#Representation
Guest Post: How the World’s Largest Search Engine Can Help Fix Hollywood’s Representation Problem
By Mimi Anagli and Elena Rossini Imagine this: you are a 14-year-old with a passion for movies and photography. Maybe one day you could make a career out of it, becoming a cinematographer. You are...
Stella Meghie to Write and Direct “Princess and the Frog” Spinoff Series for Disney+
Princess Tiana is returning to the screen. Deadline has confirmed that “The Photograph” filmmaker Stella Meghie has been tapped to write and direct a “Princess and the Frog”...
There Is a Pronounced Gender Gap in Top Films’ VFX, Inclusion Initiative/WIA Study Finds
It’s no secret that women are underrepresented as speaking characters, directors, screenwriters, and producers in Hollywood’s highest-earning films. But a new study from Dr. Stacy L....
Disability Representation Non-Profit Inevitable Foundation Selects Fall 2021 Screenwriting Fellows
Inevitable Foundation has selected its second round of screenwriting fellows. The non-profit, which aims to close the disability gap in TV and film, is presenting Shaina Ghuraya and writing partners...
Inclusion Initiative: Latinas Comprised Only 1.9% of Leads/Co-Leads Across 2007-2019’s Top 1,300 Films
The latest report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has found that, despite making up about 20 percent of the U.S. population, the Hispanic/Latinx community “remains almost invisible...
Netflix and BBC Join Forces to Support Shows from Deaf, Disabled, and Neurodivergent Creatives
Two of the biggest names in media are working together to develop, fund, and co-produce shows from Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent creatives. Variety confirms Netflix and the BBC are entering into...
“Black Widow,” “Respect,” and “Mrs. America” Among Women’s Image Award Nominees
The Women’s Image Network (WIN) has announced the nominations for the 23rd Women’s Image Awards, which “celebrate artists whose work depicts dimensional female media images”...
Exclusive: The Cast & Crew of “Spirit Untamed” Discuss the Importance of Girls’ Onscreen Rep in Clip
In “Spirit Untamed,” a girl’s love for a mustang named Spirit leads her to forge lasting friendships with other young women — and discover an unexpected connection with her...
Quote of the Day: Jodie Turner-Smith Calls for Inclusive Hiring Above & Below the Line During Cannes Talk
Jodie Turner-Smith is emphasizing the importance of inclusive hiring — and not just directors and actors. Per Variety, the “Queen & Slim” star called on the industry to provide...
Out in Hollywood Announces Out Loud 2021 List of Best Unproduced Pilot Scripts by LGBTQ+ Writers
A newly formed organization, Out in Hollywood, has launched its inaugural Out Loud List of the best unproduced pilot scripts that center on queer experiences and/or are written by queer writers....
Amazon Studios Implements Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Playbook
Amazon Studios is making it official. The company has implemented a formal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) policy, including “a detailed ‘playbook’ with hiring and...
Muslim Characters Are “Missing and Maligned” in Popular Global Movies, Study Finds
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has released its first-ever study on Muslim representation. Dr. Stacy L. Smith and Co. investigated the prevalence and portrayals of Muslim characters across...
Quiara Alegría Hudes on the Responsibility of Taking “In the Heights” from Stage to Screen
Writer-producer Quiara Alegría Hudes is a big believer in weaving in parts of her Latino heritage and culture into her storylines for a greater sense of reality. So when she was asked to join...
Trailer Watch: “Ahead of the Curve” Pays Tribute to Curve Magazine and Explores Lesbian Visibility
“There wasn’t a glossy magazine for lesbians anywhere,” says Melissa Etheridge in a trailer for “Ahead of the Curve.” Featuring interviews with celebs and activists...
Study: Just Six of 2007-2019’s Top 1,300 Films Featured an Asian/Pacific Islander Woman Lead or Co-Lead
This year, Chloé Zhao became the most decorated filmmaker in a single awards season and made history as the first Asian woman to win the Best Director Oscar. Steven Yeun was the first Asian American...
“Best Summer Ever’s” Lauren Smitelli on Making an Inclusive Musical & the Importance of Representation
Interview by Meghan Gheron Lauren Smitelli is a writer, director, and producer. As an alumna of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, her work has been exhibited at SXSW, Sundance, Venice, and the...
Pick of the Day: “Rutherford Falls”
A small town reckoning with its racist past (and present) might sound like a better basis for a docuseries or drama than a light-hearted comedy. And yet, in the year 2021, we have “Rutherford...
Starz Aims to Increase Representation of Women Helmers with Alliance of Women Directors Partnership
Starz is joining forces with the Alliance of Women Directors (AWD) to boost the number of its women helmers. According to Deadline, the network and the collective have launched the #TakeTheLead...
Guest Post: It’s Time For Disability Representation in Hollywood to Increase and Evolve
By Anna Pakman As a young girl growing up in the ’90s, I rarely saw anyone who looked like me on television or in the movies. You see, I was born with Cerebral Palsy, a disability that limits...
New Report Finds Black Women in Family Films More Likely to Work in STEM Than Other Female Characters, But Colorism Persists
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media’s latest study considered the representation of Black women and girls in family entertainment over the past decade — and came to some...
All-Native Writers Room Lined Up for Netflix Children’s Show “Spirit Rangers”
“Spirit Rangers,” an animated Netflix series about three shape-shifting siblings, won’t debut until next year, but it’s already making a major cultural mark. Led by showrunner...
Half of Netflix’s 2018-2019 Films and Shows Were Driven by Women and Girls, New Study Finds
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has released a new report analyzing the U.S.-based 126 movies and 180 series released on Netflix in 2018 and 2019. “Inclusion in Netflix Original U.S....
Athena Film Festival Offering a Select Number of Free Passes for Critics from Underrepresented Groups
Are you a film critic interested in attending the 2021 Athena Film Festival (AFF)? The fest, which has gone digital this year due to COVID-19, is reserving 10 press passes for film critics from...
New Study Concludes Swedish Film Industry Isn’t Reaching Full Diversity & Representation Potential
A new study released by the Swedish Film Institute, entitled “Which Women?,” has determined the Swedish film and TV industry can do a lot better when it comes to representation and...
The Disability List Announces 2020 Selections
The Disability List, an annual collection of the best unproduced scripts featuring at least one lead character with a disability, has selected eight screenplays for its second edition. The 2020 list...
Study: The Number of Women Writers & Directors Screening Indie Films at Fests Continues to Rise
Women keep reaching new historic highs as writers and directors of indie films screening at major festivals. A new study from Dr. Martha M. Lauzen, of the Center for the Study of Women in Television...
Producer Heather Rae Inks Deal with Endeavor, Will Develop Pics from Indigenous Filmmakers
“Frozen River” producer Heather Rae and Endeavor Content are teaming up to make movies by Indigenous filmmakers. Variety reports that Rae signed a three-film development deal with the...
Nina Menkes to Investigate Sexist Cinema Techniques with Doc “Brainwashed”
Nina Menkes is taking on the male gaze. The “Queen of Diamonds” director is working on “Brainwashed,” a documentary outlining the omnipresent cinematic techniques that...
Guest Post: How 2020 Changed Our Distribution Plans for Our Doc About Lesbian Icon Franco Stevens
By Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow Shivering at 4 a.m. in an empty drive-in theater parking lot was not how we expected to spend the day before our film “Ahead of the Curve’s” world...
ViacomCBS Developing 50 TV Movies by First-Time Women & BIPOC Directors with New Program
ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group has committed to telling “diverse stories through the lens of diverse storytellers” via a new initiative. The Los Angeles Times reports that the...
ReFrame Awards 33 Shows Its Gender Equality Stamp, a 57% Increase from Previous Season
ReFrame is spotlighting 33 shows featuring gender-balanced casts and creative teams. A press release announced that “Euphoria,” “Normal People,” “Never Have I...
“Boxed In” Report: Streaming Programs Feature More Female Protagonists Than Cable or Broadcast
Streamers such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon outstrip the likes of CBS, NBC, ABC, and HBO when it comes to the representation of women. According to the new “Boxed In” television report,...
Study: The Number of Female Speaking Characters in Top Films Hasn’t “Meaningfully Increased Since 2007”
Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative have released their latest study, “Inequality in 1,300 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBTQ &...
Academy Introduces Representation and Inclusion Standards for Best Picture Oscar
Films will soon have to up their inclusion game if they want to be considered for the Best Picture Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced and outlined new...
Quote of the Day: Sierra Teller Ornelas Talks Native American Representation on Her New Show
According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, 70 percent of female television characters in the 2018-2019 season were white. Seventeen percent were Black, seven percent were...
Quote of the Day: “The Old Guard’s” KiKi Layne on Black Female Superheroes
KiKi Layne is speaking out about how representation — and the lack thereof — influences her aspirations in Hollywood. The “If Beale Street Could Talk” breakout stars alongside...
Quote of the Day: “Supergirl’s” Nicole Maines Advocates for More Nuanced Trans Characters
“I think it’s that more and more trans characters [can] be less than perfect and be a–holes and be the villains,” Nicole Maines tells Variety in a new feature. “We can look at them,...
Guest Post: A Recovering Angry Asian Girl Celebrates Trailblazers in PBS’ “Asian Americans”
Guest Post by Renee Tajima-Peña I am a recovering angry Asian girl and showrunner of “Asian Americans,” a docuseries about the epic and unexpected history of the country’s fastest...
Viola Davis, Halle Berry, Taraji P. Henson, & Other Veteran Black Actresses Talk Representation
“I’m really proud to be a part of our industry now because we’re finally understanding that we’re stronger together and it doesn’t have to be one of us,” says...
Quote of the Day: Gina Prince-Bythewood Calls on the Industry to “Pull Up” & Improve Representation
Like Mindy Kaling before her, Gina Prince-Bythewood is using the immortal words of Rihanna to deliver a point about the entertainment industry. In a guest column for Variety, the “Love &...
“Hustlers,” “Little Women,” “Booksmart,” and More Earn ReFrame Stamps
Of the top 100 films of 2019, 26 received the ReFrame Stamp, a badge that denotes a production was made with a gender-balanced, inclusive cast and crew. This marks a new record, and a 30 percent...
Producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, Fellow Film and Tech Execs Set Up Multicultural Film Fund
Nina Yang Bongiovi’s new venture will support inclusive stories. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Fruitvale Station” producer, alongside fellow Asian American film and tech...
Quote of the Day: “Mixed-ish” Showrunner Karin Gist on How TV Contributes to Black History
“History is a living, breathing thing that is made simply by the passing seconds,” “Mixed-ish” showrunner Karin Gist writes of Black History Month in a guest column for...
Geena Davis Institute, Universal, and USC Partner for Tool to Boost Latinx Representation
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, alongside Universal Entertainment Group and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, is expanding upon its Spellcheck for Bias software. The organizations...
New Time’s Up Campaign Encourages Women to Pursue Careers Behind the Camera
Time’s Up’s mission includes striving to protect women and marginalized communities in the workplace — in Hollywood and beyond. Now the organization is focusing on supporting women...
Essence Honors Niecy Nash, Melina Matsoukas, Lashana Lynch, Janet Mock, and the Cast of “Pose”
Essence’s recent Black Women in Hollywood event did what the rest of the 2020 awards season wouldn’t: it honored women of color, multiple women of color. The annual awards ceremony and...
WMC Report: Women Make Up 30 Percent of Non-Acting 2020 Oscar Nominees
The good news: there are more women nominated in non-acting categories at the Oscars this year (56, or 30 percent of all non-acting nominees) than in 2019 (51, 25 percent). The bad news: 30 percent...
Study: Films Led by People of Color Tend to Out Earn Those with White Leads
A new report from USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative and ReFrame concludes — yet again — that diversity sells. “The Ticket to Inclusion” analyzed the economic...
Women and POC Hit New Highs as Leads/Co-Leads in 2019’s Top Films, Study Finds
The Oscars and BAFTAs are still #SoWhite, but show business seems to be upping its on-screen inclusivity as of late. A new research brief from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that...
Quote of the Day: Cynthia Erivo on Oscars’ Lack of Inclusivity & the Roles She Wants for Black Women
Despite the success and critical acclaim of films with racially inclusive casts this past year — “The Farewell,” “Hustlers,” and “Parasite” among them...
Lulu Wang, Céline Sciamma, and More Women Directors Spotlighted by Alice Initiative
If you’re still (rightfully) pissed about the male-dominated Oscar nominations, the Alice Initiative has something that will make you feel better. The org has unveiled its annual list of rising...