New York Film Academy Releases Black Inequality in Film Infographic
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 07, 2014 -- Following the monumental year that was 2013 for Black film and the recent Best Picture Oscar win for "12 Years a Slave," the Academy decided to take a closer look at the surge in critical and commercial success of Black film. As such, the Academy compiled a series of statistics and research studies to highlight both the modern challenges and advancements of Black filmmakers and actors while looking at one hundred years of Black film to place modern Black Hollywood in a greater historical context. The infographic highlights such figures as the profound disparity between the amount of speaking parts Black Characters receive compared to their White counterparts while also analyzing the significant global profitability of Black films that have substantially smaller budgets and appear on far less screens.
In addition to highlighting the abundant disparity African Americans encounter both on screen and behind the camera, the infographic also highlights the accomplishments of influential filmmakers and producers including Steve McQueen, Will Packer, and Gina Prince-Bythewood along with new voices such as Ryan Coogler and Lena Waithe. In assembling this information, the Academy hopes to help keep the topic of equality and black film in Hollywood at the forefront of the cultural discussion, as history shows that Hollywood has gone through such boom periods of Black film before, only to shy away from such films once the hype passes.
“It is imperative that the next generation of young black filmmakers realize that their power is in their unique perspectives, unique skill sets, and unique stories. Standing out is a good thing in Hollywood,” says Ride Along and Think Like a Man producer Will Packer.
The Black Inequality infographic was created in response to an infographic released last November that analyzed Gender Inequality in Hollywood and ignited a lively discussion that inspired articles in publications such as The Guardian, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post and was featured in UNESCO’s “Report on Gender Equality and Culture” and the 2014 Women In Media report. It became part of the awards season discourse when actress and screenwriter Julie Delpy cited the infographic as a reason to question the integrity of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ demographic make-up.
The New York Film Academy is a global film and performing arts school that emphasizes a hands-on education based on learning by doing. The Academy offers a variety of MFA, MA, BFA, BA, and AFA degree programs along with numerous short-term workshops in such areas as filmmaking, acting for film, producing, photography, screenwriting, cinematography, documentary filmmaking, digital editing, 3D animation, game design, musical theatre, broadcast journalism, music video, and dance. In releasing this infographic, NYFA aims to contribute to an ongoing discussion amongst both our students and professional filmmakers, actors, and media executives to assess the current state of Black Hollywood and encourage efforts to increase awareness about the role of race in entertainment.
Nicholas Zurko, New York Film Academy, http://www.nyfa.edu, +1 (212) 674-4300, [email protected]
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