Production
Accessibility on Set
We expect that our auditions and sets meet or exceed accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and that additional measures are in place to ensure all talent (in front of and behind the camera) are able to use all entrances, exits, and facilities. This starts by asking people what they need, and ensuring those who are working, auditioning, or visiting the set know how to ask for specific services (e.g. interpreters, screen readers, or other services).
Support on Set
Each production should identify their own plan to create a culture of inclusion, as well as flag with Studios executives what additional support might be needed in addition to physical access. This could include mental health resources, sensitivity training, cross-cultural awareness building, or additional resources. Where you have unique circumstances that require immediate support, the Amazon Studios DEI team is available at any time.
Community Inclusion
We work to ensure that each production leaves the community where we are working better than we found it. This is particularly important when it comes to communities that could be vulnerable, or different in background from that of the cast and crew. Some best practices include:
-
Understand the community before you enter
-
Where possible, work to hire, pay, and include the community in the production
-
Encourage the cast and crew to understand the community norms and always be respectful when engaging with the community
Additional resources:
-
A Media Production Guide to Working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Communities, Cultures, Concepts and Stories (for filming in the Canadian Indigenous community)
Inclusion On Set & In The Community
At Amazon Studios, we know that our set environment can influence the outcome of the content we produce. We aim to foster a culture that is open, inclusive, and respectful of our creatives, cast, and crew in a way that respects their background, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, size, national origin, religion, or any other aspect of identity. We honor differences, and have zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination of any kind.
Inclusion on Set & Community
Long-Standing Teams
This closed network system of assembling a team lends itself to bias. While it is easy to understand the allure of working with people who have proven over time to be trustworthy, capable, and dependable, the alternative is also important to consider. By expanding the closed circle of contacts that form a team, innovative approaches, new skills, and fresh talent might be discovered. For line producers working to hire unit heads, several approaches can be used to expand the pool of potential department supervisors.
Recruit outside your network. As noted earlier, rather than focusing on the specific person you want to hire, identify the skill set that is required for the role. This may be determined by the parameters of the production itself (e.g., costume designers with expertise on a specific time period; cinematographers with visual effects credentials). Or, skill sets could reflect a candidate’s experience using certain equipment, knowledge of different techniques, etc.
Line producers should bear in mind that historical inequities may prevent individuals from underrepresented groups from having the same number of prior credits as those from majority groups. Thus, it may be important to scrutinize and clarify the baseline skills and experience required for each role. Bear in mind that there may be people who are ready to advance into a unit head role after having spent years moving up the ranks. Where possible, consider if it is feasible to provide that opportunity.
Rely on tools to identify new candidates. Using industry databases, like the new ARRAY Crew database, can help identify people from underrepresented backgrounds who may be available to work on your production. IMDbPro may also be a useful tool for identifying people who have worked on productions that might be relevant to the film or series for which you are hiring.
There are limits to the number of tools that currently exist to identify crew members from underrepresented groups. However, relying on your network of contacts and making it clear you are specifically recruiting with inclusion in mind can be one way to find people who may be outside your network but available to work on your production.
Location-Based Recruiting
A second issue that faces line producers in the process of recruiting new talent for unit head and second positions is the location where production takes place. The first issue may be hiring individuals who qualify for union work in the production location. In major production centers this may pose less of a problem. However, if your budget supports travel for unit heads to the production, this may expand your options for hiring more inclusively.
One aspect of international locations may require special consideration. If you are relocating unit heads to work on your production, recognize that inequity in caregiving responsibilities may be more likely to affect women and non-binary people than men. Is it possible for unit heads who are also parents or caregivers (regardless of gender) to travel to production locations with their families? While this may require creativity in scheduling and a change in practice, addressing these constraints may allow for a more diverse set of individuals to accept work on your production.
Equipment Rental and Other Purchases
As with vendors, equipment rental and purchasing can be done with an eye toward diversity and inclusion. No matter the production location, consider how you will source the equipment and products needed for your shoot. If unit heads will be in charge of gathering equipment, charge them with determining whether a company is woman- or minority-owned before making purchases. This may be particularly important when tax credits or rebates are involved. If you are spending production dollars locally, have you investigated whether businesses with diverse ownership are being approached to provide equipment? As with vendors, information on ownership demographics can be solicited during the bid process.
Additional Resources
Amazon Studios has relationships with multiple trainee and below-the-line staffing programs that emphasize diversity and inclusion. Talk with you production executive, or look in the Resources section of this website for more information.
This section has covered a broad array of methods that are useful for diversifying hiring practices above and below the line. The strategies presented here may be enough to help you achieve the goals of the Policy. It’s more likely, however, that teams will need to pursue multiple solutions, use actions we’ve suggested in conjunction with other approaches, and think critically about how to move forward to meet the Policy goals. Intentionality will be the most important aspect of your decision-making. By specifying your intentions and being transparent with your teams, it becomes possible for the production staff to work together to achieve their goals.
Vendors
When you begin the process of selecting a company to provide services for your production, you have the opportunity to create avenues for inclusion. As you solicit bids from different organizations, request information about their ownership, including whether the business is woman-owned or minority-owned. You may be able to request further information about the company ownership, including whether particular racial/ethnic groups are represented. Including this information during the bid solicitation process will provide a way for you and your team to determine the best vendors to use on your production and to make diversity and inclusion part of the decision-making.
Below The Line
Hiring for behind-the-camera positions often relies on a line producer’s network of personal contacts, particularly for department head positions. This often means that unit head positions are comprised of individuals who have worked together previously.
