by Denise Petski
January 19, 2018
Univision Communications is partnering with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, University of California, Los Angeles Division of Social Sciences, University of Southern California Annenberg, as well as the USC School of Cinematic Arts on the production of its Storytelling Unbound Handbook.
The Handbook’s aim is to accelerate progress in the creation of inclusive content by sharing what’s working and why. It will be released in the second half of 2018 and will also include a web component.
Elements of the final product could include barriers to entry for underrepresented populations; clarity on what defines a successful program; employment and retention issues; and recommendations on how to implement programs and track successes in-house, among other things.
The Storytelling Unbound Advisory Committee will be chaired by the founder of the Hollywood Bureau of the NAACP, Vicangelo Bulluck.
Publication of the handbook is part of the company’s previously announced Project Unbound, which it describes as a “wide-reaching effort focused on closing the diversity gap in entertainment by raising awareness of the disparities and solutions; creating and celebrating content representative of today’s America; and developing and supporting emerging storytellers.”
UCI also will host a panel titled Behind the Camera: Where Diversity Begins this Sunday at the Sundance Film Festival under the Project Unbound umbrella. Fusion TV host Kimberly Brooks will moderate and Chief Executive Officer of FMG Studios, Camila Jimenez Villa will join actress, activist and author, Ashley Judd; co-director of Pixar’s Golden Globe-winning movie Coco, Adrian Molina; producer and president of Gamechanger films, Mynette Louie; and Creative Artist Agency’s Darnell Strom in the discussion.
Source – DEADLINE