PSA/REMIX VIDEO

PSA/Remix Video:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRwS58qK

The issue that I decided to make my PSA/Remix video about was Black women being undervalued within Hollywood. My intended audience for this video was executives and studios that make financial and casting decisions within the entertainment industry. Being that my call to action was to recognize the value that Black women bring to the entertainment industry and to treat them accordingly, it was important for me to target those that actually have the ability to create change surrounding the way that Black women are treated within the industry. As far as research for my issue goes, it was definitely helpful that I did not go into this project with no prior knowledge because as a Black woman who is interested in working within the entertainment industry in the future, I had already done prior research surrounding the role that racism and intersectionality plays within the entertainment industry. However, in order to get more specific for this project in particular, I mainly decided to look for first hand accounts of Black women in Hollywood speaking about their experience in Hollywood. This was important for me to include in the video because the information is coming straight from the source and from those sharing their specific lived experience, rather than the information being from second hand accounts that could possibly be inaccurate. I also browsed YouTube for most of my research to find clips that would assist me in driving home the main message that I was trying to get across. Moreover, Lori Kido Lopez’s chapter titled “Racism and Mainstream Media,” also informed my understanding of racism within the entertainment industry and within media. Lopez explained that “as quickly as a glass ceiling is shattered, it is replaced by a newer version that is designed to prevent further breaches,” and that “individual improvements” with the industry “remain the exception to the rule and serve to mask the powerful structures and institutions that change very little” (14). This especially rang true with the theme of my video, as it is easy to see success stories and use them as the majority, when in reality, they are the minority and it is important to emphasize that in order to avoid painting a false narrative. Because the internet and media is a powerful tool in this day and age, I believe utilizing it as a vehicle to call for change and action is extremely important, as it can bring visibility to issues that otherwise would go under the radar. In the same vein, however, it is important to not stop there and to work to create tangible change through taking hands-on action, as awareness is only as powerful as the action that it influences.

Works Cited:

Lopez, Lori Kido. Race and Media: Critical Approaches. New York University Press,

2020.

Halle Berry Speech: