The effort to boost diversity in American films and TV series came to the fore at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival on Friday as Hollywood execs talked about pushing projects from underrepresented creators in front of major studios and streamers.
Sara Rastogi, executive vp of production and development at Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media banner, said getting the right resources, financial and creative, into projects by new and diverse creators is key to success in changing Hollywood.
“We’re passionate in bringing those resources to projects of color. A lot of time, it’s, ‘Oh, we’ll do something for this number.’ But that’s short changing what the project might really need. Top of mind is how do we support the creative, giving them resources so their project can be a success,” Rastogi said during the panel on feature film development at TIFF.
Reshaping Hollywood with new movie voices is also part of the puzzle. “We really like working with individuals who really want to smash and blend different genres together,” Kate Oh, a development executive at Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, added, as tracking new voices from their earliest roots in the business remains a focus.
“Watching Quinta (Brunson) on YouTube, we all knew she was talented. It’s affirming when those voices land somewhere and to see her getting her flowers is incredible,” Oh added of Brunson finding TV success with Abbott Elementary.
Both Oh and Rastogi talked about the role film studio Universal has played in supporting projects from diverse creators. Rae worked with Universal on the romantic drama The Photograph and the comedy Little. Peele has a rich first-look film deal with the studio, which released his Oscar-winning hit Get Out and follow-ups Us and Nope.
Oh said the Universal deal has allowed Monkeypaw to become an incubator for new diverse voices: “You really want to tell stories and push the needle for representation… It’s amazing to work at a company where it’s one less hill to climb, where we’re all deeply devoted to this mission statement and we’re just trying to push forward with the studios and buyers.”
Playing matchmaker is also key to putting together projects involving underrepresented talent. “We’re sending off people to blind dates all the time. This is a writer, we think this is the right director for this. Go have dinner and see what happens,” Oh insisted of chemistry being key to putting together movie projects that can get off the ground in Hollywood.
The Toronto Film Festival continues through Sept. 17.
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