Netflix: Fund for Creative Equity 2023 Update
Introduction
At Netflix, we believe great stories can come from anywhere and be loved everywhere. Research shows that more inclusion behind the camera leads to more representation on screen. That’s why we are investing $100 million over five years through the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, a dedicated effort to help identify, train and provide job placement for the next generation of talent from underrepresented communities around the world. Through the Fund, Netflix develops in-house programs and supports external organizations that have a strong track record of setting talent up for success in the TV and film industries. Join us in taking a look at some of the highlights and the progress we’ve made around the world in the last two years.
Impact by the Numbers
Since 2021, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity has:
Invested more than $29 million in programs over the past two years
Partnered with over 80 organizations across the globe
Established more than 100 programs in over 35 countries from the United Kingdom to Brazil and Spain and India
Supported more than 4,500 creatives including directors, producers, writers, visual effects artists and more
Spotlight on US and Canada
In the US and Canada, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity has set up a variety of programs that support creatives from historically underrepresented and excluded communities. In order to increase representation on productions, we created in-house training initiatives for a variety of above-the-line and below-the-line positions.
Developing Directors and Writers
Through the Netflix Series Director Development Program, nine directors received training through an extensive curriculum that covered all aspects of episodic directing from pre-production to post-production. All nine directors were employed on Netflix productions or went on to direct episodes for top shows, including some of Netflix’s most popular titles such as Ozark, Family Reunion, On My Block, Lost in Space and more. We established the Netflix Created By Initiative for underrepresented writers with The National Hispanic Media Coalition, CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), Native American Media Alliance, The Black TV and Film Collective, Outfest and Inevitable Foundation. Through this new program, 14 mid-level film and series writers received script development deals and the opportunity to hone their projects alongside Netflix executives from the series and film teams.
Upskilling Below-the-Line Talent
To help expand the pipeline for below-the-line talent from historically underrepresented communities, Netflix partnered with Shondaland to create the Producers Inclusion and Ladder Initiatives. The Producers Inclusion Initiative is an intensive nine-week program that helps train indie producers, unit production managers, supervisors and first assistant directors as line producers within the studio system. Through the Ladder Initiative, trainees will be placed in production and technical roles on Shondaland shows across multiple departments, including production, locations, assistant directors, special effects, costume, hair/makeup, electric, art department stunts, sound, finance and more.
Creating Opportunities for Canadian Creatives
We created the Advancing Voices: Netflix Canada Creator Program to provide seven writers from underrepresented groups with a paid professional opportunity to develop materials for new series and hone their pitching skills. Writers were mentored by creative executives at Netflix as well as established industry experts, and had the opportunity to formally pitch their projects to Netflix. We teamed up with imagineNATIVE to provide Indigenous creatives with an on-set paid mentorship program that provides training opportunities within the art department on long-form productions located in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and the Sudbury area. Selected participants worked on the Netflix film You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah! during the summer of 2022.
Investing in Industry-wide Programs
We also partner with a coalition of external partners to increase opportunities for artists beyond our studio’s walls. By collaborating with leading industry organizations such as Film Independent, Outfest, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, RespectAbility, Women in Film, Women in Animation Vancouver and The Academy of Canadian Cinema and TV, we have helped fund artist fellowships, short films, writing labs and training programs for artists from multiple cities across the US and Canada.
Spotlight on Asia-Pacific
Developing Writers in Australia
To help upskill writers in Australia, Netflix partnered with Australians in Film and Screen Australia to create an intensive course to incubate 18 writers from underrepresented groups, including First Nations communities, and help prepare them for positions on future Netflix series. As part of this course, the writers attended masterclasses taught by prominent Australian talent who have successfully established writing careers around the world. Following the program, the cohort will continue to receive mentorship and career development support from the Netflix team. In order to help develop emerging writers, Netflix also teamed up with Co-Curious on a program dedicated to nurturing and developing early-career talent
Supporting Emerging Filmmakers in India and Southeast Asia
In India, Netflix partnered with Film Companion on Take Ten, a new initiative to support and help break out 10 up-and-coming Indian filmmakers from varied backgrounds. The program provided the filmmakers with an extensive training that covered all aspects of filmmaking from pre-production to postproduction, as well as opportunities to learn from a wide range of industry professionals. The filmmakers also received mentorship from leaders within India’s entertainment community on topics including working with actors, honing their craft, marketing their work and more.
We also supported Purin Pictures’ Short Film Camp for filmmakers in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The program equipped 12 teams of directors and producers with training and mentorship, and the opportunity to pitch for funding for their short film projects. Films from the 2022 edition of the Short Film Camp covered topics ranging from LGBTQ issues to the deconstruction of identity, and participants were mentored by professional filmmakers from the Mekong region. Four winning projects received grants and postproduction support to create their short films with prizes going to filmmakers from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
In Vietnam, we funded the My Vietnam short film competition through which three teams were awarded funding for their films and projects. The winning film, Pao’s Forest, by director Nguyen Pham Thanh Dat went on to win Best Short Film at the 6th Hanoi International Film Festival in 2022.
Spotlight on Europe, Middle East and Africa
Part of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity aims to build and upskill local workforces across Europe, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently we run over 45 education and training programs across the region that are designed to create more opportunities for underrepresented talent behind the camera. Here’s a look at some of these efforts:
Supporting Women across the Region
In order to help create new opportunities for European women producers, we launched a partnership with the European Producers Club (EPC) in 2022. Through the program, producers from across Europe pitched their concepts for fictional series, and six women from Turkey, Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Ireland and Germany received funding to further develop their projects.
We also established the Netflix-Sard Because She Created program to help incubate and amplify women’s voices from Upper Egypt. Over the course of a five-day intensive workshop in Cairo, 22 aspiring women creatives from Al Said attended storytelling classes, creative expression sessions, as well as discussions and talks by film critics, actors and entertainment professionals.
In Spain, we’ve partnered with CIMA to create a program that supports women writers, directors, producers, directors of photography, composers and post-production creatives. Participants took part in workshops on topics ranging from character development to budgeting, and up to three participants from each cohort had the opportunity to shadow a director on Netflix productions, including If Only and The Longest Night.
Creating More Access in the Netherlands and the Nordics
In the Netherlands, we collaborated with the New Producers Academy (NPA) to up-level creative productions skills through a new 18-month fellowship program for six aspiring producers from underrepresented groups. In the Nordics, we teamed up with the International Sámi Film Institute to upskill Sámi talent through bespoke training programs, access to festivals and trainee placements on Netflix productions.
Investing in Talent Pipelines across Sub-Saharan Africa
Across sub-Saharan Africa, we have multiple scholarship programs that provide over 150 film and TV students with the opportunity to broaden their experiences across the continent and internationally. Students from 16 countries received scholarships to prestigious programs across sub-Saharan Africa, and we’ve also built partnerships with universities abroad to help local talent train overseas. Students from Kenya, Nigeria and Burundi are enrolled in a screenwriting program at Milan’s renowned Universita Cattolica Sacre Coeur, and students from Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, South Africa and Uganda have the opportunity to study animation and VFX at the world famous Gobelins University in Paris. By investing in these students’ film and TV training, we hope to help expand and diversify the pathways into the African creative industries.
Supporting Ukrainian Creators
We also partnered with the Ukrainian Film Academy and House of Europe to help Ukrainian creators affected or displaced by the war. The initiatives provided financial support to enable creators to continue to develop their work including script development grants for 48 two-person teams, and access to knowledge and international industry experts.
Spotlight on Latin America
In Brazil, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity has created programs designed to train and develop writers at all stages of their careers. Netflix joined forces with Os Suburbanos, Junior Figueiredo and Rodrigo Sant’Anna to help expand the opportunities available through the Clube do Pensamento, a teaching platform that provides technical training for underrepresented writers.
The new edition of the Clube do Pensamento comedy script course is designed to equip emerging comedy writers with the skills they need to get hired as script assistants.
Additionally, Netflix created Segundo Ato, a writer accelerator program for experienced Black and Indigenous writers in Brazil. Through this program, 12 writers receive access to workshops and masterclasses with established local talent, as well as mentorship from seasoned industry professionals.
Reflections From the Next Generation of Creatives
Korede Azeez
Finalist in the African Folktales, Reimagined Short Film Competition, Nigeria
“I learned so much from day one. It was the most tasking project I have ever worked on, but it was also the most rewarding. I got to work with some of the best talent in my country, which was an amazing experience. They treated me with so much respect and I am grateful for the immense support I got from Netflix and my mentor. I also learned a lot about how a world class production is managed, and this is definitely something I’ll be taking into future work. I have grown tremendously as a filmmaker and I feel more ready to take on the world.”
Paula Garces
Graduate from the Netflix Series Directors Development Program, USA
“The Netflix Series Directors Development program helped me pivot my career — the team looked beyond my career as an actor, and saw the potential in me to grow as an artist. The program gave us access to major talent and a front row seat to the inner workings of directing. Thanks to Lauren Iungerich, I directed an episode on two Netflix shows, as part of this. Training wit h Lauren has been invaluable to my career. She gave me all the time, tools and encouragement to truly succeed, while testing me and challenging me to grow along the way. Because of her, I’m prepared to tackle any opportunity that comes my way.”
Mirwais Sarwary
Participant in the New Producers Academy Fellowship, Netherlands
“Through the NPA masterclasses and networking events, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and discuss ideas with key players in the film industry. Above all, I have had the time, space, and tools to develop my vision as a producer. In a short period of only six months, the New Producers Academy has allowed me to position myself in the Dutch film industry on my terms. What has been most rewarding is to be in a position where I can work together with emerging creators that find my fresh approach as a producer valuable and essential.”
Brittany Lewis
Graduate of the Canadian Academy Women in Post Program, Canada
“The Women in Post program helped clarify my career goals as an editor and learn about different areas of post-production. I also had the opportunity to work for Rocket Science VFX as an editorial intern, and I learned the fundamentals of visual effects editing through hands-on training. My mentor, Daniel Denino, gave me a comprehensive introduction to colour spaces, lookup tables and grades, as well as in-depth insight into different VFX roles. When I applied for my next editorial role, I used the knowledge I had gained from the program and talked about editing with more confidence. Programs like these are essential to help introduce female-identifying and non-binary emerging talents to the industry.”
Aditi Sharma
Graduate of the Netflix x Film Companion Take Ten Initiative, India
“Through the Take Ten program, I got to learn about writing a screenplay, creating characters, directing actors, along with many other filmmaking lessons. We had the opportunity to do this under the guidance of Film Companion, and being mentored by professionals who are not only good at what they do, but also truly invested in the process of teaching, was extremely helpful. There aren’t any grant opportunities in India to speak of, and to have a platform like Netflix to showcase your film was a huge deal for a first time filmmaker like me. For the first time, me and my team believed that we had a real shot at this.”
Hesome Chemamah
Participant in the Purin Pictures x Netflix Short Film Camp, Thailand.
“I am very glad to be accepted into Purin Pictures’ Short Film Camp (SFC) because it improved my skills more than any film school could in a short period of 10 days. Through classes and networking events with other filmmakers from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, I learned how to pitch a project, direct actors, develop a dossier, and collaborate with mentors to improve my screenplay. These ten days taught me a lot about how filmmaking is more universal than I ever imagined, which was invaluable. Above all, our project was eventually selected for funding support, allowing me to complete my film.”
Asha Chai-Chang
Participant in the RespectAbility NYC Children’s Content Lab, USA
“I am so glad that I was accepted into the RespectAbility NYC Children’s Content Lab because I was able to find a community of other disabled creatives who care about the same kind of storytelling as me. I also had the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals, and working with multiple mentors helped me recognize my own voice as a writer and pick up new skills, including writing for different age groups. Meeting industry professionals and talent through this program has also led to collaborations and recommendations for future jobs, such as being considered for writers’ rooms. To me, that’s priceless.”
To learn more, visit about.netflix.com/programs
