Long Beach Indie International Film, Media and Music Festival

Panel Abstract:

Women and people of color have historically been starkly underrepresented in film and media, both onscreen and behind the camera. In recent years, scholars, cultural pundits, and industry professionals have mounted strong criticisms of this inequity, calling out the frustratingly low levels of representation and pushing for more diversity across the media industries. This panel examines issues of diversity and inclusion across a number of media forms, including social media, video games, and film. Dr. Ryan Bowles Eagle will examine how organizations that use Twitter as a vehicle for industry change have adapted their activism during Trump’s presidency. From the perspective of both an academic and filmmaker, Prof. Toddy Burton will illuminate the diversity present in the Hollywood New Wave. Finally, Dr. John Vanderhoef acknowledges that these issues also persist in video game development, but argues that indie game and alternative game production cultures have challenged the homogeneity of the gaming industry both in terms of developers and game content.

Paper #1: Tweeting About Diversity & Entertainment in the Time of Trump"

Paper #2: Diversity in the Hollywood New Wave

Paper #3: Resistance from the Margins: Diversity in Indie and Alternative Game Production