The entertainment and film industries have been at the forefront of technology since their inception. The techniques developed for the recording, construction, and presentation of the first motion pictures took the world by storm, and when the first films were introduced, entertainment changed forever.
We don’t often consider how revolutionary films were for us as a society, but technology advanced at a rapid pace to accommodate people’s appetite for this emerging medium.
Companies like Netflix began to challenge the movie rental industry, and soon enough (with the help of the internet), they became a dominant force in the way we consume entertainment. Streaming services are now the titans of the industry. Fewer and fewer people are using cable television as their primary source of entertainment, and this trend is only expected to continue.
The film industry was good about responding to consumers’ desires for better tech, but it has lagged behind when it comes to representation and diverse voices. But now, Netflix is drawing on EdTech entertainment industry platform, Stage 32, as a partner in global storytelling.
How Stage 32 and Netflix are Diversifying the Entertainment Industry
As the world's largest online creative talent incubator with more than 800,000 members, Stage 32 provides a necessary oasis of community and educational resources so that creatives can continue to connect and develop their artistic gifts and talents. The industry overall has found itself in a content gold rush since the pandemic—the floodgates have opened, and it seems as if every project that was put on hold in 2020 is now in production.
The amount of movies and shows released on streaming platforms is unprecedented (Netflix, for example, recently announced its goal of releasing 52 films per year along with 200 television shows. By comparison, Paramount only releases eight films per year.) And consumer demand is at an all-time high. The need for diversified talent is stronger than ever.
Stage 32 and Netflix have worked together on past projects to promote and source local language content, but now, Stage 32’s social media and education technology platform is helping staff and ideate projects that Netflix brings to fruition, and together, they are taking the next step—they’re going global.
Stage 32 is partnering with Netflix to develop a game-changing initiative for the industry. Enabled by technology, their program will help creators access new opportunities in the entertainment industry from their computers in locations internationally. Running through the end of 2022, their program ‘Creating Content for the Global Marketplace’ will include a series of educational virtual workshops to teach creatives how to turn their ideas into compelling structured TV series the ‘Netflix’ way.
They’ve also partnered with Mike Gauyo from the Netflix original series Ginny and Georgia to open submissions for the Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes mentorship initiative, which will focus on giving industry access and resources to pre-WGA Black screenwriters.
The Forefront of Education and Entertainment
Stage 32 was already at the forefront of education and innovation for their industry, with thousands of hours of resources and educational content available for their members. Earlier this year, Stage 32 partnered with Netflix to present a global online television workshop taught by Netflix's own Chris Mack. To date, the workshop has been viewed by over 100,000 people worldwide, making it the most successful online entertainment industry workshop in history.
Netflix is the clear leader in original streaming content (though many are vying for the crown). Their move toward partnering with creatives worldwide signals a positive move toward access and inclusion in the industry. As a social platform, Stage 32 excels at finding local-language content and emerging creatives that need a broader platform to showcase their talents. In partnership with Netflix, they will present a series of five free webcasts designed to teach writers, producers, filmmakers, and other industry professionals across the world how to create and develop content for the streaming titan.
This marks a significant change for how the industry will operate moving forward. Through this technology, creatives have more access to resources and opportunities than ever before. This dismantles the often-siloed nature of the industry, and furthering the partnership between creatives, executives, and streaming services signals a new era for entertainment.