LOS ANGELES, CA – January 17, 2023 – The BRIC Foundation, dedicated to increasing representation in the entertainment and gaming industries, today announced the official lineup for its 5th annual BRIC Summit, to be held February 10th at Netflix Animation in Burbank and virtually on February 11th for their Annual Talent + Education Day.
The BRIC Summit will be packed with engaging speakers and solutions-driven workshops for industry professionals and up-and-coming talent, providing access and education from experts in the field representing the world’s most iconic entertainment brands. Click here for more information and to register for the event.
This year at the Summit, UCLA Center for Scholars and Storytellers will be sharing the results of a long-term study commissioned by the BRIC Foundation and the Concept Art Association around diversity and gender in visual artists in entertainment, and will be launching a 5-Year Longitudal Study around Career Pathways into the Entertainment Industries. “We are honored to partner with BRIC to continue our work of examining diversity and equity in media”, said Dr. Yalda T Uhls, Founder and Executive Director Center for Scholars & Storytellers, UCLA. “This collaboration allows us to expand our work to examine visual artists in many mediums.”
“Coming out of the pandemic, just like individuals, our industry is trying to figure out what their new normal and truth is.” says Alison Mann, Co-Founder of the BRIC Foundation. “In these times, more than ever, we need to lead with empathy, which can help individuals work towards being inclusive. This years summit theme is ‘Bridging to Common Ground’, with that starts with empathy, which alone won’t make all the changes, but it is where the journey for connecting and understanding can start.”
Industry Day: Friday, February 10 (INVITE ONLY)
Attendees will hear research from the UCLA Center for Scholars & Storytellers on the state of our industry. Additional speakers include Disney Producer Jen Vera, Netflix’s VP of Animated Film Karen Toliver, and MacArthur Genius Award recipient Dr. Safiya Noble. There will also be an Executive Breakfast for senior leaders from studios to gain additional insights around recession proofing DEIA efforts. There will be a Deep Canvassing Workshop with one of the Activist Creators of the technique, David Fleisher.
The day will focus on answering four key questions:
- BREAK: The Default: How can one navigate hegemonic work spaces? Let’s explore the conversation around being “the only” in the room, while also understanding the ways we can break the current norm/reality of homogeneous spaces.
- REINVENT: The Creative Economy: Taking a deep dive into understanding where we are lacking from research, policy, education, and resources to grow our future workforce and how you can make an impact.
- IMPACT: The Hiring Mindset: What do innovative interviews look like and how can you bridge conversations for commonality? How do boundaries and support systems pave the way for a successful hire?
- CHANGE: The Narrative: How do we recession-proof diversity? Let’s move diversity from altruism to business critical.
Education Day: Saturday, February 11 (FREE TO THE PUBLIC)
Educators, Parents, and Professionals in early stages of their career will find a variety of helpful workshops including a BRIC Creative Academy session, an Art Jam, a Careers in Animation, Careers in Gaming, Careers in Visual Effects panels, and Portfolio Reviews from some of the leading studios including Netflix, Skydance Animation, and Nickelodeon. Additional programming includes AME Grants and Opportunties for Educators, several software workshops, and a Film Festival Submission Panel led by New Filmmakers LA.
“Research shows that the more representation there is behind the screens, the more authentic representation you see on screens. Through early education and career readiness programs, we can help improve employment pathways, so providing education for emerging talent, students, and educators will always be a part of our event. The Summit is a time where we all come together to find DEIA solutions for our industries, the 2021 & 2022 Summits built the first Animation, Visual Effects, and Gaming apprenticeship, so we are very excited to see where this year will take us” added Nicole Hendrix, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the BRIC Foundation.
2023 BRIC Summit Sponsors include (in alphabetical order): DreamWorks Animation, Easterseals, Fourth Wall Management, Foundry, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Green Portal Productions, Illumination, LAIKA, LatinX in Animation (LXIA), MTV / Paramount, Nickelodeon, Six Point Harness, Skydance Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Television — Kids (formerly Silvergate Media), Stage 32, The Animation Guild, The Animation Project (TAP), Titmouse, Visual Effects Society (VES), Wacom, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, Wētā FX, and Women in Animation (WIA).
ABOUT THE BRIC FOUNDATION
The BRIC Foundation was founded in 2018 and is overseen by entertainment industry heavyweights Alison Mann, Talent Manager and Co-President of Fourth Wall Animation, and Producer Nicole Hendrix. In addition to the annual Summit, the Foundation has just launched the first Animation, Visual Effects, and Gaming Apprenticeship and runs a Creative Academy and Career Readiness Programs, partnering with Studios and Companies to give High School students real-world experience and educate them on various career tracks in the entertainment and tech space.
For more information on BRIC, visit https://bricfoundation.org and follow @bricfound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
