A recent Diversity Report from UCLA found that people of color accounted for just 7.1 percent of creators on broadcast scripted shows and 7.3 percent of creators on cable scripted shows in the 2015–16 season. CAA is taking steps to improve opportunities available to writers of color. The talent agency has announced the creation of The Amplify Database, a searchable database of more than 800 television writers of color. According to The Los Angeles Times, the aim of the database is to “help industry leaders find diverse voices to staff their shows.”
“We initially conceived the Amplify Database as a resource for our clients and buyers to help them make the most informed and inclusive decisions when addressing the needs of their shows,” said Christy Haubegger, the agency’s head of multicultural business development.
She added, “With the marketplace appetite for diverse voices at an all-time high, we saw the larger potential value in this resource and decided to maximize its impact by sharing it with the entertainment industry.”
Available to networks, studios, showrunners, and other industry decision-makers, the database does require registration. There are no fees involved. In addition to ethnicity, users will be able to filter searches based on gender and most recent or highest-level writing position.
The Amplify Database can be accessed here.
Other — and unaffiliated — databases exist to help improve the number of female cinematographers, women directors, and minorities working in the entertainment industry.
