What exactly is the role of the producer? In today’s ever-changing entertainment industry, especially in film and television, the answer can be confusing for some. GLAAD co-hosted a Tribeca Talks roundtable at Spring Studios during this year’s Tribeca Festival to unpack the role of the producer and how to improve the industry not only for producers but everyone in front of and behind the camera in the film industry.
The roundtable event was moderated by Alex Schmider, the Director of trans representation at GLAAD and producer of “Chasing Chasing Amy,” which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Festival. The guest speakers included the Producer of “Downtown Owl and Mutt,” Joel Michaely, and Producer of “They” and “Misquita y Mari,” Simone Ling. Simone also leads Asian, Asian American, and BIPOC outreach for the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and film professor.
The conversation was productive and extremely important in today’s landscape where diverse representation is crucial. Each of the panelists shared how difficult it was in their early careers to produce diverse stories, especially queer stories, and how the industry started changing for the better as a result of queer and diverse narratives being told. Alex Schmider made a crucial point that the stronghold that film and television has on influencing the real world, sharing that “it’s the art we make that influences the culture we live.”
Overall, the Producing for Change event at the Tribeca Festival was eye-opening into much-needed deeper conversations that need to be had to bring positive change to the future of the industry.
Thank you to AT&T for the invite!