Mapping the Landscape of Social Impact Entertainment
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Bonnie Abaunza Neal Baer Diana Barrett Peter Bisanz Dustin Lance Black Johanna Blakley Caty Borum Chattoo Don Cheadle Wendy Cohen Nonny de la Peña Leonardo DiCaprio Geralyn Dreyfous Kathy Eldon Eve Ensler Oskar Eustis Mapping the landscape of Shirley Jo Finney social impact entertainment Beadie Finzi Terry George Holly Gordon Sandy Herz Reginald Hudlin Darnell Hunt Shamil Idriss Tabitha Jackson Miura Kite Michelle Kydd Lee Anthony Leiserowitz David Linde Tom McCarthy Cara Mertes Sean Metzger Pat Mitchell Shabnam Mogharabi Joshua Oppenheimer Elise Pearlstein Richard Ray Perez Gina Prince-Bythewood Ana-Christina Ramón James Redford Liba Wenig Rubenstein Edward Schiappa Cathy Schulman Teri Schwartz Ellen Scott Jess Search Fisher Stevens Carole Tomko Natalie Tran Amy Eldon Turteltaub Gus Van Sant Rainn Wilson Samantha Wright Welcome to the test — a major university research SIE’s work to date: the most effective Welcome center focused on the power of strategies for driving impact through entertainment and performing arts to storytelling; the question of when, inspire social impact. The structure of within the creative process, impact Note this new center would be built upon three should first be considered; the key role pillars: research, education and special of research to explore, contextualize initiatives, and public engagement, and help define the field; and the programming and exhibition. importance of partnering with the right allies across the entertainment At the time, there wasn’t a university and performing arts industries for new model fully focused on this topic that ideas, special projects and initiatives. I could draw upon for information as the field was in its infancy. That would SIE is an idea whose time has come. change in 2007 when I met visionary As our world has become more complex philanthropist, Jeff Skoll. Jeff was in and challenging, artists, scholars, the early days of building Participant educators, and industry leaders are Media — a great company whose vision realizing the true value of social impact Teri to use the power of story to not only entertainment — not just in terms of Schwartz entertain but to inspire social impact moving and changing people from aligned with mine at the educational all walks of life by creating deeper Dean, UCLA level. Jeff has played a crucial role in meaning and connections for all of School of Theater, Film and Television shaping the ideological foundations of us, but also by a new-found belief this emerging field. Through Participant in the double bottom line: that you Media, he has produced and supported can do well and do good in life. some of the most iconic, award-winning SIE films to date, including Oscar® In my own contribution to this report, We stand at a critical winners Spotlight, Citizenfour, and An found within The Bigger Picture section, intersection in our human Inconvenient Truth, amongst many I expand on my work in this field and history where there is a need other brilliant films. Without question, explore strategies and opportunities for new, diverse voices to be I was very inspired by what Jeff and his for educators working in this space. heard — for powerful new team were endeavoring to accomplish. I forged ahead with the confidence that I hope you find this report very stories to be told. we were doing something meaningful useful and engaging. I am so optimistic that would have lasting impact at both about the future of SIE. Its promise and Story has the ability to build bridges the industry and university levels. possibilities are limitless. Please consider of understanding, tolerance, empathy this an open invitation to join us on this and respect, helping us to make sense In 2009 when I became the Dean amazing journey — we look forward to of our lives and the world around us. of UCLA TFT, I brought the idea for welcoming you on board. The time has come to use the infinite the center with me as part of an power of story, as expressed through overarching vision and set of goals entertainment and performing arts, for the School. We were fortunate to inspire social impact. that it was a vision shared by Jeff who made a transformational leadership We are the Storytelling School. We gift of $10 million to name and endow believe that story can both delight the new Skoll Center for Social Impact and entertain, and enlighten, engage Entertainment at UCLA TFT (Skoll Center and inspire change for a better world. SIE) in 2014. We are deeply honored This is our vision at the UCLA School of and grateful to have this remarkable Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT). center bear Jeff’s name and reflect We are nurturing and developing a new his profound core values and mission generation of diverse artists, scholars to make the world a better place. and industry leaders aligned with our ideals and united in the pursuit of new The State of SIE is the Skoll Center creative work and research that makes SIE’s first major publication: a report a difference in the world. that aims to map and explore the emerging field of social impact My own path into social impact entertainment. We’ve gathered opinions entertainment (SIE) has been a long and key insights from some of the most one. In early 2003 when I first became compelling voices across this landscape, To explore the digital version of the report (complete with interactive map), find out more about our work and hear a university dean, I began working on an exploring many of the major themes about upcoming events head to www.thestateofsie.com idea that would put my life philosophy that have defined the Skoll Center 3 What is SIE? When I was 35, I found myself documentary, Beyond Our Differences, We want it to be used as a guidebook This report pulls together all of their The State of SIE Five Key The State which explored the commonalities for creative storytellers looking to amazing work in one place, for the in an unexpected and humbling Considerations for SIE of the world’s religions, how leaders engage audiences in solving real-world first time, and is intended to serve as position working as a lowly, This report looks at the work of of divergent faiths tackle some of the challenges, which are often too big an accelerant as well as a resource for practitioners in the emerging of SIE unpaid intern for the Central toughest challenges of the modern age, or complex for any single person to people looking to work in the field of SIE. space of social impact Tibetan Administration in the entertainment. By collating their and what inspires them to do so. take on. insights, we’ve detailed our Five foothills of the Himalayas. Overview of key findings Key Considerations for SIE. This report explores Although I didn’t have a name for it at Our aim was to bring together key Given the state of our world today, the landscape of social I was soaking wet in a monsoon, the time, this project was my first major research from any and all relevant there is an underlying assumption trying to capture the essence of the introduction into the emerging ecosystem disciplines, to codify that knowledge that entertainment, mass media and impact entertainment Dalai Lama’s teachings with a camera we now call social impact entertainment, and to hopefully reveal something new the performing arts can drive social through the insights of the that had probably seen its heyday in and it set me on the meandering path about our field in the process. change because they shift attitudes, the era of Betamax. to my work at the Skoll Center for Social shape our culture and generate empathy. experts who know it best. Impact Entertainment at the UCLA School The report is not about a single company, However, the dynamics for each media I had already climbed the ladder of Theater, Film and Television. studio or organization. Instead, we are intervention can differ wildly. Peter Bisanz introduces 1. Focus on the story in Hollywood but was consumed by drawing from the creativity, ideas and Tell the best story you can this exciting space and doubts about my ability to have an The purpose of this report research of many industry experts, As a result, among theorists there to reach your audience. its transformative effect impact there — since social impact The State of Social Impact Entertainment institutional practitioners and key thought is a broad consensus that there is entertainment (or SIE) really didn’t exist is our first attempt to capture this field leaders from across the SIE ecosystem. no “one-size-fits-all” approach to upon the world. at that time — so I left it all behind for as it exists today. We’ve explored the the creation of SIE, the social impact graduate school in England to study key components of SIE; what works campaigns that accompany it or for social entrepreneurship. to engage audiences on social issues; the measurement of its impact. why SIE’s financial potential is growing Two years and a master’s degree considerably; which metrics most There is a unanimous call to consider later, and still trying to find my way, accurately reflect its impact; what the You want to make the unique context of each piece of I realized that all of the reasons I had established theories of change are and, SIE, as well as the context of the issues 2. Know your issue originally, so passionately, pursued a perhaps most importantly, how all of sure that your audience it seeks to address, from the outset.