Should FIFA 17 be banned for supporting the LGBT community?

Some Russian MP's seem to think so and have asked for the game to either remove its 'Rainbow Kit' or face a higher age rating or even an outright ban in Russia.

As if there are not already enough problems trying to raise awareness and support of LGBT issues in the sporting world. Our games, films, television programmes, magazines, comic books, newspapers, advertisements etc SHOULD reflect the audiences that consume them and our society is so diverse and multi-faceted. It's refreshing to see EA show their support to the LGBT community (especially with football being such a particularly hostile environment in this regard) and a shame to see them under pressure by one of the biggest gaming markets in the world.

Is There a Diversity Problem in the British Film Industry?

Director of High Rise Ben Wheatley thinks so. 

He says that he wants his films to reflect the diverse audience who go to see them.

“When you’re looking at your audience, you’re looking at the whole audience and you want to reflect that audience back in the films you’re making,” he said.

Wheatley said there is an argument “for things when they’re set in the past” to not feature minorities, but “there’s no excuse at all not to be reflective of the period now when you make movies that are modern.”

Film producer Elliot Grove, the founder of independent film festival Raindance and the British Independent Film Awards, says that the industry needs to change the way it markets films.

“Film has been the domain of middle-class white guys, like me. By the time they get old like me, they are just worried about money, money, money. That’s wrong,” Grove says.

“We need to change our perception of our stories and involve people from different cultures, backgrounds and sexual orientations and make sure they have the marketing budget behind them."

Read more here

At ELAM we agree entirely. We are huge proponents of getting different voices into the Film and Games industries. Apply for our courses here.

British Film Institute announces £500m 5 Year Plan To Increase Diversity

The BFI has announced a five-year strategy for UK film which includes an investment of nearly £500m to support film education, skills development and film funding with diversity high on the agenda.

Sounds like this is the perfect time to get involved in studying Film & TV Production at ELAM.

Read more here