Indeed exists to help people get jobs.
And while we know talent is universal, opportunity, especially for people in the film industry, is not. Data shows that BIPOC filmmakers remain critically underrepresented as directors, helming only 14.4% of the U.S. theatrical films released in 2019 (42% of the U.S. population is non-white).
Rising Voices was born out of a question: “What would happen if we took production budget for 1 national TV spot and invested it in 10 BIPOC directors to create short films about work?” To do this, we partnered with Emmy Award–winning writer/actress Lena Waithe to launch Rising Voices. We also teamed with top filmmakers to provide mentorship. Each director received a $10,000 script payment, and $100,000 in production funds to create their films, which would go on to premiere at Tribeca Film Festival.
Following the Tribeca Film Festival premiere, many of our filmmakers signed with agents, sold their films, and got hired to direct feature films and series. Their projects created over 2,500+ industry jobs - many going to BIPOC creators. Ultimately, this became far more than a simple corporate diversity initiative to create diverse videos and quietly release them on our social channels. Rising Voices embodies Indeed’s mission to help people get jobs, and is firmly rooted in the belief that the right opportunity can change a person’s life.
“What struck me most was the rare combination of creative intelligence and genuine cultural fluency Cate brought to the project every year. She could move seamlessly between executing design and brand decisions, stepping in front of the camera, and shaping the overall creative direction always with the instincts of someone who truly gets the work. She's the kind of multi-hyphenate collaborator who makes everything better and always delivers.”
-Aidan McLaughlin Global Director of Marketing + Content, Indeed
Season 5 Brand Designers:
Lead Designer: Manas Trevedi
Designer: Ian Adjeidu
Indeed Team:
Founding Collaborators: Chris Hyams, LaFawn Davis,
Director of Marketing: Aidan McLaughlin
Creative Director: TJ Walthall
Associate Creative Director: Miles Gilbert
Art Director + Designer: Cate Jarrett
Executive Producer: Jessica Wolfson
Producer + Program Manager: Nate Eggers