. Sellers reflects on the similarities of the past leading up to the 2015 racially motivated shooting at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston where his fellow state Representative Clementa C. Pinckney and eight others were killed. Most recently, Emily produced an episode of American Experience on PBS featuring legendary vocalist Marian Anderson. Watch it here.

Sincerely,

The Minority Film Institute Team

Women Direct 23% of Netflix Films. Now the Company is Spending $5M to Boost that Number

By Emma Hinchliffe | Fortune

The initial funding—which is part of a $20 million annual commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts in entertainment for the next five years, totaling $100 million—will support both internal Netflix initiatives and external programs around the world. Some of the first beneficiaries of the funding will be yearlong mentorship opportunities for female creatives in France and Germany; a short-film incubator for Latinx women; and a director training program in Canada.

Activists Call For Asian Stereotypes To Stop In Film, TV

By CBSLA Staff

Between March 2020 and the end of February 2021, the organization “Stop A-A-P-I Hate” received nearly 3,800 reports of incidents involving hate.  Women were disproportionately victimized at about 68 percent compared to men at 29 percent.

Academy Commissions Black Artists For 93rd Oscars Campaign Art

By Ellen J. Wanjiru | BlackFilm.com

This year’s campaign features an expanded color palette, broadening the artists’ approach to reimagining the iconic statuette. Ranging across illustration, motion design, painting, photography and textile art, the pieces are drawn from the artists’ diverse personal inspirations and experiences, including theaters of 1920s and ’30s Hollywood, film as both a form of escapism and a bridge of communication, and more.

FX Taps Shola Ajewole to Lead Diversity Efforts

By Rick Porter | The Hollywood Reporter

Ajewole. who’s been with FX since 2016, will take on the newly created position of senior vp creative and cultural diversity at the Disney-owned cable outlet and its FX Productions. He’ll be responsible for leading the company’s commitments to diversity and inclusion across all aspects of its culture, creative relationships and content. Ajewole will also work with Disney General Entertainment Content’s diversity, equity and inclusion team on larger corporate efforts.

‘Black Magic’ Comedy From Party Over Here & Writer Meredith Dawson In Works At CBS

By Nellie Andreeva | Deadline

Dawson comes from the Mindy Kaling fold. She got her break as a writer on The Mindy Project and went on to write for two other Kaling series, Champions and Four Weddings and a Funeral. On the feature side, Dawson is writing road-trip romantic comedy Lost & Found, which is  in the works at Sony with producer Will Gluck.