The inaugural INVOKE® State of the Industry aims to provide insights and measurements through self-identification on the industry’s successes, gaps, and opportunities, ensuring that INVOKE’s data is by and for the industry.
“This was the most inclusive, friendly, best working environment I have ever worked in. No egos, super inviting. I hope this reins in a new era of film making where everyone is included and treated with respect”
FREE THE WORK & INVOKE
We are FREE THE WORK— a global nonprofit dedicated to shifting the prevailing systems in media for storytellers across the film, television, and advertising sectors.
We launched INVOKE® Insights in 2021, gathering anonymous demographic and sentiment data from crew members in commercial production to create a roadmap for meaningful engagement and opportunity within the production industry and to guide FREE THE WORK's programming.
This inaugural INVOKE State of the Industry report is the first of many we intend to release addressing our industry’s successes, gaps and opportunities ensuring that INVOKE data is both by the industry and for the industry.
“I think there should be a line (budget) for training programs to bring people in. Too many of the same people get hired with no opportunity to bring people in. Train and have the client pay. There should also be a line for roles to shadow someone. All covered by the client.”
See Our Data
27%
of Crew Members surveyed vocalized fair pay as their most important issue
38.44%
of Crew Members identified as women
47%
of Crew Members in Senior, Mid, and Entry Level roles identify as White — the highest percentage of any ethnicity
2.53%
of Crew Members surveyed identified as Veterans (6.2% of the US population are Veterans according to the US Census)
8.01%
of Crew Members on set identified as living with a disability
“I love my job, but the rates for commercials haven’t changed in over a decade, the shoot days are often too long with not enough turnaround, and we should be paid more to work nights and weekends.”
Acknowledgements
FREE THE WORK & INVOKE State of the Industry is led by:
Pamala Buzick Kim, Executive Director
Chloe Coover, Head of Unity & Integration
Amir Shirazi, Data Analyst - Product Analysis and Visualization
Kelsey Kearney, INVOKE Coordinator
Nandini Trivedi-Parmari, Marketing Director
Jehan Hormazdi, Partnerships & Operations Manager
Contributors:
Stephen Braren, Advisor
INVOKE Surveyors
Zoe Mendelson, Writing + Editor
Supported by the Board of Directors:
Alma Har'el, Director and Founder, FREE THE WORK; FTW Board Chair
Lauren Greenfield, Filmmaker/ Photographer, Founder of Institute; FTW Board Member
Christopher Racster, FTW Board Vice Chair
Naseem Sayani, FTW Board Treasurer
Cela Sutton, FTW Board Member