News, Television, Women Directors

Ryan Murphy Creates Foundation For Diversifying Directors

Ryan Murphy: Gage Skidmore/Wiki Commons

Ryan Murphy, creator of “Glee” and “American Horror Story,” is launching a foundation within his 20th Century Fox-based production company aiming to diversify Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Half, as it’s called, “aims to have 50 percent of all director slots on his shows filled by women, people of color and members of the LGBT community and will begin outreach efforts at colleges to align candidates with mentors.”

As THR points out, Murphy has “been responsible for more than two dozen people getting their Directors Guild of America cards on his watch. But only four or five of them have been women.”

“I personally can do better,” he acknowledged.

Murphy is committed to having 50 percent of all director gigs on his shows, which include “Scream Queens,” “American Crime Story” and “American Horror Story,” go to either women or minority candidates, which he defines as people of color or members of the LGBTQ community. His self-imposed deadline to achieve this goal is the end of 2016.

Half will also participate in extensive outreach efforts at colleges and universities with large film programs, beginning with AFI, UCLA, and USC before expanding around the U.S. later this year. The foundation will team candidates up with mentors within Ryan Murphy Productions.

“The industry has always been about, you come to us,” he said. “There’s not a lot of effort and inclusion, and I’m saying, ‘No, we’re going to go to you.’”


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