Netflix released a video endorsing the participation of black actors, directors and creators in streaming service productions on Sunday night (24th June, 2018). The images were released in the BET Awards, an American television award that values black art production. In the morning of this Monday (25th June, 2018), the images invaded the Twitter of celebrities like Kerry Washington and Thandie Newton.
Narrated by Caleb McLaughlin, the Lucas of Stranger Things, the video speaks in representation of diverse experiences of negritude in the audiovisual, reinforcing the good moment that Hollywood lives: only in the streaming it is possible to see good series like Cara Gente White, She wants Everything, Orange is the New Black, Luke Cage and 3%, all led by black actors – or at least with heavy black characters. The message, by the way, is clear: this is not a moment, it is a movement for change.
The photo that appears at the end of the video is a remake of the famous 1958 Great Day in Harlem image that brought together the great jazz musicians of the New York neighborhood. At the time, black arts and culture were flourishing in New York. It is a celebration of the growing and efficient black representativeness not only on Netflix, but throughout the audiovisual industry.
The video, directed by young filmmaker Lacey Duke, is an action to publicize Strong Black Lead, a team of black executives from Netflix who “represent an intentional focus of the company on speaking authentically to the black audience,” according to brand director and Maya Watson editorial.