‘Less talk, more walk’ to encourage diversity

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Eight owners Katie Millington and Lib Kelly say they will include a line in every production budget that will go towards the mentorship and training of underrepresented groups in our industry at full applicable rates.

Katie Millington said: “There has been a lot of talk about diversity in the industry and this is our answer to being less talk and more walk. We believe every production should be an opportunity to upskill someone.

Lib Kelly said: “It is important that this experience is paid so we can open the industry up to people who don’t have the means or support to work for free to gain experience”.

Katie and Lib received a joint nomination for the B&T Diversity Champion Award in 2021 – one of their proudest moments in business.

“Eight already has a commitment to empowering women in the film industry and they actively support a 50/50 pledge of equal representation of men and women on set.”

Eight already has a commitment to empowering women in the film industry and they actively support a 50/50 pledge of equal representation of men and women on set.

Eight has been working closely with Miki Magasiva and Mario Gaoa from The Brown Factory to implement a strategy to foster indigenous, Māori and Pacific people in advertising and film. Loosely based on the US Association of Independent Commercial Producers’ Double the Line initiative, Eight’s ‘inclusion line’ will extend this initiative in NZ.

Millington: “Eight will work closely with advertising agencies and film bodies to use this line item to offer paid opportunities to people at every stage of their career who can be on set gaining knowledge and experience.

“The aspiration is that this leads to lasting change and the upskilling of a diverse range of people into senior roles.

About Eight
Eight is an Australasian film production company founded in 1998 with offices in Sydney and Auckland.

• eight.com.au
• thebrownfactory.co.nz