Inclusive Content to enjoy
Welcome to A Picture Perfect Summer, and our second entry in the Diversity Series. This blog release is bringing us around to a deeper look at some specific works and studios of today.
· Atlanta
· Squid Games
· Disney: Encanto, and Turning Red
· Team Zenko Go
· Netflix
· Heart Stopper
Atlanta
With a cast made up primarily of black people in Atlanta, it is a fair representation of a city that boasts over 50% of its population identifying as black. The voices on screen and in the writers room represent a true and authentic perspective of Atlanta’s population and its unfortunate economic and racial segregation. Donald Glover made an apt observation in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, “I feel like a lot of shows are like ‘This is how it should be,’ and if everybody knew how it should be, things would be that way. But they’re not,” says Glover. “The cast is entirely black because it’s a show about how weird it is to be black in America that’s set in a city where over half of the population identifies as black.” -Donald Glover.
DISNEY
Since the wild success of Coco, and the growing voices asking for more diverse content, Disney has doubled down in recent releases. In fact, Disney has even enhanced their animation technology in order to consistently represent a more diverse perspective in every shot, down to the blurry guy in the background. The animator team considers every setting in the creative process, like adding a ramp, or a character in a wheelchair. With an entire team dedicated to creating crowds, Disney has accomplished a greater level of authenticity honoring even our subliminal perceptions.
Encanto
Set in the gorgeous mountains of Columbia, Mirabel Madrigal, the only member of her family without magical powers, sets out to save her magical family and the miracle they protect through a series of adventures with her loved ones.
Not only was Encanto animated in the most gorgeous theatrical style with an ensemble cast, but it was also a glowing representation of the Latinx community. When members of the columbian community were asked about their feelings on the film, they expressed great pride in the stories representing them in a positive way, instead of by the typical conversation regarding Columbian Drug Trafficking.
Turning Red
A coming of age story revealing the feelings of identity for a young 3rd generation Asian Canadian woman who discovers a magical red panda living within her. Firstly, Turning Red speaks from the perspective of a young Asian woman split between two cultures with warring values. Secondly, Turning Red succeeds in voicing a young woman’s transition from girlhood and openly speaking about menstruation. THIRDLY, this film checks all the boxes for the die-hard millennials nostalgia.
NETFLIX
In recent years, Netflix has made great strides in the diversification of their content. One of the true internationally streaming platforms, Netflix has made accessing international content easier than ever. Content from every continent can be found on the streaming giant. Here are a few quick Netflix statistics.
· 52% of Netflix films annually have women or girls in a starring role.
· 35.7% of all Netflix Leads come from underrepresented groups
· 23% of the directors with Netflix on avg. are female, outpacing other studios.
These statistics show progress, but the real question is, “is it enough? Is it fast enough?” The actual representation of culture within Netflix and studio productions as a whole still falls short and leans towards surface level diversity and not a true in-depth execution of inclusivity.
Team Zenko Go
We can all agree that the children are our future, and it’s refreshing to find content is changing for even the littlest of audiences. Team Zenko Go is an animated series for young children in 15 min segments about a secret squad of young do-gooders performing anonymous acts of kindness in service to their community. From the extremely diverse cast to the truly remarkable subject matter, this show is presenting real people and a real morals to the generation of viewers growing up before our eyes.
Squid Games
A TV series set in South Korea sets off a series of deadly competitions between some interesting characters from diverse economic backgrounds within the Korean culture. This series grew in popularity in the US, in part, because it dared to go to new heights in creative violence, but also because it was beautifully and artfully shot and executed to give a new perspective of Asian culture to a western world. Asian media has proven it is capable of attracting American audiences.
Heart StoppeR
Netflix HeartStopper
This charming tale of embracing the queer identity and understanding your truest self is a truly divine streaming series which originated as a young adult illustrated series first shared through Web Toons. Heart Stopper captivates audiences with endearing and heartfelt portrayals of a well varied cast of young adolescents navigating love in high school. This story has a fresh take and tells a more positive story of love for young LGBTQ+ individuals. Without ignoring the stigma that still exists today, Heart Stopper is able to tell a story of self exploration and identity that portrays a more hopeful outcome of coming out.
We had so much fun diving into these rich works in film & Television, and we would love to continue the conversation. Let us know your favorite pieces of inclusive content in the comments!