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Career Demographic Shift in Hollywood Is Tsunami of Change

Added 2024-02-26 21:23:43 +0000 UTC

The demographics behind those who create content for entertainment have shifted such that it's no surprise the flavor of Hollywood is totally different. The writers room has never been so drastically changed in such a short period of time. Whether for better or worse, women have gone from 35% of the writing force in Hollywood to 63% in less-than-a-decade.

Likewise, as we have suspected for some time, minorities now make up the majority of writers behind North American entertainment. An astound 55%+ of writers in 2020 were non-majority category groups... and after the pandemic, we believe that number has shifted even more dramatically.

While I make no claim as to the abilities of any group based on immutable differences, it's no wonder that stories, characters and values have shifted. Partly that's because when you fill any profession with a much smaller talent pool (based on sheer numbers), the margins within the bell curve of talent has to change. For example, African Americans make up about 13% of the US population -- if you're going to shift a profession to being dramatically higher than 13% African American representation, the only way you can do that is to draw from a larger span of talent spectrum than you would otherwise. The same is true for any group, including if you wanted to increase majority representation (what Hollywood once did many, many decades ago).

Ultimately, hiring from a quota system is generating a distinct play for tribal power dynamics rather than authentic representation of talent from a diverse group of hires. We can see that in the data provided up until 2020; and just know that it is far more pronounced in the last years than all the prior years combined.

Wait until we see that data.

A better system for diversity: recognize the divine worth of every person regardless of skin color and hire based on virtue without negative distinction for the racial background of any person.

Of course, you'll note that the "big wigs" at the top are still the same. It's only the smaller fish that are allowed to change. That's the "savior complex" in action.