The Red Carpet (And Everywhere Else) Needs You

Hollywood’s recent Oscar boycott is headlining like crazy even after the culmination of the awards at the end of last month. The criticism largely due to the fact that not only the nominations, but the industry as a whole, lacks diversity.

As a female producer in the business, this has particularly struck a chord with me on a few levels. For one, I can relate to the angst of several filmmakers trying to get their films financed and distributed—a difficult thing when your stories aren’t mainstream and therefore don’t abide by a studio’s “sure thing” standards when it comes to making a profit. Underrepresented topics and subjects such as race and women don’t rank in high value for investors, an unfortunate reality for now.

For another, I have always felt a responsibility to the amount of exposure the media provides, and considered it the greatest way to send a message, transport an audience, change the way people think and even feel —and here’s the thing, I believe this even more so right now. The great shift that is happening in the entertainment industry is an exciting opportunity to not only get your content out there, but also to do so from wherever you choose—Boston, Austin, Seattle, Portland—all up and coming artist hubs for where content is fresh and more importantly, diverse.

Now is the time to leverage the urgency and the necessity of your voice to change the industry. Utilize and even develop resources and networking opportunities in your own community. For example, if you are an East Coaster for life and don’t want to move to Hollywood because we have four beautiful seasons here and LA is weird, right? Then don’t. You can live where you want! Get behind your story and stay there. No matter where you choose. Be patient and believe it should be told. Passion drives sales. You are more likely to get support for something you love instead of something that feels forced.

Be original. Don’t put yourself in a box or fake the funk for the sake of a sale. You will never be happy with the outcome. Be a part of the change that is already happening, because the future of the media, as well as the arts, needs to see and hear from YOU now more than ever. Otherwise, we risk becoming uninteresting (insert slight panic attack) and I assure you, no one wants that.

Author:  Karly Meola