In a bid to support diverse and inclusive storytelling both behind and in front of the camera, ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) is developing a new children’s musical series called Funknautas.
It’s the first kids project to come out of VIS’s new Elevating Diverse Creators strategy to invest 25% of its budget in Latin America in order to create and develop content that highlights marginalized characters and creators. This commitment follows the company rolling out a “no diversity, no commission” policy, first in the UK in July and then globally in October.
Funknautas stars Betina, a girl from the streets who starts a pop/funk band with three rich kids in secret, only to have their social media videos go viral. No details on format, where the series will air or delivery date have been announced.
“Diversity and inclusion is an essential part of everything we do in all of our content. ViacomCBS as a whole is committed to D&I through the implementation of different initiatives, and at VIS we are taking firm steps to fulfil that commitment in front of and behind the camera ”, said Federico Cuervo, SVP & Head of VIS.
In addition to Funknautas, VIS has also announced two more projects being developed from its Elevating Diverse Creators initiative: Maria do Socorro, a drama series that stars women who help other women by putting the needs of others before their own and trying to confront a prejudiced and sexist society; and A coisa tá preta, a stand-up comedy series that portrays the daily life of a group of artists. Meanwhile, in Brazil, ViacomCBS participates in different festivals and local talent meetings, to find new stories that raise the value of diversity and inclusion of people of colour.
The show announcement also comes in the wake of VIS launching a kids division led by Nickelodeon International’s Senior Vice President (SVP) of production and development, Nina Hahn. VIS Kids aims to broaden the company’s global pipeline to include short- and long-form content for children. The division is currently working on Sharkdog, its first international series made for Netflix.
VIS also inked a first-look deal with Santiago Segura, the director, writer and producer of top-grossing Spanish-language family comedy feature Father There Is Only One, and has acquired the audio-visual rights to Ruth Rocha's hit Brazilian children's book series, Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo.
Outside of LatAm, ViacomCBS Networks International’s EMEA divisions have pledged 30% of their 2021 budgets to produce stories focused on underrepresented groups.
Official ViacomCBS International Studios press release:
VIACOMCBS INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS INVESTING 25% OF ITS BUDGET TO DEVELOP DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE CONTENT
MIAMI – NOVEMBER 18, 2020 – ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) announced they would invest 25% of their budget in Latin America to create and develop BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) content. This initiative is part of the company's No Diversity, No Commission” global policy, a commitment to expand its diverse and inclusive representation, both on and off the screen.
“Diversity and inclusion are essential in everything we do for all of our content. ViacomCBS, as a company, is committed to D&I by implementing several initiatives. At VIS, we are taking big strides towards fulfilling that pledge both in front and behind the camera.” said Federico Cuervo, SVP & Head of VIS.
In Brazil, ViacomCBS participates in different festivals and local talent meetings to find new stories that will enrich our content with diverse and inclusive voices of the black population. As a result, there are currently three new projects under development that speak to these issues.
- Maria do Socorro, a drama series with female main characters who help other women, putting others' needs before their own while trying to live in a discriminatory and sexist society.
- A coisa tá preta, a stand-up comedy series that portrays the daily life of a group of artists.
- Funknautas, a children's musical series that tells the relationship between Betina, a girl from the streets, and three children, who live in a mansion whose parents are renowned musicians. Bettina and the three children decide secretly to form a pop/funk band in the mansion basement, hidden from their parents, but their social media videos go viral.
Accordingly, VCNI's Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia divisions have also committed to allocating 30% of their 2021 budget to produce stories focused on or related to issues of underrepresented groups.
ABOUT VIACOMCBS INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS (VIS)
Introduced in 2018, ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) is a division of ViacomCBS Networks International that produces content for ViacomCBS brands and platforms, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, Channel 5, Network 10, Telefe and Porta Dos Fundos, as well as for third parties. VIS global sales include original productions, co-productions, formats sold for local adaptations, and sale of ready-made content. The content that VIS produces covers all genres, from soap operas to dramas, short and long-form comedy formats and, feature film productions.
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MIAMI – 18 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2020 – ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) anunció que el 25% de su presupuesto en América Latina lo invertirá para crear y desarrollar contenido BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). Esta iniciativa forma parte de la política global de la compañía “Sin diversidad no hay acuerdo”, la cual se compromete a expandir aún más una representación más diversa e inclusiva, tanto dentro como fuera de la pantalla.
“La diversidad y la inclusión es parte esencial de todo lo que hacemos en todos nuestros contenidos. ViacomCBS en su conjunto está comprometido con D&I a través de la implementación de diferentes iniciativas, y en VIS estamos dando pasos firmes para cumplir con ese compromiso delante y detrás de cámara.”, sostuvo Federico Cuervo, SVP & Head de VIS.
En Brasil, el estudio de ViacomCBS participa de diferentes festivales y encuentros de talentos locales, para dar con nuevas historias que eleven el valor de la diversidad e inclusión de la población negra. Actualmente, y en el marco de esta iniciativa, se encuentran en proceso de desarrollo tres nuevos proyectos que abordan esta iniciativa.
- Maria do Socorro, una serie de drama que tiene como protagonistas a mujeres que ayudan a otras mujeres, anteponiendo las necesidades ajenas a las propias y tratando de enfrentar a una sociedad prejuiciosa y sexista.
- A coisa tá preta, una serie de comedia y stand up que retrata la vida cotidiana de un grupo de artistas.
- Funknautas, una serie musical infantil que cuenta la relación entre Betina, una chica de la calle, y tres niños, que viven en una mansión cuyos padres son reconocidos músicos. Bettina y los tres niños deciden formar una banda de pop / funk en el sótano de la mansión a escondidas de sus padres, pero sus videos en las redes se vuelven virales.
Por su parte, la división de Europa, Medio Oriente, África y Asia de VCNI también se ha comprometido a destinar el 30% del presupuesto de 2021 a producir historias centradas o relacionadas a asuntos y problemáticas de grupos subrepresentados.
SOBRE VIACOMCBS INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS (VIS)
Presentado en el año 2018, ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) es una división de ViacomCBS Networks International que produce contenido para todos los géneros, tanto para las marcas como para las plataformas de ViacomCBS, incluyendo Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, Channel 5, Telefe y Porta Dos Fundos, como también para terceros. Las ventas globales de VIS incluyen producciones originales, coproducciones, ventas en formato para adaptaciones locales y ventas de productos enlatados. El contenido que posee el VIS cubre todos los géneros, desde telenovelas hasta dramas, formatos de comedia cortos y largos y producciones cinematográficas.
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From TTV News:
VIS anuncia que el 25% de su presupuesto será para proyectos «inclusivos»
En ese marco, ViacomCBS International Studios anunció tres proyectos en Brasil que cumplen la política de diversidad e inclusión.
ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) anunció este miércoles que el 25% de su presupuesto en América Latina lo invertirá para crear y desarrollar contenido BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color).
Esta iniciativa forma parte de la política global de la compañía «Sin diversidad no hay acuerdo», la cual se compromete a expandir aún más una representación más diversa e inclusiva, tanto dentro como fuera de la pantalla.
«La diversidad y la inclusión es parte esencial de todo lo que hacemos en todos nuestros contenidos. ViacomCBS en su conjunto está comprometido con D&I a través de la implementación de diferentes iniciativas, y en VIS estamos dando pasos firmes para cumplir con ese compromiso delante y detrás de cámara», sostuvo Federico Cuervo, SVP & Head de VIS.
En Brasil, el estudio de ViacomCBS participa de diferentes festivales y encuentros de talentos locales, para dar con nuevas historias que eleven el valor de la diversidad e inclusión de la población negra.
Actualmente, y en el marco de esta iniciativa, se encuentran en proceso de desarrollo tres nuevos proyectos que abordan esta iniciativa:
Maria do Socorro, una serie de drama que tiene como protagonistas a mujeres que ayudan a otras mujeres anteponiendo las necesidades ajenas a las propias y tratando de enfrentar a una sociedad prejuiciosa y sexista.
A coisa tá preta, una serie de comedia y stand up que retrata la vida cotidiana de un grupo de artistas.
Funknautas, una serie musical infantil que cuenta la relación entre Betina, una chica de la calle, y tres niños, que viven en una mansión cuyos padres son reconocidos músicos. Bettina y los tres niños deciden formar una banda de pop / funk en el sótano de la mansión a escondidas de sus padres, pero sus videos en las redes se vuelven virales.
Por su parte, la división de Europa, Medio Oriente, África y Asia de VCNI también se ha comprometido a destinar el 30% del presupuesto de 2021 a producir historias centradas o relacionadas a asuntos y problemáticas de grupos subrepresentados.
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From C21 Media:
ViacomCBS Int’l Studios eyes inclusivity
ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) is to invest 25% of its Latin America budget to create and develop black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) content.
The initiative is part of the company’s global No Diversity, No Commission policy, which was announced earlier this year and marks a commitment to expand its diverse and inclusive representation both on and off screen.
In Brazil, ViacomCBS pointed to three projects under development that have been sourced by attending different festivals and local talent meetings to find stories from the country’s black population.
These are Maria do Socorro, a drama series with female main characters that focuses on life in a discriminatory and sexist society; A coisa tá preta, a stand-up comedy series; and Funknautas, a children’s musical series about the relationship between a girl from the streets and three children who live in a mansion.
Elsewhere, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI)’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia divisions have also committed to allocating 30% of their 2021 budgets to producing stories focused on or related to underrepresented groups.
Federico Cuervo, senior VP and head of VIS, said: “Diversity and inclusion are essential in everything we do for all of our content. ViacomCBS, as a company, is committed to diversity and inclusion by implementing several initiatives. At VIS, we are taking big strides towards fulfilling that pledge both in front and behind the camera.”
In the US, VIS broadcast network CBS has committed 25% of its script development budget to projects from BIPOC creators and producers.
CBS has also set a target for 50% BIPOC representation across all casts for its unscripted series, beginning in the 2021-22 broadcast season.
Introduced in 2018, VIS is a division of VCNI that produces content for ViacomCBS brands and platforms, such as Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount Channel and Channel 5 in the UK, as well as for third parties.
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Originally published: Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
Original source: Kidscreen.
