Topic - The Taxi Forum

Author	Topic: Diversity
aLICE	Bit of a heads up. A TV watchdog group commissioned a survey/analysis called "Diversity, Not On Television" and Segovia was slammed. They looked at the representation of 'minorities' on different stations. We didn't have any. The report upset the board because it was accompanied by figures on how many minorities watch TV. Plus in the current climate they don't want to be seen as intolerant. Our internal surveys have said the same thing for years, but they always listen more to outside voices. So the word is that ALL current productions are going to have look at on-going casting requirements and see if they cannot accommodate minority hires through creative casting. Just letting you know what's coming. ALICE
Arthur	We're making a period drama. It's set in 1940, the major parts are cast and the extras are from a small village in Sussex. Exactly how creative am I supposed to get?
roge	'Do something' is the word. We’re struggling to promote our diversity here. Evidently someone got to one of the Board and pointed out that Olivier did Othello. Really, you can see their point. The one authentic black role in Shakespeare and they cast a white man. Surely you have some minor role that is race neutral? Was England totally white in 1940?
Tomms	Any chance of making the butler black or the gardener? Actually the ethnicity isn't important. What about an Indian or Pakistani? The issue here is that we don't get sued for discrimination.
CMiles	I don’t know about England but think rural Sussex was pretty white. We’ve already cast the gardener. Since in the book he's an old relative of the butler, making him black seems like we'd be adding in more family history than we're quite ready for. Anyway, we’re using the old bloke who’s here now. The man is a natural and he'll be cheap. Anyway, we've got an Indian as the taxi driver, so that should be worth something, shouldn't it?
roge	Glad to see the recent "Sensitivity In The Work Place" seminar paid off. I know this is a private forum but if the press got hold of this we'll be crucified. FYI Pakistan was created after the war. China seems to have been around for a while.
Arthur	Look we're in London this week. I'll look at the scenes with Alan and we'll do what we can there.
Tomms	Just a thought, but what about the taxi driver?
roge	Brilliant. The press will murder us for that one. Classic stereotype.
Irenew	He doesn’t have to be Indian. What about a pygmy?
roge	Well if you're going to be silly we'll just end this. I don't think you people know what it's like to be a minority!
CMiles	Actually Roge, as a black woman I do constitute a minority and though I've been trying to keep out of this I feel like I have to make a couple of points. Stuffing a minority face into a meaningless roll does nothing to help promote diversity. People of different ethnicities can play all sorts of roles The reason for including any character is because he or she furthers the plot and adds to the dramatic tension that is being aimed at - not because he/she fills a quota While this production, with its period and class bias, may not reflect a diverse cast, the fact is that none of the TV productions that this company produces does that. Why is that? Why does this company make nice white middle class pictures with nice white middle class people in them? And if the answer is that this is the demographic that marketers like and feel comfortable with then it's a pretty sad world. Sorry, but sometimes...
roge	You're black! How wonderful. I had no idea, but then you don't, do you? On the internet, I mean. Anyway that's great.