Black Screen Office’s “Being Seen” Directives

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION are no longer empty buzzwords in the Canadian film and television industry, but rather throaty battle cries for action. The challenge, of course, is how an industry combats the systemic inequality that it refused to see for decades. One cannot bring about change through mere promises to do better; one needs the proper instruments to chip away at the issue at all levels. The Black Screen Office (BSO)’s “Being Seen: Directives for Creating Authentic and Inclusive Content” is just the tool the industry needs right now.

Launched in February 2022, “Being Seen” provides a comprehensive examination of the underrepresentation of Black people, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities in Canada’s screen industry. It offers clear guidelines for meaningful change. Based on conversations with over 400 industry workers and