Minimum diversity levels required for film funding

[Rick_1138]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/...

Hi folks,

I heard about this on the radio this morning, basically its about the BFI restricting funding unless a certain % of people working on a film they fund is either of a minority ethnicity, disabled and\or LGBT.

Now I don't have any issues with any race colour or creed, I basically feel we are all just people, however surely this isn't helping to diversify, it is in fact pointing out differences, i.e. ' Oi you, you're in a wheelchair/black/gay, want a job?

I would rather it was "Oi, you seem good at cinematography, want a job?"

This has to be in 2 of three areas, acting\front of screen, back of screen\directing, editing etc, or in the trade making stuff or associated services.

Just smacked a little of trying to hard and not giving people jobs on merit. Or as it seems to be called in the states Affirmative Action.

What are folks thoughts?

[Einion Yrth]

Prepending the word "positive" does not make discrimination any less discriminatory.

[John145]

I personally am wholly against positive discrimination or whatever the latest buzzword is for it, however I do see it as potentially a necessary evil. Unfortunately there are currently living generations who have been discriminated against in their younger years which has disadvantaged them and continues to disadvantage them now.

Maybe positive discrimination can give these people a leg up that they have lost out on by not holding a CV which had equal opportunities in their younger life.

[Digga]

Einion Yrth said:

Prepending the word "positive" does not make discrimination any less discriminatory.

^This. Frankly, this is not news - the policy is transparent in many UK productions.

IMHO actors should be chosen purely on merit, otherwise where does it all end; compulsory 'ugly' Cinderellas, or handsome, trustworthy looking Fagins to appease ugly aesthetically challenged people to stop them being typecast?

[McWigglebum4th]

So they have to have a min percentage of gays

This is the film industry

Is there a min percentage of straights?

[mrmr96]

Digga said:

^This. Frankly, this is not news - the policy is transparent in many UK productions.

IMHO actors should be chosen purely on merit, otherwise where does it all end; compulsory 'ugly' Cinderellas, or handsome, trustworthy looking Fagins to appease ugly aesthetically challenged people to stop them being typecast?

Why are 'ugly' people untrustworthy or villains?
Why are 'handsome' people trustworthy or heros?

I understand your view, but having these stereotypes drilled into us all our lives is bound to have a negative effect on people born ugly (we won't trust them as much as handsome people) or we are more likely to be taken advantage of by misplaced trust in handsome people?

[Digga]

mrmr96 said:

Digga said:

^This. Frankly, this is not news - the policy is transparent in many UK productions.

IMHO actors should be chosen purely on merit, otherwise where does it all end; compulsory 'ugly' Cinderellas, or handsome, trustworthy looking Fagins to appease ugly aesthetically challenged people to stop them being typecast?

Why are 'ugly' people untrustworthy or villains?
Why are 'handsome' people trustworthy or heros?

I understand your view, but having these stereotypes drilled into us all our lives is bound to have a negative effect on people born ugly (we won't trust them as much as handsome people) or we are more likely to be taken advantage of by misplaced trust in handsome people?

I'm actually weary of 'perfect' actors, but our opinions matter not; if you're performing it like authors wrote it, then that's how it ought to be. End of.

Adapting a Shardlake novel for film, then it's a different matter.

[voyds9]

I hear they are filming Eminems life story but to keep the quotas correct he is to be played by a coloured person.

[FatSumo]

News just in, the remake of 'Downfall' is to star Samuel Jackson as Hitler

[Moonhawk]

voyds9 said:

I hear they are filming Eminems life story but to keep the quotas correct he is to be played by a coloured person.

For some reason - you reminded me of this

(from the movie - See no Evil, Hear no Evil)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK1Pjgix79k

"does dad know......" LOL

[Moonhawk]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Could there be an argument that gay people are actually over-represented in some industries and therefore in the interests of diversity and equality - efforts should be made to encourage or promote more heterosexual people into those industries.

Same could be said for teaching. Should there be male only shortlists for primary school teaching roles owing to their massive under-representation within that sector?

Conversely - should something be done about the male only refuse collection teams I see every week. Should local councils implement women only short lists to get more diversity on the bins?

Then we have my local Indian restaurant........not one black, white or chinese face amongst the entire waiting staff......which seems rather odd given the ethnic makeup of the town.

Are any of these things indicative of discrimination - or do we simply accept that, in many cases, disproportionate representation from certain ethnic, religious, sexual or gender groups are inevitable in a free market.

[Pixelpeep]

What ever next - complaining there isn't enough black males in my 'lesbian plumpers vol 6' DVD ?

[Puggit]

That's bad timing by the BFI: All women shortlists ruled unlawful