Director Census
2023
Greetings once more. We are, as ever, FREE THE WORK— a global nonprofit relentlessly focused on shifting the prevailing systems in media. Our mission is to ensure that intersectional storytellers are not just heard, but also have unhindered access to create and influence within the film, television, and advertising sectors. We believe in more than just representation; our goal is to transform the foundational structures that dictate narrative opportunities and platforms.
For better working conditions, to benefit everyone in the industry.
In 2021, in an effort to collect data with which to focus and strengthen our advocacy work, we conducted our first global census of directors. It explored the commercial and branded content pitch-and-bid process with an eye toward the many ways the process is broken. This year, we’ve conducted a second, expanded census that covers additional aspects like work culture and work-life balance in the industry.
Last year’s census was the first of its kind, and confirmed many of the dynamics we’ve heard about from creators and witnessed over the years: unpaid labor, stolen intellectual property, hasty deadlines, and erratic scheduling. While it provided invaluable insights, the inaugural census did not delve into details like budgets, respondent experience levels, or deeper contexts. This year’s census did though, with refined questions and expanded parameters.
This year, the main concerns of directors point to a distressingly consistent narrative: the need for paid pitches, the need for transparency, and the lingering specter of tokenization and discrimination. Notably, these negative dynamics most heavily impact those from underrepresented backgrounds. Such conditions don't just undermine individual creators but, we argue, diminish the overall quality of creative output.
This report on our census findings shows how our new data backs up the experiences recounted by directors and compares this year's data to last year’s. Importantly, it ends with actionable recommendations: strategies agencies can implement, direct actions for individuals, and ways we can collectively usher in an improved industry. We invite you to champion this movement with us––toward more equitable, more just, more conducive-to-creative-magic conditions for all.