In March 2021 McKinsey & Company published findings of their research on the experiences of Black talent in the film and TV industry. Their findings corroborated McKinsey’s earlier research on the Black experience in corporate America.
The handful of Black creatives who are in prominent off-screen positions (creator, producer, writer, or director) are primarily responsible for providing opportunities for other Black off-screen talent. Unless at least one senior member of a production is Black, Black talent is largely shut out of those critical roles.
Compared to white actors, emerging Black actors receive significantly fewer chances early in their careers to make their mark in leading roles, and they have a lower margin for error.
Both film and TV still have very little minority representation among leadership at all levels. The film sector in particular is less diverse than relatively homogenous sectors such as energy, finance, and transport.
The racial status quo in the film + TV industry is maintained through a complex, interdependent value chain. Black professionals regularly encounter dozens of hidden barriers and pain points as they attempt to build their careers.
Black-led film and TV stories often earn higher relative returns than other properties. Yet fewer Black-led stories are told, and when they are they are consistently underfunded and undervalued.
The film + TV industry is actually shooting themselves in the foot here. It is estimated that if they addressed the persistent racial inequities, they could generate an additional $10 billion in annual revenue – a seven percent boost.
McKinsey identifies four key steps that film + TV companies can take to advance racial equity:
- Ensure diverse representation among off-screen talent and executives
- Increase transparency and accountability
- Seek and financially support a wide range of Black stories
- Create an independent organization to promote diversity
Data and insights used in this post are from Black representation in film and TV: The challenges and impact of increasing diversity, 11 March 2021, McKinsey & Company, www.mckinsey.com