Film & TV Support Organizations for Underrepresented Groups
UK - 6 Feet From the Spotlight - a non-profit Community Interest Company (6ft From CIC) set up with the sole aim of improving the mental wellbeing of music and film crew in the UK. Includes training for crew to manage mental health on a production
UK - 104 Projects (encompassing 104 Films) - not-for-profit disabled-led arts and heritage production company. They provide training schemes, short film programmes and initiatives for film talent with disabilities. They are a nationally focussed organisation and all of their work takes place outside of the capital working with disabled communities
UK - Animated Women UK - support network for women from all backgrounds of the animation and VFX industry, and at every stage in their career to fulfill their potential and realise their dreams
UK - BFI Film Clubs - film clubs running in spring and summer 2021 with aim to introduce young people (aged 12 to 15) from disadvantaged backgrounds to new ways of thinking about film. They will give young people who might feel film isn’t for them the chance to learn, talk about, make and share film through a combination of online and, where possible, face-to-face experiences
UK - BFI Press Reset - the BFI’s campaign to inspire authority figures in film and TV to reset practices involving people with disabilities and establish a new, more inclusive normal
UK - Birds Eye View - a not-for-profit that centres the female perspective in film and campaigns for gender equality in all film spaces. They continue to spotlight and celebrate new and classic films created by women through their #ReclaimTheFrame project and support women and non-binary people working in film through advocacy, investment, mentoring and events
UK - Black British Post Prod Collective - Facebook group to connect and support those who are from an African and Caribbean background working in the TV and Film Post Production industry. They host monthly social meet ups, networking events and arrange Black Panel Q&As
UK - The Black Costume Network - a cohort creating an open and safer space for Black and Mixed race creatives in the Costume Industry in the UK (and beyond). A place for often underrepresented voices to be heard whilst focusing on positivity, progression, action and support. Contact: theblackcostumenetwork@gmail.com
UK - The British Arab Writers Group - a space for writers who have a connection to arab heritage, culture or education, to come together and take their craft to the next level
UK - The British Blacklist - supportive organization, information hub and database for Black talent in front of and behind the camera, also including theatre
UK - BRIDGE - a collective of Film & TV industry professionals from across Casting, Production, Writing, Directing and Outreach. They also offer industry partnerships to help talent agencies & agents, production companies, and broadcasters to safely and equitably engage with new talent. We do this by providing training for staff and departments, offering key working during development, on set and beyond, and by providing ongoing enrichment programmes for talent to engage in.
UK - Bridge06 - an Agency for Access Coordinators and DDN Talent and a one stop shop for all things AC to bring an Access First mindset to businesses. Bridge06 will help to improve your workplace and practices with a simple and forward-thinking approach, tailor made to your organisation and needs
UK - Cinegirl - an independent magazine featuring talent from the Film and TV industry. Female focused, not exclusive
UK - Comedy 50:50 - support network addressing gender imbalance in Comedy. Includes a talent database of female writers and jobs board
UK - Creative Access - organization focused on connecting under-represented talent in the creative industries with companies in all creative sectors
UK - Creative Diversity Network - advice for employers on diverse hiring practices
UK - Creative Future - nurture underrepresented artists in their creative development. They provide skills training, mentoring, exhibiting, promoting, and publishing opportunities.
UK - DANC (Disabled Artists Networking Community) - a space to network, create projects/partnerships & discuss how to work together to create change
UK - Dandi (part of TriForce Creative Network) - one stop diversity and inclusion support service for the entertainment industry
UK - Digital Orchard Foundation - part funding body, part lobbying group, part training & networking facilitator, the Digital Orchard Foundation is designed to both pump-up and streamline the incredible work to support underrepresented groups happening in film and television, as well as to fill the gaps in current provision through new events, advocacy and training. Site includes Equality in Focus, a downloadable training framework, action plan and resources guide for film & television crew
UK - Directors Now - online resource that brings together the breakout stories of 100 directors currently working in the industry today to inspire future filmmakers
UK - Disability Arts Online - organisation led by disabled people, set up to advance disability arts and culture through the pages of our journal - also includes job listings
UK - Discover! Creative Careers - an initiative by the UK creative industries to make it easier for young people to find careers in the creative industries. Site brings together careers information and opportunities from creative organisations in one explorable directory
UK - EmployAbility - not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting talented students, graduates and professionals with disabilities achieve the careers they deserve
UK - Film + TV Charity - provides 24/7 help to people in all corners of the industry. They do this through a range of support services and talent development programmes, including The John Brabourne Awards – a stepping stone for bright sparks who are talented and driven, yet unable to push ahead with their career
UK - Frame of Mind - Instagram page spotlighting womxn & under-represented storytellers shaping narratives on the defining social issues of our time
UK - Greenhouse Animation - emerging animation talent development roster from Strange Beast and Passion Animation Studios. They also fund three short films per year and have a Director Development programme as well as offering mentoring to new talent
UK - Inc Arts - not for profit limited company whose mission is to diversify the workforce of the creative and cultural sector. Inc Arts Minds is their new initiative to provide free emotional wellbeing support for ethnically diverse people working in the creative industries who bear the burden of others’ racism
UK - Insight Network - UK Home for Black British Professionals working above-the-line in Scripted Television
UK - Inspiring Connections - a personal and professional development programme for people to gain the opportunities, support or momentum they need to take the next steps towards their career goals. It works by bringing people with barriers to work, Inspiring Connections Candidates, together with Advocates; a range of professionals and business owners motivated to support others to find fulfilling work. Candidates and Advocates participate in six group-based sessions together to empower Candidates and facilitate valuable new relationships. Not specifically media-focused
UK - My Plus Students Club - a network which provides job opportunities for graduates with disabilities in the Banking, Legal, Media and Retail industries, among others
UK - Raising Films - since 2015 Raising Films has supported and campaigned for parents and carers working across the screen sector, carrying out groundbreaking research, building an online community, running training programmes, publishing resources and awarding the Raising Films Ribbon for best practice
UK - ScreenCraft Works - an international community of cross-border mentoring, talks and networking, supporting under-represented production and post production talent
UK - ScreenSkills Resources Page - information page where you can browse research, masterclasses, career maps and other useful information published by ScreenSkills and trusted partners
UK - Share My Telly Job - online community built for freelancers looking for a better work-life balance in TV
UK - Skin Deep Mag - makes space for Black creatives and creatives of colour to work towards justice through cultural production. Through their live events, online platform and print magazine, we build capacity for artists and activists in London and globally to think beyond crisis and survival, and dream of just futures
UK - Transforming Film - organisation providing training and consultancy around trans identity and experience for productions and organisations operating within the screen industries
UK - The TV Collective - online resource dedicated to promoting the creative and commercial value that diversity adds to the British TV and film industries. Includes talent lists, jobs board, training advice and general support network
UK - The TV Watercooler - a campaigning and information site run by freelancers for freelancers. Operating for over 20 years, starting life on the original Production Base forum and are completely independent and non-profit making
UK - thinkBIGGER! - talent finder, trainee provider, coaching and workshop provider for d/Deaf and disabled people working in TV and film. They run a variety of online and in-person disability awareness courses
UK - Triple C (Creative Confidence Collective) - a Community Interest Company with a mission to drive up the role of the disabled people in the arts & media and the role of the arts & media in the lives of disabled people
UK - UK Muslim Film - championing for better representation of Muslims on-screen including a Film Fund for aspiring filmmakers
UK - WFTV - the leading membership organisation for women working in creative media in the UK and part of an international network of over 13,000 women. They host a variety of events throughout the year, present a prestigious awards ceremony every December and run two mid-career mentoring programme for women - one based in London, one in Northern Ireland. They also host networking evenings, collaborate with industry bodies on research projects, and lobby for women’s interests. Their site has details of Disability and Accessibility Resources, Internships & Training, and Anti-Racism Resources
UK & US - FWD-Doc - A Toolkit for Inclusion & Accessibility: Changing the Narrative of Disability in Documentary Film. There are separate downloadable toolkits for the UK and US
US - 1497 - organization committed to supporting and uplifting talent of South Asian descent to challenge their underrepresentation in the American film and television industry
US - 51Fund - a private equity fund financing feature films of any genre that are written, directed, and/or produced by women. Their goal is to provide favorable financial and social returns to investors, while partnering with today’s most exciting female creators and filmmakers
US - Ability First - provides a variety of programs designed to help people with disabilities achieve their personal best throughout their lives. They create targeted programming to help an individual successfully transition from childhood to adult life.
US - Adcolor - champions diversity and inclusion in creative industries. Their process is twofold. First, to help individuals and organizations rise up, letting their accomplishments and ideas shine. Second, to teach these new leaders and would-be-mentors how to reach back and find others who deserve to be noticed and promoted. Their goal is to create a community of diverse professionals who are here to support and celebrate one another
US - American Muslim Film Grant - the grant specifically aims to support emerging Muslim filmmakers, who are creating artistic, engaging, and positive stories about their community. The grant is split into two categories: narrative and documentary. In addition to funding, grant recipients will also receive mentorship and networking opportunities from industry professionals to help further the advancement of their script and film
US - Backstage Capital - Less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to Women, People of Color, and LGBT founders. Backstage Capital has invested in more than 180 companies led by underrepresented founders
US - Black Film Space - a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the careers of Black filmmakers. They host events that include film screenings, panels, networking mixers, professional development workshops, skill sharing, and open forums
US - Chromatic Black - a collective of artist-activists across a spectrum of creative disciplines disrupting the master narrative with good storytelling. Supporters of The Ida B. Wells Fund
US - Color of Change - collaborate with like-minded insiders and influencers to change representations of Black people - and issues affecting Black people - across the media landscape. Their work includes changing the rules across the TV and film industry, consulting for TV and film, creating accountability, commissioning research, partnering with influential artists, and more
US - Composers Diversity Collective - an organization of music creators who are achieving a workplace environment in the entertainment industry as diverse as our society. They exist to eliminate the industry’s challenge to find culturally diverse music creators, music supervisors, sound engineers and musicians, to increase our own awareness of each other, and to dispel misconceptions about the stylistic range of any minority composer
US - FILM Collective - a collective of filmmakers working to elevate Female Inspired and Led Media based in Austin, Texas
US - Film Independent - list of grants and funds available through Film Independent
US - Fractured Atlas - they provide tools and guidance so that artists can thrive, fully, through fiscal sponsorship, visas, fundraising and knowledge sharing
US - Future of Film is Female - advances gender parity in the film industry by amplifying all women & non-binary filmmakers through their short film fund, commitment to exhibition, & community building programs
US - Hue You Know - A Community for BIPOC in Media. HUE bolsters diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging. Their mission is to build community, provide mentorship, and foster employment opportunities for BIPOC media professionals
US & Worldwide - Inevitable Foundation - Fund with networking events and connections for the next generation of disabled screenwriters. US-based with a global reach
US - JFI Completion Grants Program - The Jewish Film Institute’s Completion Grants Program provides finishing funds to emerging and established filmmakers for original stories that promote thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, life, culture, memory, and identity
US - JJ’s List - communications and marketing social enterprise that helps businesses meet the needs of customers or employees with disabilities by incorporating disability-aware marketing, customer service and employment best practices into core business strategies. They provide meaningful career paths in communications, technology and digital marketing to people with disabilities at the same time
US - Latin Tracking Board - a community of and for young Latinx executives in Hollywood. Sharing news of Latin@s in entertainment
US - mama.film - a village – at the crossroads of art & advocacy – where storytellers, changemakers and nurturers come together to champion humanity through a maternal gaze. We center stories that foster empathy and connection to women, identity and human experience.
US - ManifestWorks - connects those impacted by foster care, homelessness and incarceration with job opportunities and provides ongoing life and professional skills to support long-term success
US - MiFilm (Minorities in Film) - a collective for People with Disabilities and People of Color in film and media. Site includes jobs and they run a monthly newsletter. They also run MiFILM Branded Lab, a mentorship-based virtual lab designed to develop and accelerate the careers of underrepresented groups in film
US - MixedKids&Co - blog and resources network for those seeking to build better representation where it goes unseen, or people who strongly turn to their ancestry as a driving force for whatever it is they do
US - Mom Film Fest - a career development and advocacy resource for moms working in film and television
US - Moonshot Initiative (formerly Women’s Weekend Film Challenge) - places professional filmmakers on crews to write, shoot and edit a short film in one weekend and provides top-of-the-line equipment, insurance and workshops
US - NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers) - organization seeking to change media culture by advocating and promoting the professional needs of Latine artists in media
US - New Filmmakers LA (NFMLA) - a non-profit organization designed to showcase innovative works by emerging filmmakers from around the world, providing the Los Angeles community of entertainment professionals and film goers with a constant surge of monthly screening events. NFMLA provides a forum where filmmakers can be recognized for their contributions, have open audience discussions about their projects and connect with industry professionals for insight on distribution, production, acquisition and representation
US - NYC Women Filmmakers - advocates for inclusion and amplification of underrepresented filmmakers of all trades, experience and background
US - The Salon - forum for South Asian artists and executives in entertainment to connect and collaborate, share resources, facilitate mentorship, drive public advocacy, and disburse grants. The Salon’s mission is to accelerate the creative development of South Asian-American television and film through community organizing and empowerment
US - SheMinutes - EMINUTES are helping to amplify the voices of underrepresented storytellers through their Arts Initiative and have now launched the EMINUTES Women’s Entrepreneur Initiative (SheMinutes) and amplify the voices of women leaders. EMINUTES provides education about incorporating or forming an LLC, as well as a discount to women forming corporations
US - Sundance Inclusion Resource Map - a searchable storehouse of opportunities and programs available to U.S.-based artists from underrepresented communities
US - Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity - consortium of working TV writers comprised of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Disabled, and Women writers
US - Third Eye Collective - a professional community and career hub for South Asian creatives
US - Ujima Entertainment Coalition - a resource for jobs, support, career advancement, skills training, and a profound sense of community or Black entertainment professionals from all facets of production
US - Untitled Ladies Script Club - organization with a mission to provide an inclusive and encouraging community for female-identifying and non-binary screenwriters to learn, collaborate, and build lasting relationships in the entertainment industry. They offer educational panels, workshops and networking events to help their members grow creatively, professionally, and personally
US - Untitled Latinx Project - talent list and support group with the mission to increase Latinx representation in television, broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms through content created by Latinx writers
US - Women and Hollywood - resources site that educates, advocates, and agitates for gender diversity and inclusion in Hollywood and the global film industry. The site was founded in 2007 by Melissa Silverstein
US - Women Creating Change - WCC galvanizes a multicultural community of women in the entertainment industry, from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through creative and collaborative storytelling
US - Women in Entertainment - organization that brings together forward-thinkers from all areas of the entertainment industry to explore a variety of topics that greatly impact women. Their work includes workshops and networking events as well as having a detailed resources site which includes details of film festivals, grants/funds, screenwriting programs, and fellowships, labs and mentorship programs
US - Women in Film - advocates for and advances the careers of women working in the screen industries through funds, mentoring schemes and training including ReFrame, For Your Consideration, and Hire Her Back
US - Write or Die Chicks - talent collective and social organization for emerging female writers in all forms of scripted media
US/Worldwide - WIFTI (Women in Film and Television International) - the global network connecting all others to speak with one common voice across all chapters of Women in Film worldwide
South Africa - Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) is a South African based non-profit organization formed as a voice and a force to focus on advocating for gender, race and pay parity across film and TV
Worldwide - Alliance for Women Film Composers - a community of composers and colleagues who strive to support and celebrate the work of women composers through advocacy and education
Worldwide - Arab Film and Media Institute - the first organization of its kind outside the Arab world, a unique ecosystem to find, nurture and develop Arab film and media projects
Worldwide - ARTEF (Anti-Racism Task Force for European Film) - a task force created to tackle institutional racism in the European film industry, including running anti-racism awareness training
Worldwide - Breaking Through the Lens - curates a small selection of the highest-quality feature films by female and non-binary directors, projects that are already far along in development, and gives them the opportunity to pitch in front of top-tier financiers
Worldwide - Female Film Club - a transformative members club that's reshaping the landscape for filmmakers globally. The club empowers its members throughout their journey in the film industry, allowing its members to find their community and become part of a global movement to push the female voice forward. Female Female Club is a space where every creative feels comfortable, no matter your circumstance, situation, or background. Join them for free by visiting their Networking Space
Worldwide - Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media - founded in 2004 by Academy Award Winning Actor Geena Davis, the Institute is the only global research-based organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion and reduce negative stereotyping in family entertainment media. Their site has information toolkits, details of virtual and in-person events, and information on their extensive research into bias and inclusion in the media.
Worldwide - The Jane Club - a community platform for women to connect and learn, offer mutual support, and grow together. They are actively building a world where women are not forced to give up what nourishes them in order to care for their family. A world where women are supported in equal amounts to the amount that they support others
Worldwide - Programmers of Colour Collective - comprising programmers who are POCs, women and TSLGBTQ+*, the objective of POC2 (Programmers of Colour Collective) is to advocate for a more inclusive programming pool worldwide
Worldwide - She Says - global organisation running monthly events and facilitating mentorship schemes for female-identifying and non-binary people across all industries (not specifically media-focused)