Univision, Unions, Universities Develop ‘Storytelling Unbound Handbook’

Univision Communications today announced that it is collaborating with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), Producers Guild of America (PGA), Screen Actors Guildâ€ÂAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Division of Social Sciences, and University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg, as well as the USC School of Cinematic Arts for the production of its Storytelling Unbound Handbook.

The mission of the Handbook is to accelerate progress in the creation of inclusive content by sharing what’s working and why. The Handbook will be released in the second half of 2018 and will also include a web component. 

Together, the aforementioned organizations form the Storytelling Unbound Advisory Committee, with the UCLA Division of Social Sciences, USC Annenberg and the USC School of Cinematic Arts serving as research partners auditing entertainment industry diversity programs. Elements of the final product could include: barriers to entry for underrepresented populations; clarity on what defines a successful program; cataloging and thematic organization of essential practices; deep dives into pipeline, employment and retention issues; and recommendations on how to implement programs and track successes in-house.

Said UCI Chief Revenue Officer Tonia O’Connor, “As a committee, we have carefully chosen the phrase ‘essential practices’ instead of ‘best practices.’ Fixing the diversity gap is essential to the future of the entertainment industry. Young audiences are demanding it, and UCI is proud to lead the charge. Representation is at the core of everything we do.”

The Storytelling Unbound Advisory Committee will be chaired by the founder of the Hollywood Bureau of the NAACP, Vicangelo Bulluck, who brings more than 20 years of experience addressing issues of minority representation in the entertainment industry.

“What excited me about this project is that it will be extensive and practical,” said Bulluck. “We’re going to do a thorough review of what’s out there, and then share it with the industry in a way that helps us collectively reach true inclusivity. This will make a real difference.”

“We are thrilled to be part of the collaborative for this important initiative,” said UCLA Dean of Social Sciences, Darnell Hunt, PhD. If the findings from our annual Hollywood Diversity Report have taught us anything, it’s that we must identify the concrete practices which actually work to move the needle on the industry’s diversity problem.”

Publication of the handbook is part of the company’s previously announced Project Unbound – a wide-reaching effort focused on closing the diversity gap in entertainment by raising awareness of the disparities and solutions; creating and celebrating content representative of today’s America; and developing and supporting emerging storytellers.

UCI will host a panel this Sunday at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival under the Project Unbound umbrella. Fusion TV host Kimberly Brooks will moderate and CEO of FMG Studios, Camila Jimenez Villa, will join actress, activist and author, Ashley Judd; co-director of Pixar’s Golden Globe-winning movie Coco, Adrian Molina; producer and president of Gamechanger films, Mynette Louie; and Creative Artist Agency’s Darnell Strom in a discussion focused on Behind the Camera: Where Diversity Begins. To learn more about Project Unbound, click here.