4:00 PM PST 1/21/2021
in
Alex Ritman
The streamer announced nearly $ 500,000 in investments to support under-represented British talent from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.
Netflix has doubled its commitment to improving diversity in the UK film and TV industries, announcing a significant investment that it said will help nurture the next generation of British talent from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.
The £ 350,000 ($ 480,000) investment – part of a $ 5 million fund that the streamer created in July 2020 – will be divided in three ways, including supporting 30 annual scholarships for students from the Identity School of Acting. Founded by Femi Oguns, London’s pioneering college is behind the recent crop of diverse UK talent and includes John Boyega, Letitia Wright and Michaela Coel among its alumni.
Elsewhere, the money will go to double the number of young people with whom the Million Youth Media youth platform works across the UK and help the Mama Youth Project – which trains young people from underrepresented backgrounds to be better prepared for media and broadcast jobs – expand your work.
Speaking of investment, Vice President of the original Netflix series, Anne Mensah, said that while the UK industry was at a slow pace, “the wealth of diverse British voices struggling to reach the top of the industry fills me with hope and enthusiasm. “
Mensah added: “Creators like Theresa Ikoko, Charlie Covell and John Boyega resonate not only in the UK, but around the world. But that is not enough. I believe we need to do more, not just to support the current generation of British talent, but also to develop a more inclusive pipeline of new creatives throughout the production process. “
The new investment comes in the wake of a fund to nurture under-represented British voices in the production of documentaries.