POC Filmmaker

Now that the Oscars have changed their requirements to include one for diversity, the concept has taken top priority in the moviemaking world. This, people soon found, wasn't just a requirement to put a person of color (POC) in front of the camera at some point. Instead, it can also be met by including a diverse population in other positions related to making a movie, including makeup artists, sound production, videography, and more.

Because of this, a POC filmmaker now has a better chance at getting picked up by a distribution company than ever before. Of course, this also means that there is a higher chance of one winning an Oscar because more will be competing for one of the coveted film awards.

Even though the Oscars requirement has driven awareness, it is important that the change created is not limited to Hollywood productions. All sorts of multimedia projects benefit from having a variety of perspectives involved. This is especially true of TV advertising. Too often, ads are produced at great cost, only to have to be withdrawn early because they turned out to be tone-deaf. If a POC filmmaker was involved in the approval process of those ads, they would have been stopped before they got off of the table. That would have saved the affected companies up to several million dollars by preventing not only the production of the dud ad but the purchase of the ad slots that would have been dedicated to it.

That said, a POC filmmaker can do far more than serve in an advisory role. These filmmakers are qualified to make excellent productions of their own, and many have produced and directed excellent films. In fact, many provide fresh, new perspectives – not only in social ways but in the way their films look and the subjects that are covered. This can be a welcome change, especially since a lack of originality is one of moviegoers' chief complaints about Hollywood's usual output.

One great way to see the work of these filmmakers is to check the filmography pages on their sites. These range from a Sesame Street segment about taking pictures all the way to a gritty drama about a musician in an area beset by terrorists.

If you're serious about having a movie made, consider working with Ms. Hunter. You'll get a unique vision and skill set that will make you glad that you looked beyond the usual names and faces.