BLACK SCREEN OFFICE December 2020 Claiming Space for Canadian Black Storytellers in Screen Industries Anti-Black Racism in Canada “Anti-Black racism is pervasive in Canada. In fact, the belief that there is little to no racism in Canada is in itself a barrier to addressing it …The roots of anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in Canada run deep. They are historically embedded in our society, in our culture, in our laws and in our attitudes. They are built into our institutions and perpetuate the social and economic disparities that exist in everything from education, to healthcare, to housing and employment.” - Canadian Human Rights Commission Anti-Black Racism in Canada History The history of anti-Black racism in Canada is different from the histories of other people of colour, yet our particular history has been glossed over and largely erased. Many believe Black people are recent immigrants, but in fact, we were among the first settlers to arrive in Canada. As in the United States, racism in Canada is built on anti-Blackness, yet many Canadians are unaware that for over 200 years slavery has been woven into the fabric of this nation. The problem of racism can only be solved by addressing anti-Blackness, an issue that has resulted in the worst outcomes for Black Canadians. Anti-Black Racism in Canada Black Screen Office The Need The impetus for the Black Screen Office arose from an ad hoc group who came together to discuss how we might work to eliminate the unacknowledged anti-Black racism in the Canadian screen industries. Our reality is that unfair policies and practices have disenfranchised and discriminated against Black Canadian creators and producers and these practices are deeply embedded in the screen industries. Sparked by the anti-Black racism protest taking place across the U.S., Canada and the world, it is clear that the global problem of racism can only be solved through an active commitment to eradicating anti-Blackness, an issue that has resulted in the worst outcomes for Black Canadians. Black Screen Office The Need The gatekeepers, decision-makers, executives, unions and boards of directors heading screen organizations and institutions in Canada have virtually no Black representation. And when series about Black Canadians are made, it is often at a financial disadvantage to the producers. At every level, the existing systems produce outcomes whereby our projects are under-financed and under-supported. Given our absence on Canadian screens, it follows that we don't matter. The Black Screen Office categorically rejects this idea and is a proclamation that Black lives do indeed matter and Black stories deserve to be told. Black Screen-based Community Founders Jennifer Holness Damon D’Oliveira Joan Jenkinson Floyd Kane Tonya Williams President, Writer Producer, Partner Producer Writer, Producer Founder, ED Producer Conquering Lion Artemis Pictures Freddie Films Reelworld Film Festival Hungry Eyes Media Pictures Maya Annik Bedward Sudz Sutherland Charles Officer Director, Clement Virgo Director, Producer VP, Writer, Director Producer Filmmaker, Producer, Partner Third Culture Media Hungry Eyes Media Cane Sugar Film Conquering Lion Pictures In the history of Canada Four drama series, one comedy series Barriers Several year gaps between successful 1st films and the next film Poor Boys Game Love, Sex and Nurse.Fighter.Boy (2007) Eating the Bones (2008) Clement Virgo (2003) Charles Officer Damon D’Oliveira Sudz Sutherland Ingrid Veninger Chaz Thorne Jennifer Holness 13 year gap 9 year gap 12 year gap Home Again Akilla’s Escape Brother (2012) (2020) (2020) Sudz Sutherland Charles Officer Clement Virgo Jennifer Holness Jake Yanowski Damon D’Oliveira Claiming Space for Canadian Black Storytellers in Screen Industries Black Screen Office Mission The Black Screen Office is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support the development, production and distribution of Canadian Black screen content around the globe, within TV, film, web and digital media. We are committed to ensuring that Black Canadians work at all levels throughout the screen industries. BlaBlackBlack Screen Screen Office Office ActivitiesGoals To build an organization that is a leader in the Black Canadian screen community that advocates, develops programs and works alongside government agencies, arts councils, broadcasters, unions, guilds, and professional associations to remove systemic and structural racism; Advocate for representation in decision-making roles and appointments to key boards of directors; Secure and oversee envelopes of money earmarked for the Black screen communities from all levels of the funding system to level the playing field; Ensure access to funds from the larger pool of government funds such as Canadian Heritage, Telefilm, CMF, NFB, and others; Black Screen Office Goals Ensure greater access to distribution for Black screen content; Collaborate with supporters to deliver training and real-world opportunities for emerging, mid-level and senior level producers and creatives; Collect race-based statistics on employment and funding at all levels; Work with like-minded organizations dedicated to racial equity to conduct research into barriers, viewership, demographics, trends and outcomes for Black people; Acknowledge transformative changes and success when it is achieved. Barriers that have resulted in the worst outcomes for Black screen-based communities Barriers Funding Policies and practices have historically privileged White producers, assuming they are the only ones capable of making marketable content. This blatant racist assumption and the resulting inequity have created impenetrable barriers to success for Black professionals in the screen industries. Envelopes of funding must be earmarked to counterbalance the unfair practices, to undo the damage to careers, and to give a leg up to emerging talent. Barriers Race-based Statistics For too long broadcasters and funding agencies have done little to tackle systemic changes because they have not had to supply race-based statistics. This is necessary to broaden our knowledge, set quotas and benchmarks to measure progress towards equality, inform policy choices, influence budget allocations, and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of outcomes. Barriers Distribution The distribution system has resulted in a lack of production of Black Canadian content. Distributors operate from the principle that Black content will not sell internationally. This kind of thinking exemplifies systemic racism. Black content from other countries have achieved success. E.g. Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave, Fruitvale Station, Atlantics. The struggle to get marketable Black talent is compounded by the lack of commitment to build that talent base. Barriers Emerging Talent Talent at all levels, emerging, mid and senior level have limited access to programs and initiatives that provide real-world training, tangible career mobility, business opportunities and a commitment to tracking and celebrating success. In the recent Reelworld study “Changing the Narrative”, statistics show that a large percentage of the Black screen community have remained in an “emerging” status after over 10 years of working in the industry. Barriers Unions and Guilds Unions and guilds have policies described as “colour blind” yet they contradict this by denying members the opportunity to self-identify. In fact, their attempts to be fair have resulted in increased inequality. It is worth noting that many of the senior Black crew working in Canada got their start when American productions shooting in Canada insisted on hiring Black and diverse crews. Outcomes when Black industry professionals are the decision makers Career Launching Opportunities Made possible by Black producers ACTORS Stephan James Karen LeBlanc Lyriq Bent Clé Bennett Mpho Koaho Karen Robinson KC Collins Home Again, Nurse.Fighter.Boy, Guns, Doomstown, Doomstown, Rude, Guns, Selma, Astronaut, The Affair, Man in the High MetaJets, Schitt’s Creek, The Stain, If Beale Street Ransom, Nappily Ever After, Castle, Falling Sky, Shoot the Messenger, RoboCop, Could Talk, Frontier, She’s Gotta The Tick, Expanse, The Handmaid’s Tale Lost Girls, #freerayshawn, Diggstown Have It, Homeland, Diggstown Shoot the Messenger, Homecoming Book of Negroes Flashpoint Ransom *Career launching opportunities *Other credits Career Launching Opportunities Made possible by Black producers DIRECTORS Stella Meghie Stephen Williams Clement Virgo Director X - Dawn Wilkinson Sudz Sutherland Charles Officer RT Thorne - Jean of the Joneses, Variation to the Rude, Across the Line, She’s the Mayor, Love, Sex and Eating Nurse.Fighter.Boy, Everyday Rudeboy, Everything, Key of Life, The Wire, Center Stage: On Shoot the Messenger, the Bones, The Skin We Are In, Degrassi, Everything, Lost, The Book of Negroes, Pointe Riverdale, Shoot the Messenger, Unarmed Verses, Find Me in Paris, The Weekend, How to Get Away Rogue, Backstage, Locke & Key, Designated Survivor, Ransom, Blindspot, The Photograph, with Murder, Billions Superfly Empire, The Flash, Coroner, Utopia Falls Insecure How to Get Away Utopia Falls, Akilla’s Escape West World, Empire, with Murder Batwoman The Watchmen Greenleaf *Career launching opportunities *Other credits Supporters Official Endorsements FUNDERS SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS Plus over 160 supporters from Canadian Black screen-based communities.