How LA’s New Roybal Magnet School Seeks to Ramp Up Diversity in Below-the-Line Hollywood Jobs: Mike Miller, international vice president of the entertainment trade union IATSE and director of the union’s Motion Picture and Television department, is a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. He admits that it’s unusual for him to speak to the Hollywood trade press — about anything. But Miller is happy to step out of his comfort zone to talk about IATSE’s role in the Roybal School of Film and Television Production, which launched in August with 150 students a secondary school campus in downtown Los Angeles
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Advocating for diversity in the industry includes everyone working on it, not just the people who are in front of the camera. I love how this takes a step in the right direction of solving a lot of problems, I’m getting the impression that this is a win-win scenario for everyone involved. It’s shallow to take pride in having actors of colors front and center of a project but not knowing how to work with them behind the scenes. I was in an instance where the wig department failed to consult with their black performer about a wig they wanted her to wear. When we got to tech and she tried wearing the wig it was obvious it was making her uncomfortable. This all got resolved at the end after a meeting or two but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Not only are you wasting resources and time but they were also being generally disrespectful to the performer.
That is really exciting that this type of magnet school is going to develop. On a personal level, I find the idea of magnet schools a complex. I think a well-rounded education will serve students better in general and that often students who commit to these specific fields before they are even 18 may feel stuck or stagnate. This is based on personal experience. If I was offered the opportunity to attend a magnet school at 14, I would have gone to one for STEM, and I would have been more siloed than I already was. That said, regardless of the specific effects of a program like this, I am really excited about it because I really like the intent behind it. I think diversity behind the camera or “below the line” is really important. I think people of color and of lower income deserve just as much of an opportunity to have this positions and if this school can succeed at that than I am a supporter.
I’m really glad to see IATSE working on things like this magnet program for high schoolers. Entertainment needs so badly to work on accessibility and diversity, and I think this is one specific avenue to do that. Giving these students an early opportunity to see how TV and film work, and experience jobs they might not know about like makeup artists and camera operators. I know that the more I understand the entertainment industry, the more complex and broad it got. The sheer number of people involved in one project always astounds me and I am always learning. I’m glad these kids have the opportunity to experience this. And, this is connected to the union, so I’d imagine they get some understanding of how working in the union works and how those contracts work (or, I hope so. That is very valuable information). I am interested in seeing how this program develops.
This sounds like a truly great idea. I like that this article points out that the diversity in Los Angeles already exists, so there should be no problem in having a demographically and economically diverse student population. This school also seems to have more of the structure of a vocational school that makes finding work much more practical for graduating students. This is refreshing in the arts, where it often feels like people need a certain level of wealth to support themselves as they build their careers. The members of Council being members of the industry feels vital and extremely valuable for aspiring filmmakers. A diversity of experiences “behind the camera” helps develop dynamic stories just as much if not more than having a diverse cast. I also love that the producers of Abbott Elementary (a show about schools) are giving back to public schools in the Los Angeles community.
This is probably my favorite article that I have read so far. So often do people forget that diversity behind the scenes is just as important as on the screen or on the stage. I actually love that the article mentioned “Abbott Elementary’s,” popularity being part of what brought the entertainment industry to focus on public schools. THIS is why representation is important!! This is why we need to tell diverse stories no matter how sad or uncomfortable it might be. It’s important to raise awareness for these types of situations in order to capture the attention of the people who can actually do something about it. It’s so wonderful that this magnet program is working to bring students of color into the behind the scenes world. It gives me hope that the entertainment industry as a whole can become a more inviting and welcoming space for artists of color.
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