Blue Collar Post Collective (BCPC) to Present Solutions for Diversity Programs at SMPTE Technical Conference
A paper on fixing diversity programs will be presented by BCPC leadership at SMPTE’s Annual Technical Conference in Hollywood on October 25.
Members of The Blue Collar Post Collective (BCPC)’s leadership including president Kylee Peña, co-founder and board chairperson Katie Hinsen, and mentor coordinator Meaghan Wilbur, have co-authored a paper titled “Why Diversity Programs Fail – and How to Fix Them” for presentation at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Annual Technical Conference in Hollywood on October 25.
Over the last decade, many different programs have emerged to meet rising awareness over the diversity gap at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and entertainment. However, upon reflection of combined data across these fields, there has been no significant improvement for women and minorities over the last twenty years despite a continued increase in interest and college graduates. In their paper, Peña, Wilbur, and Hinsen build a case for why this has happened, why it’s important, and how organizations can work to make tangible change for the future of diversity programs.
“The diversity gap in entertainment engineering isn’t a simple problem to solve. We have to look carefully at things like implicit bias and privilege which can affect our ability to create programs that are realistic and useful for people with vastly different backgrounds. We’re making very practical recommendations that approach diversity differently — from the bottom up instead of the top down, making the bridge from entry level to mid-career more sturdy for everyone,” notes Peña.
The paper and presentation session will help to guide decision-makers and influencers toward actionable takeaways which make better use of an organization’s resources and time than current diversity solutions.
All full-time post production professionals – Peña as a Workflow Supervisor for Bling Digital, Wilbur as a film editor, and Hinsen as Head of Operations for Department of Post in New Zealand – the co-authors have constructed the paper from over a year of academic research, an independent study of recent graduates, and their own experiences in the industry.
“Why Diversity Programs Fail – and How to Fix Them” will be presented by Peña and Wilbur at the SMPTE Annual Technical Conference as part of the “Innovation People” session at 2:30PM on October 25th in Hollywood. The full manuscript will be made available following the conference.
About the Blue Collar Post Collective
The Blue Collar Post Collective is an accessible and focused grassroots 501(c)3 non-profit organization, supporting emerging talent in post production.
Their goal is to foster an all-inclusive community and to provide unique opportunities for their members to develop professionally. There are no prerequisites or membership fees to join the BCPC. It is a group of over 5000 post-production professionals worldwide who want to share their experiences and support each other. It appeals to those who have questions about getting started in post, people looking to advance in their careers, and professionals who want to connect with more of their peers.
The BCPC holds monthly meetups and organizes events focused on offering alternative educational and career development opportunities with no barriers to attend. Not only are they building networks for emerging talent, but they work to strengthen the ties between the group and the wider community, through collaborative partnerships, advocacy, social events and innovative programs.