To: Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO, Jim Gianopulos, 20th Century Fox Chairman and CEO, Michael Lynton, Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO, Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO, Rupert Murdoch, News Cor...
Increase Diversity in Major Motion Pictures Over Next Five Years
When cinema was invented in the 1890's, no one could have predicted that it would become one of the primary tools of documenting and narrating the human experience. Cinema has the power to show us who we were, who we are, and who we can be. It is blatantly obvious that the choices that the executives within the motion picture industry have made have intentionally or inadvertently omitted and/or truncated and/or silenced the voices and stories of people of color and women. That's why we need to rise up and tell this powerful and wealthy industry that it is time for a change in the movies they select to produce, the voices they choose to share, and the people who are at the focus of these stories that are watched by billions of people all over the world.
Can you sign this petition that is directed at the CEOs and Presidents of these corporations that are in control of cinema and the movie business industry and ask them to increase the diversity in their movies by 25% over the next 5 years?
Can you sign this petition that is directed at the CEOs and Presidents of these corporations that are in control of cinema and the movie business industry and ask them to increase the diversity in their movies by 25% over the next 5 years?
Why is this important?
A lot has changed in the 125 years since this invention, that we call movies, caught the eyes and sensations of people all over the world, and the United States motion picture industry is at the heart of driving this art form and helping to shape how we and future generations see the world as it was, as it is, and as how it could be. It is time for them to open up their doors to a plethora of diverse stories that represent humanity in all of its numerous forms.
Despite the fact that the majority of people in the world are female and/or people of color, our representation in the cinema is not being duly noted by the motion picture industry. Instead, the motion picture industry insists on representing a world where women have limited voices and people of color are mere auxiliary characters that serve no real function in driving the plot of the story towards a denouement. We have reached a point as a civilization where we need to see more representation of women and people of color in the movies that we consume.
A friend of mine asked me, "What is a viable solution to this pervasive issue?" With that I said to myself, "I definitely don't think it is another petition." However, we need a chorus of voices all telling the entertainment industry that times have changed, and we need to document and represent the changes that have occurred within our society, and part of this is changing the movies that we make and the narratives we tell to include more women and people of color in focal positions. In order to do this, we need the motion picture industry to step up and commit to increasing the representation of people of color and women in their feature films by 25% over the course of the next five years.
That's why I am starting this petition. We have to take some control over our culture and the images and values that it presents and others consume all over the world. No one should have to stand by and watch over and over a series of images that reinforce a perception that you are not important to the story of the world, and in fact you don't even have a place in the world that has any relevance to the big picture. This has to change, and we have to start this today, but we can't do this without the motion picture industry agreeing that the time to make a change is now.
Can you sign this petition today? They need to hear our voices. We can't afford to remain quiet any longer.
Despite the fact that the majority of people in the world are female and/or people of color, our representation in the cinema is not being duly noted by the motion picture industry. Instead, the motion picture industry insists on representing a world where women have limited voices and people of color are mere auxiliary characters that serve no real function in driving the plot of the story towards a denouement. We have reached a point as a civilization where we need to see more representation of women and people of color in the movies that we consume.
A friend of mine asked me, "What is a viable solution to this pervasive issue?" With that I said to myself, "I definitely don't think it is another petition." However, we need a chorus of voices all telling the entertainment industry that times have changed, and we need to document and represent the changes that have occurred within our society, and part of this is changing the movies that we make and the narratives we tell to include more women and people of color in focal positions. In order to do this, we need the motion picture industry to step up and commit to increasing the representation of people of color and women in their feature films by 25% over the course of the next five years.
That's why I am starting this petition. We have to take some control over our culture and the images and values that it presents and others consume all over the world. No one should have to stand by and watch over and over a series of images that reinforce a perception that you are not important to the story of the world, and in fact you don't even have a place in the world that has any relevance to the big picture. This has to change, and we have to start this today, but we can't do this without the motion picture industry agreeing that the time to make a change is now.
Can you sign this petition today? They need to hear our voices. We can't afford to remain quiet any longer.