From the heART - Creative industry training and healing through the arts

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Central LA East LA South LA San Gabriel Valley West LA San Fernando Valley South Bay

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Many productions have moved outside of California, however, according to the Otis College's Creative Economy report, Los Angeles still remains the national leader of the creative economy. But with fewer production days comes increased job competition and BIPOC individuals and others from marginalized communities are left to compete for fewer jobs. Historically, BIPOC, women, and other marginalized groups have not had equitable access to job training, education, and other opportunities in the entertainment industry and have widely gone underrepresented. As revealed in the Creative Economy report, White/Caucasian people make up over half of creative industry employment in California. In order to remain competitive, BIPOC and other underrepresented individuals need to have equitable access to training in the arts.

HIPPOLife’s 12-week film/tv training program will provide underrepresented individuals training in acting, producing, writing, and filming at no cost. Providing this training program at no cost will remove the systemic economic barrier that prevents many from engaging in such training programs. The 12-week program will consist of a script lab, director's lab, and an acting lab. Meeting once a week, participants will learn the healing art of storytelling and as a group write, produce, and shoot a short film that tells their story. This program will not only provide hands-on experience for individuals, but will also provide them with the opportunity to share their stories with the community. These stories that often go untold, will give our participants a voice and with the training they receive, will walk away empowered.

Los Angeles County will be different with our successful program because it will add business to the slow entertainment industry, will provide career-readiness for new people to enter the creative economy, and will support the voice and the needs of underrepresented communities in Los Angeles. As part of the program implementation, we will shoot a short film for approximately two days, fueling the creative economy in Los Angeles. Depending on the final script, locations will be used, crafty services will be needed, and other support will all add to the local economy. Our program participants will learn how to create their own content and thus will have the skills to move forward and create more, thus further adding to the entertainment industry. Our long-term goal is to provide our 12-week programs on an ongoing basis throughout the year to continue to prepare underrepresented groups for employment in the entertainment industry and to share unheard stories with the community.