To be able to see somebody who looks like you can be a big win for many, especially teenagers and young adults who are trying to figure out their identity. Somebody out there is similar to me, can be a very comforting feeling. For many years now, the shows in the West have had limited representation. Netflix, one of the biggest OTT platforms, decided to change this with their Inclusive Initiative. To bring more diversity, they partnered with Dr Stacy L Smith and USC Annenberg.
In 2021, Netflix also created the ‘Netflix Fund For Creative Equity’ which plans on donating $100 million in the course of 5 years to provide opportunities to talent belonging to under-represented communities. They have also formulated various inclusion metrics to understand the representation of diverse groups on shows and movies streaming on Netflix.
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The Number Game
Netflix recently released the statistics for the year 2020-2021 and how they have worked to incorporate more distinct crowds and themes on their platform. Some of the key takeaways from the report include-
- More than 55% of shows on Netflix between 2018-2021 had women in lead or co-lead roles.
- 47% of Netflix shows had people from under-represented communities.
- 38% of Women and 11.8% of women of colour stepped up as series directors for Netflix.
- Netflix invested nearly $29 million dollars, partnering with 80 organisations across 35 countries to support talent from excluded communities.
- Netflix has also embedded inclusive practices in their recruitment process by including people from different races, ethnicities, genders, etc
Netflix Shows That Show Diversity
Kim Convenience
Kim’s Convenience is a 5 season series that revolves around the life of a Korean family who moved to Toronto in Canada. They are the first generation Korean-Canadian who run a small Convenience store in Moss Park.
Kim’s Convenience is a heartwarming show that has Asian representation in the Western entertainment world. Ins Choi is the creator of the series and many sequences draw inspiration from his own experiences when his Korean family moved to Canada.
Never Have I Ever
When the life of the party meets the Wallflower at the party, they are bound to fall in love. It is a tried and tested formula of the entertainment industry. This formula was given an edge by including diverse people in the Netflix popular series, Never Have I Ever.
The protagonist in the series is played by an Indian origin actress who plays the character of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, a Tamil-Canadian. She has a crush on half-Japanese boy. The series also has a character with Down Syndrome. This series paves the way to a much more inclusive era, wherein diverse groups are represented.
The Dragon Prince
The Dragon Prince is an animated series streaming on Netflix. The story is of Callum, popularly known as Sokka of the Water Tribe, who is the “step-prince” of the Kingdom of Katolis. In the parallel lead, there is Prince Ezran, who is the son of a biracial couple.
The animated series is an honest representation of not just diverse races but also of differently-abled people. It shows General Amaya as deaf, who is a tough soldier instead of a dependent body, raising the bar of inclusivity.
All Day and A Night
All Day and A Night is a Netflix Original Film that revolves around the life of a black man who sets on the path of crime. While looking back on his life, he contemplates the circumstances and the system that put him on this wrong path.
The film not only represents people of colour but also pushes the audience to rethink their understanding of good and bad. It explores the grey area and helps us understand that people are not inherently bad.
