Local filmmakers advocating to diversify B.C. film, TV

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A series of roundtable discussions held by performers and leaders in B.C.’s film industry are shedding some light on the struggles people from marginalized groups can face when trying to find work.

The discussions, held by the UBCP/ACTRA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, have been attended by performers in some locally shot productions, including Michelle Thrush from ‘Arctic Air’, which ended in 2014, and Nelson Wong from, ‘The Good Doctor’.

Chair Angela Moore says the discussions are held every year, and this time around, the focus is on LBGTQ and Indigenous performers.

“My mission is to have everyone be able to fully bring themselves into their work and feel free,” she tells NEWS 1130.

She says many indigenous actors have said they often fall into the same old stereotype laden roles time and time again.

“First nations performers are always seen as drunk, dancing, drumming or dead,” says Moore. “And, they talked about the hurdles they would have to go through to get work where they weren’t representing those 4 D’s.”

Moore says, it can be just as hard for LGBTQ performers to feel comfortable on set.

“If they did something with their partner on the weekend, they couldn’t say, ‘my boyfriend’ if they were a guy, or ‘my girlfriend’ if they were female, so they often left that part of their social interaction on set, out.”

Moore says discussing diversity will “bring another level of excellence” to the collective of B.C. performers, representing more communities on T.V. and film.

“We’re just letting people know and also inspiring the younger actors to fully be themselves within the industry and letting the producers know that we have an incredible richness of performers in B.C.”, says Moore. “And by allowing them to have, you know full expression in getting opportunities for roles and auditioning for roles that it only raises the level of excellence and performance in B.C.”

She says the goal is highlighting the problems so that solutions can be found.

In previous years the group has focused on the issues facing Black, Middle Eastern and South Asian Canadians in the industry.

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