Barriers to Diversity in Film – A Research Review – Aug 07
Barriers to Diversity in Film – A Research Review – Aug 07
Barriers to Diversity in Film – A Research Review – Aug 07
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emerg<strong>in</strong>g filmmakers. The Sundance <strong>in</strong>itiative for fund<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
film also funds and supports Native American film. <strong>Film</strong>s made by<br />
Native Americans are shown at the Sundance festival and the<br />
Producers’ Guild of America recently honoured the <strong>in</strong>itiative at its<br />
annual celebration of diversity. The third project is the Tribeca All<br />
Access Programme which selects ten documentaries and ten narratives<br />
produced by m<strong>in</strong>ority ethnic people. The filmmak<strong>in</strong>g team from each<br />
selected project is given meet<strong>in</strong>gs with representatives and<br />
development executives from production companies, agents and<br />
equity f<strong>in</strong>anciers. At the end of the programme, one documentary and<br />
one narrative project is selected <strong>to</strong> w<strong>in</strong> an award. The fourth project,<br />
entitled Los Angeles Project Involve, is designed <strong>to</strong> promote cultural<br />
diversity <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry through one-<strong>to</strong>-one men<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g and film<br />
workshops. The author of this article concludes that positive action<br />
programmes started by those respected <strong>in</strong> the film <strong>in</strong>dustry have a<br />
good chance of success and are steps <strong>in</strong> the right direction, whether it<br />
is about giv<strong>in</strong>g of funds or career development and support (Tucker<br />
2004).<br />
Where positive action has been <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> the UK, such as target<strong>in</strong>g<br />
groups for a tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g course, studies found raised confidence among<br />
the attendees though organisational cultures rema<strong>in</strong>ed un<strong>to</strong>uched<br />
(Bhavnani and Coyle 2000). Similarly research exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g positive<br />
action <strong>in</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the hous<strong>in</strong>g sec<strong>to</strong>r found that, of 1,000 tra<strong>in</strong>ees<br />
over the last 15 years, 80% obta<strong>in</strong>ed jobs they were tra<strong>in</strong>ed for <strong>in</strong><br />
C:\Documents and Sett<strong>in</strong>gs\mcorless\Desk<strong>to</strong>p\Intranet\<strong>Barriers</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Diversity</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Film</strong>_DS_RB 20 <strong>Aug</strong><br />
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