Director David E. Talbert recently announced the launch of a new fellowship program dedicated to helping fund HBCU students’ education at the USC School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program.
First reported by Deadline, the program, known as HBCU Next, was created alongside his wife, Lyn Sisson-Talbert, who is also a producer. Through the program, HBCU students will have the ability to further their education on topics such as directing, animation, editing, producing, as gaming.
Those chosen for the program will also be mentored by Talbert himself as they develop the skills needed to enter the industry and increase representation both off-screen and on-screen.
Round-trip airfare and the complete payments for tuition and housing for the USC School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program will also be included for the students selected.
The inaugural class of HBCU Next includes two students from Morgan State University, the HBCU from which Talbert graduated. Students Sha-Shonna Rogers and Imani Mullings, who are Directing/Producing and Screenwriting Fellows, respectively, will be attending the 2023 Summer Program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
“Our overall objective is to foster an environment for students from HBCUs and USC to engage in cultural exchange, learning from one another’s experiences and backgrounds, and to provide access to an education conducive to giving Black storytellers a pipeline to the entertainment industry,” said Talbert per Deadline. “Having graduated from an HBCU, and working in the business for over 30 years, I understand it’s never the artistry or intellect, but the access, that keeps people of Color from finding their way in. HBCU Next was created to bridge that gap.”
Currently, Black filmmakers are extremely underrepresented in the industry. Per the latest report by McKinsey, less than ten percent of writers, directors and producers in the U.S. are Black.
Specifically, while 6% of directors and producers are Black, only 4% of Black writers are in the industry. The number of Black on-screen talent is just as low; only 11% of leads and 14% of supporting casts in U.S.-produced films are Black actors. Per McKinsey, film industry projects only tended to have Black off-screen talent and Black on-screen talent if a Black producer or director was already involved in the project. Despite these films making 10% percent more in revenue per budget dollar, films with Black off-screen talent are also generally given smaller budgets to work with.
The entry into filmmaking is particularly difficult for Black filmmaking talents, according to McKinsey.
To enter the industry, they have a more difficult time overcoming financial and social barriers as well as racial bias.
Organizations that are dedicated to helping ease the difficulty for getting into the industry include the Black Film Allegiance, Black Film Space, the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center And Black Public Media.
The Black Women Directors collective, Black Women Animate production company and the Sisters in Cinema non-profit are organizations dedicated to specifically helping Black women get into the filmmaking industry.
