Why the Time Has Come to Cheque Our Privilege
Launched in 2024, the 'Cheque Your Privilege' initiative seeks to raise funds for POV Film, an organisation that trains and supports BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth wishing to enter the industry. Designed to grab the attention of Canada’s creative scene, the campaign offers leaders in TV, film, advertising and digital interactive media a real and tangible way to start balancing the scales.
With underrepresentation a well-documented issue that continues to plague this line of business, POV Film chose to employ a more humorous tone that would appeal to the humanity of industry peers, encouraging them to join in, rather than check out. Headed up by the organisation’s executive director, Biju Pappachan, the campaign was devised to achieve three key objectives: increase awareness of the diversity gap in the creative industries; to develop talent that reflect the actual populations of Canada; and to support the ongoing talent demands and keep Canada’s creative industries competitive in a global environment.
LBB’s April Summers sits down with Biju; Tyler M. Evans, director, Common Good; and Chris Dacyshyn, executive creative director, BleuBlancRouge Toronto, to find out how they worked together to leverage each team's expertise and resources to produce a compelling and impactful campaign message that advanced a collective mission of championing diversity within Canada’s creative industries.
LBB> Founded in 2004, this is POV Film’s biggest fundraising drive to date! Can you tell us a bit about the thinking behind this campaign?
Biju> Although it’s been common knowledge for decades that there is a glaring lack of diversity in the creative industries, there hasn’t been a comprehensive and effective model for addressing this problem… until now. POV has grown out of 10 years of consultation, research and collaboration involving industry leaders, diverse communities and talent, government, educational organisations and media focused trade and service organisations.
The lack of diversity in the creative industries is a problem for both the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folk trying to find their place in these industries, as well as the straight, white people who feel uncomfortable benefitting from an advantage they never asked for. This is why the campaign is inviting the industry to put its discomfort to good use by checking its privilege with actual cheques.
LBB> Chris, when did Bleublancrouge (BBR) first get involved with the project? And why did it feel like an important undertaking?
Chris> BBR first got involved with POV in May of 2023. Wahn Yoon from L’Institut Idée (LI), who serves on the board of POV, made introductions.The process began with a mapping of emotional drivers - led by LI, one of our partners in the Humanise Collective - using its proprietary Structural Mapping Process (SMP) methodology. The strategic exploration then led to a creative brief developed collaboratively by BBR and LI.
From there, we moved into creative development at BBR and finally into production, with Common Good leading the way. The result was a bold and unapologetic fundraising campaign entitled ‘Cheque Your Privilege’.
This project was important to me because the diversity and tolerance that are so ubiquitous in Toronto, and make me feel so proud to be Canadian, have been almost entirely absent from the film and media industry for most of my career. As I watched the issue of underrepresentation change for the better in other industries all around me, it seemed to stand still in mine. This made me feel uncomfortable, and even a bit ashamed. The feeling would always hit me hardest whenever I’d step onto a film set. It was such a straight, old boys’ club. While things are starting to change for the better, they’re simply not changing fast enough. Part of the reason for this lack of progress is the small BIPOC and LGBTQ+ talent pool. Through the training and support programs that POV provides for underrepresented youth, the team is tackling the lack of diversity head on. For me personally, and for the entire BBR team, it seemed like a very important issue to get behind.
LBB> The campaign confronts an uncomfortable truth about the Canadian film industry – why did Tyler M. Evans feel like the perfect filmmaker to direct this?
Biju> Given the nuance of this message and the invitation to the industry to join POV Film in addressing the diversity gap, it was important that we brought in the right director. Tyler put his own perspective into the production. He has personal experiences and insights into the challenges faced by underrepresented creatives, and this firsthand understanding brought authenticity and depth to the storytelling, allowing him to effectively confront the uncomfortable truths about the industry.
We also felt it was important that this campaign was brought to life by not just a diverse director, but a diverse production crew. This served as a form of advocacy and empowerment for underrepresented groups to see themselves in the industry.
LBB> Tyler, what was it about the creative brief that made you want to shoot this film?
Tyler> I was excited to read the messaging in the PSA because it resonated with me personally. I immediately knew how important it would be to lend my voice to this project, to elevate it through further collaboration and execution.
LBB> How did you go about crafting a treatment that both addressed the issue at hand, while also being funny?
Tyler> When I was creating this treatment I asked myself; ‘How do we address this problem in a funny way, without sounding condescending?’. The idea to bring in the narrator as a physical character who would address the audience directly, rather than be a voiceover, seemed the most effective way to execute this. This character/narrator would reflect the students of POV Film as a whole, demonstrating great comedic timing. We wanted to merge the spot’s important message with accessible humour that made viewers laugh. Shout out to our narrator, Hannan Younis!
LBB> How did your personal experiences of the Canadian film industry influence the treatment writing process?
Tyler> Being a Black director, it’s been hard for me to be given the chance to find my voice in advertising, and for people to take a chance on me. This spot spoke to me because this is an on-going issue not only for me, but for so many BIPOC folks – so I made sure to address that in my writing.
A lot of the POV students got to come in and shadow/assist different departments during pre-pro and production. I thought that was such an amazing experience, not only for them, but for myself to help and give advice to the next generation of filmmakers.
LBB> How did POV Film, Common Good and BleuBlancRouge work together to ensure the best possible collaboration?
Biju> Our collaboration on this campaign was characterised by mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to POV’s mission. Over the course of several months, we outlined key themes, target demographics, and desired outcomes to ensure alignment from the outset.
BleuBlancRouge Toronto offered insights into effective messaging and strategies, while Common Good contributed their expertise in visual storytelling and cinematography. Our incredible partners at Common Good spearheaded key aspects of production, leveraging their technical prowess and industry connections to convene resources and expertise.
Throughout the production timeline, we maintained open lines of communication and facilitated a collaborative feedback loop to ensure that the campaign remained true to our collective vision, while soliciting input and making informed adjustments as needed.
Chris> At BBR, we could not have been happier with the process, or with the result. Working with Common Good and POV was wonderfully collaborative! We all understood the importance of involving as much BIPOC and LGBTQ+ talent as possible in the production, and we couldn’t wait to see what a more diverse talent pool would bring to the project.
Tyler was the first to make his mark, helping us recognise the need for an on-screen narrator. And our diverse production team continued to bring unique perspectives to ‘Cheque Your Privilege’ throughout the process, from start to finish. Although we have worked with Common Good many times before, this was the first time we’d worked with this particular production team – it will most definitely be the first of many collaborations!
LBB> What has the feedback been like so far? And what impact are you hoping this campaign will make?
Chris> ‘Cheque Your Privilege’ asks the glaringly straight and white sector to check its privilege with actual cheques. At the very least, I hope this campaign will successfully raise funds for POV and help it continue to do good work and increase the size of the diverse talent pool. But I also hope this campaign will encourage film and media organisations to hold a mirror up and ask how they can do better, beyond writing a cheque to POV. For example, more industry leaders can provide paid internships for grads from organisations like POV, promote diverse creatives into positions of influence and donate to other initiatives that champion diversity.
Biju> We have been able to bring attention to a serious problem in a not-so serious way. By inviting folks to join the campaign and become part of the solution, we are building bridges of access for diverse talent into the creative industries. Beyond the obvious moral and social benefits, there is a clear economic benefit to having diverse perspectives and experiences in the creative industries. Our hope is that this campaign will provide us with increased donations which will allow us to: include more deserving participants in our current programs and develop a fund so their ideas can be produced into short films to build their portfolios; drive our program growth nationally to train 1,000 creatives and diverse talents across Canada by 2030; empower creators to build sustainable and resilient careers in the creative sector; and amplify economic benefit for diverse creatives in the broader economy.
Tyler> I’m hoping more industry executives will listen and learn from the messaging. Rather than be offended, I hope they ask themselves why they feel that way. Is it because they feel guilty of what is being said? It’s important for them to reflect on their own prejudices and be the change that so many people wish to see in the industry.
