Indeed, one of the world's top job sites, is giving $3 million to 10 filmmakers of color to make short films that explore the meaning of work and how jobs can fundamentally change who we are.
The writer, producer, and actor, who won an award for her work, is a partner in the initiative. Indeed increased funding from $1 million to $3 million to showcase stories created by filmmakers from diverse background.
The Lab, a 12-month residency program to fund filmmakers from marginalized groups, is one of the production and development resources that will be included in the second part of Rising Voices. These filmmakers will make films that show how work connects people, strengthens communities, and provides pathways for economic mobility.
Indeed connects millions of people to new jobs. Indeed's broader diversity goals are aligned with the partnership. He said that Indeed has a front-row seat to the biases and barriers that exist in the hiring process. "We've been committed to using our technology to try to reduce that bias and lower barriers for many years," he told Insider.
He said the idea was simple. Instead of spending a million dollars on a 30-second ad, we should invest in 10 filmmakers to make short films about the meaning of work. Have those voices come from marginalized communities?
650 jobs were created and 10 filmmakers had a production budget of $100,000 each, thanks to the first season of Rising Voices. The 15-minute shorts were produced by the filmmakers.
The 10 directors whose short was featured at the festival were all female. Her film, "Huella," tells the story of a flamenco dancer who transitions to a desk job and is forced to reignite her passion by confronting a family curse. The Dominican-born filmmaker has been accepted into the art of practice fellowship at the festival and is working on a feature film.
The work of the filmmakers in the first season of Rising Voices proved our belief that talent is universal but opportunity is not. The proof is in the work the filmmakers have done after the premiere at the festival.
The filmmakers will be nurtured through the process and set them up for career success in the industry according to the company.
"We are excited to bring back the Rising Voices program with our partners at Indeed," she said. The mission of the Hillman Grad is to create opportunities forunderrepresented voices.
The filmmakers who were awarded $100,000 each for their roles as filmmakers in residence were Johnson Cheng, Stacy Pascal Gaspard, and Ortega.
"We believe that this is as impactful or more impactful as anything else we can do from a marketing perspective with that budget," he said. We'll be helping to create more jobs for other people that these filmmakers will be hiring, and we'll be helping to grow their careers in an industry that is extremely difficult to crack into."