{"id":22781,"date":"2022-04-08T08:50:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-08T12:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev2.worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/worldscreen.com\/"},"modified":"2022-04-11T11:39:37","modified_gmt":"2022-04-11T15:39:37","slug":"everyone-is-welcome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/everyone-is-welcome\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone is Welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Diversity and inclusion have become broadcaster and platform must-haves; Mansha Daswani hears from content production and distribution execs on how they are responding.<\/em><\/p>\n

All kids deserve to see themselves reflected on-screen\u2014it\u2019s not rocket science. But execution? That is a whole other story. The industry is still playing catch-up as it looks to (quickly) diversify writers\u2019 rooms, attract new talent and find intelligent, creative ways to deliver inclusion without taking a paint-by-numbers, quota-based approach to true representation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are hearing from all major broadcasters that diversity and inclusion are key requirements,\u201d says Genevieve Dexter, founder and CEO of Serious Kids. \u201cI say major not because smaller platforms do not also share these policies, but because the majors are able to influence editorial choices. More recently, this requirement has been extended, not only on-screen but also in production talent as part of the commissioners\u2019 brief. However, the interpretation has become more sophisticated, focusing on diversifying voices and cultural experience rather than reflecting purely racial and physical ability profiles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCreating worlds in which children and families can authentically see themselves is what continues to drive viewership and keep our brands top of mind,\u201d observes Fred Soulie, the senior VP and general manager of Mattel Television.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt becomes key for most of our clients one way or another\u2014it has to be there,\u201d agrees Rapha\u00eblle Mathieu, executive VP at Cyber Group Studios.<\/p>\n

For Hanna Mouchez, the founder and CEO of MIAM ! animation, \u201cAnimation is one of the best [tools] we could use for transmitting a diversity and inclusion message. Schools are very important; maybe you listen to a teacher. But you also listen to a character. Heroes have this power.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Berkowitz, the chief creative officer at Atomic Cartoons and president and chief creative officer of Thunderbird Entertainment, highlights the creative possibilities being ushered in by the industry\u2019s embrace of diversity. \u201cEveryone is very excited about the many different viewpoints being incorporated into shows through behind- and on-camera talent. And having these different creative perspectives is about strengthening the storytelling. Collectively, we\u2019re all breaking down those walls that existed in the past, and it\u2019s so great to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

DEFINING DIVERSITY<\/strong>
\nWhen speaking to executives about inclusion, a recurring theme is that the approach needs to be all-encompassing, not narrowly focused on one definition of diversity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be girl empowerment like in Droners<\/em> or Digital Girl<\/em>, where girls are the heroes,\u201d says Mathieu at Cyber Group Studios. \u201cIt can be visible minorities. Diversity can be as simple as being different, and that can take many aspects. We believe it\u2019s the global awareness of society that becomes central. In Droners<\/em>, the eco-friendly issue is central.\u201d<\/p>\n

Serious Kids\u2019 Dexter adds, \u201cDiversity and inclusion are starting to be woven into shows as part of their DNA rather than editorial decisions about how many different skin colors to feature on-screen. More diversity behind the camera automatically leads to more diversity, not only in terms of the characters but also the themes, environments, color palette, comedic tone and music. Diversity and inclusion cannot be the USP of a program, but achieving a balance in a natural way can.\u201d<\/p>\n

MIAM !\u2019s Mouchez agrees that behind-the-camera diversity is key to getting your on-screen product to deliver on your inclusion goals. The studio and distribution outfit has emphasized strong female leads, which broadcasters and platforms have shown a keen interest in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a good start, but it\u2019s not enough,\u201d Mouchez explains. \u201cEven if you have women on-screen, it doesn\u2019t mean that the writing is aligned with what you want to say. For instance, you could have girls starring as heroes, yet the writing, episodes and adventures transmit old-fashioned patterns and stereotypes. The best way to avoid that is to welcome girls behind the screen as authors, scriptwriters, directors and producers.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Thunderbird and Atomic Cartoons, Jennifer Twiner McCarron, CEO, points to the PBS KIDS and CBC Kids commission Molly of Denali<\/em> as an excellent example of how embracing diversity behind the scenes resulted in authentic on-screen representation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe series was developed with the Indigenous community of Denali,\u201d Twiner McCarron explains. \u201cAnd along with helping to inform how the next generation will think about Indigenous people, it also prioritizes the Indigenous community of Denali\u2019s role in shaping its representation. More than 60 Indigenous mentorships took place during the creation and production of season one, and as we are now working on season two, many of these talented individuals are now working full-time in the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO FAKES<\/strong>
\nAuthenticity is another recurring theme in conversations about diversity in television. \u201cKids have a very acute sense of what is real and what is fake, and they can react badly to diverse characters or situations that are not believable or appear one-dimensional,\u201d states Dexter at Serious Kids. \u201cOnce authenticity is achieved at the foundation, then success will come from the quality of the writing and design without interruption from new diversity concerns that should have been intrinsic in the concept.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t try to add diversity and inclusion as a layer,\u201d Berkowitz adds. \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of thinking about every part of the creative and related themes as organic pieces of the whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

And authenticity will only come when your behind-the-scenes team can accurately reflect the diverse messages you want to be conveyed on-screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore the pandemic, there was a need to have your talent all gathered under one roof\u2014and that has changed,\u201d Twiner McCarron adds. \u201cWe\u2019ve proven that we can work very effectively off-site, so we are now able to recruit from further afield with an eye toward EDI [equity, diversity and inclusion].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we search for talent, we\u2019re digging deep and looking all over the world,\u201d Berkowitz adds. \u201cWe\u2019re putting more emphasis on mentorship and developing our in-house talent. We\u2019re also looking for our next generation of animators through our focus on schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mattel Television has also prioritized diversifying its talent pool, Soulie explains. \u201cWe strive to work with experts in the stories we are telling in order to ensure cultural accuracy and sensitivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the approach to authentic storytelling extends across the Mattel Television slate, Soulie notes, citing properties such as the rebooted Masters of the Universe<\/em> franchise, Barbie-related content like the upcoming Barbie: It Takes Two<\/em> for Netflix and the third-party show Deepa & Anoop<\/em>. Even the perennial favorite Thomas & Friends<\/em> has been updated to meet the needs of today. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go<\/em> has an expanded cast that includes Kana from Japan and Nia from Kenya.<\/p>\n

Serious Kids has been working to diversify its catalog, Dexter reports, in recent years taking on Tik Tak<\/em>, The New Legends of Monkey<\/em>, Bo & To\u2019s Family<\/em> and Tulipop<\/em>, \u201call of which have very diverse casts and crews. Our returning series Operation Ouch!<\/em> from Maverick Television for CBBC, now in its 11th season, has always been diverse in terms of the doctors and patients featured but has recently welcomed Dr. Ronx Ikharia as one of the presenters, who is a trans, non-binary A&E doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

At MIAM !, Mouchez says that Goat Girl<\/em> is an excellent example of how the boutique studio approaches delivering diversity on-screen. A co-production with Daily Madness Productions, an Irish studio led by Lindsey Adams, the series \u201cis about being comfortable in your own skin, being happy being you and embracing your differences and even your quirks,\u201d Mouchez says. \u201cThe show is produced by an all-female team to remain coherent with the series\u2019 storytelling and social ambitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The MIAM ! lineup also includes Brazen<\/em>, adapted from a comic book by P\u00e9n\u00e9lope Bagieu, featuring 3-minute episodes about little-known women who changed history. While the show has done well for MIAM !, Mouchez stresses that it was important for the company to highlight diverse shows aimed at younger demos. \u201cAround 6 or 7 is when you integrate: Are you equal to boys, or are you different? We thought our catalog was missing those shows that address younger targets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enter \u201cA Girl\u2019s Coming of Age Journey: Four Tales of Feminine Early Bravery,\u201d a collection of four half-hour specials focused on young girl characters.<\/p>\n

Cyber Group is similarly making sure that the full breadth of its slate touches on themes of diversity and inclusion, from the girl-empowerment and eco-friendly aspects of Droners<\/em> to the mixed families in 50\/50 Heroes<\/em> and The McFire Family<\/em> to the diverse talent behind the upcoming adaptation of the Press Start!<\/em> novels for Peacock. \u201cDiversity or awareness are present in every single series we\u2019re doing,\u201d Mathieu says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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