*Twiggy Matiwana (left) and Elijah McKinnon on the set of* *THANDO, a short-film streaming exclusively via Open Television.*

Over the past 5 years, the film, tv, and media industry have slowly begun to engage in a much-needed conversation around the harmful systems that perpetuate violence, conflict, and abuse in and out of production spaces. Fueled by a sobering pandemic and global uprisings for social justice, 2020 marked a seismic shift in the ways below-and-above-the-line workers advocate for more equitable conditions that provide space for healthier work environments. To better understand how harm shows up in our community, on film/tv sets, and in places we may not know, Emmy-nominated platform Open Television (OTV) partnered with the Black and non-binary-led research and change management firm, MMG EARTH to build an initiative that would breathe life into how we might begin to manifest a shared language for seeking repair.

#LightsCameraHarm is an in-depth research initiative examining the film, television, and media industries' approach to addressing harm and seeking repair for professionals that are often marginalized by their race, gender, sexuality, citizenship, nationality and/or disability. The purpose of this report is to uncover trends that can help develop proceses and structures for accountability related to sexual harassment, disrupting and stopping harm, and accepting and offering conditions for restoration individually, interpersonally, ideologically, and institutionally. Focusing on the western film and television industry, #LightsCameraHarm activated an extensive community outreach process which resulted in a survey, interviews, and industry research to inform findings. There are many individuals that benefit from this report but the intended audiences are indies artists and creators, production leaders, and streaming and studio executives.

*Quinton Sean Manning (left) and Zolani Shangase (right) on the set of* *THANDO, a short-film streaming exclusively via Open Television.*

It’s no secret that media-driven industries have been rooted in harmful, toxic, and inequitable distributions of power. When asked, “what does harm look like and who is harmed?” over 98% of respondents have witnessed inappropriate behavior or comments, harm or hostility when working on production, and over 60% have personally experienced it at work. Further illustrating the complex nature of how the industry perpetuates an environment that allows hostility and harm to flourish. Broken into 4 sections, the #LightsCameraHarm report shares community-sourced recommendations, guiding principles and ethical concepts that the film, television and entertainment communities can utilize as resources for developing more care-centered production practices. The for sections are as follows:

1. Past: How did we get here?

2. Present: What does harm look like?

3. Present: What does repair look like?

4. Future: How are people re-imagining?

Each Present and Future section is composed of Findings, Recommendations, and Guides & Resources. In addition to a comprehensive list of resources, #LightsCameraHarm also includes a report summary entitled TL;DR: Report Overview. This section of the report seeks to provide a concise overview of the findings and recommendations. The full report engages in an ongoing dialogue that anchors OTV’s dual culture strategy which exists to repair our current media landscape while simultaneously building a new one that is rooted in collective power.

#LightsCameraHarm with Elijah McKinnon of OTV | Open Television via The Art Works Fund

#LightsCameraHarm is not an answer or a solution. It is an open-ended resource and invitation to industry leaders, workers, and creatives interested in ushering in the next generation of storytellers that are armed with the tools to face harm and seek repair. The future of storytelling is intersectional and depends on our collective bravery. Read the full #LightsCameraHarm Report or listen to #LightsCameraHarm Podcast with OTV’s Co-Founder Elijah McKinnon. #LightsCameraHarm Research Project and Report is generously supported by a grant from The Art Works Fund.