Lights, camera… Create Change and take action
Our vision for Creativity for All sees us living in a world where everyone, everywhere, can share their creativity, irrespective of their background. It involves us all having the same opportunity and access to share our stories and connect with each other, influencing the world and creating positive change.
As the film and TV industry strives for greater representation, both on-screen and behind the scenes, today we celebrate the stories of some of the UK’s most inspiring creators through our Create Change conversation series in partnership with The Guardian Labs. The five unique stories profiled showcase that there is no single path to success and how passion, drive and resilience can help you forge successful careers, even when faced with challenges and adversities which are often heightened for those from minority groups.
“I walked in as a troubled teen and walked out with a career”
Jasmine Jobson, actor
We hear from Top Boy actor, Jasmine Jobson, who talks about how she prepared herself for knockbacks and the unexpected people that helped catapult her career and then her Bafta nomination. Granada Nights director, Abid Khan, shares why he switched careers to pursue his dream and broke to a number of barriers along the way. Both bring to life each of their distinctive and emotional journeys.
Abid Khan, Granada Nights director by Suki Dhanda
“It was only by chance that I actually did get into VFX, and even then, when I walked into the company for the first time, there were maybe two other people of colour in there out of more than 100 people.”
Jessica Atkinson, VFX editor
Jessica Atkinson, VFX editor by Cian Oba-Smith
We also have award-winning visual effects editor, Jessica Atkinson, explain how a lack of diversity and visibility limits people of colour and those from the LGBTQ+ communities. And Line of Duty actor, Tommy Jessop, who was born with Down’s syndrome, shares his belief that people still have outdated views about disabled performers, limiting the range of characters on offer to them.
“Just let us play characters with the same hopes and dreams as everyone else”
Tommy Jessop, actor
For Lindsey Woodward, one of the industry’s few female editors, there’s a sense of optimism. She believes there’s now greater conversation about lack of diversity, with more women creating award winning shows, giving aspiring female editors role models they desperately need.
Our interview series with these inspiring creators shows exactly why a more vibrant and equitable world can only be achieved by hearing different perspectives, from people that represent the world in which we live.
Together we can encourage and act. Together we can Create Change.
Read the full interviews on The Guardian and hear more stories at Adobe Diverse Voices.