COMMIT - DON’T JUST HOPE: Snap Originals will share our DEI goals so that our company and the wider technology and entertainment community can hold us accountable for meeting the ambitious targets we have set. By being fearless and transparent, we will challenge our peers to match or exceed our goals, driving a meaningful shift in the industry overall.
We acknowledge that our goals and timelines are aggressive: while we will push ourselves and the industry to make changes quickly, we will be thorough and thoughtful on the way - we won’t cut corners just to be able to say we hit our targets.
CAST AND HIRE EQUITABLY: GET TO FAIR, FAST If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. Snap Originals is committed to equitable on-camera representation for people of all backgrounds. Our DEI targets are aggressive because the time for change is now. Young people who use Snapchat need to see themselves reflected in our programming. Talented creatives, showrunners and crew from all backgrounds need opportunities to expand their careers and develop mobile expertise.
PARTNER WITH MINORITY-OWNED AND RUN COMPANIES: Research shows that even series with stars from historically underrepresented backgrounds are most often produced by companies that are owned or run by white cis-gendered men. In order to actively uproot the systemic status quo in our industry, Snap must commit to developing strong partnerships with companies whose leadership is as diverse as the talent that stars in their shows.
Because the leaders of the entertainment industry are largely not women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ or people with disabilities, this is an area where our diligent work to find, partner with and champion qualified women and underrepresented production company owners and leaders can make a powerful impact on the industry as a whole.
WORK WITH PASSIONATE PARTNERS: We work with partners who share our values and commitment to DEI. If partners can’t enthusiastically commit to support our DEI goals in their productions, they are not the right partners to create Snap Originals. This may root out some well known companies along the way and we are OK with that.
MODEL RICH, INCLUSIVE STORYTELLING: Inclusive storytelling is about reflecting the nuances of the lived experience of all people, not checking boxes to make sure we’ve covered every demographic in the census. Snap Originals are widely inclusive, reflecting diversity within the diversity. Our shows inspire and teach the creative community to tell stories that are made for the speed and intimacy of mobile. They provide a model for mobile filmmaking designed to empower our viewers to take the camera into their own hands.
CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES: On screen and in the stories we tell, our goal is to avoid leaning into tropes or stereotypes. Characters from under-represented backgrounds are not just “the best friend” or only featured in secondary storylines or single “issue” episodes. We don’t make assumptions about the people we feature in our shows, or produce them into expected roles.
Originals empower creators to tell their own authentic stories and encourage first person storytelling. We celebrate complex characters. Most of our shows star one or two extraordinary protagonists who our audience comes to know in a new way.
DO NO HARM: Originals do no harm. Our series enable viewers to form a close relationship with people they may not have otherwise met. Our shows adhere to Snap’s content guidelines and are never exploitative or trashy. We love drama, but we don’t allow talent to be exploited in the editorial process.
BE ACTIVE ALLIES, STUDENTS AND COLLABORATORS: Snap Originals provides resources to our production partners that enable them to engage with external organizations like GLAAD and Active Minds that share our goals and can offer relevant DEI expertise to our team and our productions. Once a show is greenlit, we provide a production resource guide that helps partners to call in the experts to make sure we’re using best practices around language and representation - we’re always eager to learn.
