Underrepresented Minorities

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White actresses dominated Oscar 2020.

The marginalization of diverse groups in Hollywood is commonplace and has existed in the film industry more than a century ago. Hollywood has always been a lucrative and isolated industry in which white people dominate. This reality led the Hollywood narrative center to routinely erase women and people of color. Over the years, people have repeatedly tried to clarify this problem, but most of these efforts have failed to bring about lasting changes. Critics who criticized Hollywood's response to the issue of diversity have long held a firm attitude.[1]

When the #OscarsSoWhite movement was launched in 2015, Hollywood was forced to openly face its long-standing diversity problem. Critics of the industry have pointed out that if the industry does not produce high-quality films that enable people of color to play an important role, it is unrealistic to expect significant progress for people of color at the Oscars.

By 2018, 31% of the Academy membership were women, 16% for minority groups. In the following year, there were 842 new members, half of which were women, while people of color accounted for 29%, further diversifying the Academy membership.

Nevertheless, a year after women and minorities made great progress at the 2018 Oscars, the 2019 nomination women and people of color still marginalized. Of the 20 nominees for the Academy Awards, 19 of them were White. Despite the fact that in 2019, several highly acclaimed films were directed by women, none of them was nominated for best director.[2]

In the six years examined, Hollywood’s discussion of diversity has undoubtedly escalated, as the release of "Black Panther" ($1.3 billion) and "Crazy Rich Asians" ($239 million). It shows the power of diversity of Hollywood images and stories at the box office.

Black Panther movie dominated by Black people

That said, take a closer look at the extent to which women and people of color are present in front of and behind the camera reveals that the structural changes necessary for business as usual in the Hollywood film industry have not yet taken place. From studio board meeting rooms and executive suites to talent intermediaries acting as gatekeepers, the basic production relationships centered on white men in Hollywood white film production have remained unchanged. Among the directors, writers, and protagonists who breathed life into Hollywood movies, the number of diverse groups is still seriously underrepresented.[1]

Representation on- and off-screen

Black talent is underrepresented in various industries, especially in Film and TV industry. Studies have shown that less than 6% of film writers, directors, and producers produced in the United States are black. The representation is even lower in some genres.

Even compared to similar industries, the film industry, in particular, is still more whites than black people. The lack of black executives in the film and television industry has brought a disturbing chain reaction to the entire industry. In certain movies and TV series, prominent figures headed by Black have concealed the fact that black actors are still underrepresented on the screen.

Statistics show that films directed by black producers or black directors are more likely to become black writers. If the producer of the film is black, then it is more likely to appoint a black director in the film. The same is true in TV. When the creator of the show is black, the host (the main producer) is likely to be black. Specifically, in the five performances of black creators, more than four audiences are Black showrunners. However, only 5% of all performers are black.[3]

Most of the studio films that have come out, be they biopics or stories with black main characters, often have white screenwriters able to tell the stories. Most companies want great or well-known writers. It is very unlikely that a black writer will get the opportunity to write a screenplay for a black main character.

Some even point out that the industry’s diversity and inclusion practices are misleading when the focus should be on the conditions that keep the white men to remain in positions of control. Black people still face the same barrier to enter the film industry, when there are one woman and one black out of 8 whites.

Actor Kendrick Sampson wrote “The lack of a true commitment to inclusion and institutional support has only reinforced Hollywood’s legacy of white supremacy,” he added “This is not only in storytelling. It is cultural and systemic in Hollywood”.[4]

Underrepresented

According to the "Hollywood Diversity Report” for 2019 & 2020 of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), although there are gains in front of and behind the camera, the proportion of women and minorities in movies and TV is still insufficient. The study found that women and minorities accounted for an insufficient proportion of employment in all 12 types of industries surveyed.[5]

White people in Blackface, early Hollywood

In the past few years, the proportion of women and non-white characters on the screen has been steadily increasing, but the growth rate has been slow. Black characters account for 12.5% ​​of all characters, which is close to the representative of the American population. However, in many cases, these descriptions are problematic. In the early days of Hollywood, blacks were usually not played by blacks. They rarely appear, and most of the time they are played by white people in Blackface.[6]

Black actors often have little chance to break out or achieve success in the film industry. Compared with black actors, white actors have more opportunities to act as lead roles early in their careers. In the first ten years of their careers, emerging black actors received an average of six, while their white counterparts received nine for the leading role. They usually take the lead role for two to three years, which means they lack a stable income to help them stay in the industry.[3]

In decision-making and leadership roles, blacks are seriously underrepresented. Black professionals have few executive positions in the entire industry. In terms of background film executives, most of them are white. In particular, the film industry still maintains a disproportionately white status compared to black people.[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Dr. Hunt, Darnell et al. Hollywood Diversity Report 2019: Old Story, New Beginning. UCLA College Social Sciences. February 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  2. Dr. Hunt, Darnell et al. Hollywood Diversity Report 2020: A Tale of Two Hollywoods. UCLA College Social Sciences. February 6, 2020. Retrieved Maret 22, 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Dunn, Jonathan et al. Black representation in film and TV: The challenges and impact of increasing diversity. McKinsey & Company. March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  4. Low, Elaine & Angelique Jackson. The Reckoning Over Representation: Black Hollywood Speaks Out, But Is the Industry Listening? Variety. June 30, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  5. BROWN, TRACY. UCLA diversity report finds women and minorities still underrepresented in film and TV. LA Times. February. 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  6. Schacht, Kira. What Hollywood movies do to perpetuate racial stereotypes. DW. February 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  7. Ramos, Dino-Ray. New Study Finds Undervaluing Of Black-Led Projects Costs Hollywood $10 Billion Annually. DEADLINE. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.