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array alliance February 22, 2021
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Ava DuVernay eyes inclusivity in film with ARRAY Crew launch

ARRAY Alliance recently launched ARRAY Crew, a new database for film and TV industry workers.

The initiative focuses on supporting women and people of color who are not a part of the shortlist of technicians that circulate throughout Hollywood.

It is about providing equal opportunity, which consequently promotes new and exciting perspectives and stories.

Ava DuVernay for ARRAY

The ARRAY Crew launch

ARRAY Crew launched on Thursday with over 3000 members already registered. Also, every major media company is backing the project.

As part of WarnerMedia’s commitment to inclusive hiring, the project is inaugurally founded by the chairman of Warner Brothers, Peter Roth. 

The ARRAY Crew via ARRAY

The platform is already supported by every major media company and in use by more than 70 productions from these partners.

The ARRAY Crew launch allows hiring and production managers to search candidates across over 45 departments and 500 job titles.

To become a member, candidates need only verify that they are over 18 years old. And that they have at least one production credit.

Also, there is no fee to members at any time.

The overwhelming support of the studios and streamers has bolstered our belief that our industry can become a more balanced place to work for more kinds and cultures of people, resulting in stronger and more dynamic content for viewers and moviegoers.

DuVernay for ARRAY

ARRAY Alliance

ARRAY Alliance is an all-women-led organization founded by filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

Her work on Selma made her the first Black woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe Best Director’s award. The film also won an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Image courtesy of Premium Beat

With the urgent need to launch a database like ARRAY Crew, DuVernay cites her exhaustion with diversity panels and discourse that fail to result in truly inclusive hiring practices.

According to research conducted by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, in the top 265 films between 2016-2018, only 9 percent of first assistant director positions were filled by women.

Also, only 5.9 percent of production designers were people of color, and there were no female gaffers. 

It is clear the ARRAY Crew launch is coming at a most important time.

Promoting diversity in film

The ARRAY Crew launch finds itself alongside ARRAY film distribution, ARRAY film works, and also programming/production hub ARRAY Creative Campus.

With an app version set to release later this year, DuVernay hopes ARRAY Crew will enable greater inclusivity on set.