Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s Group Effort Initiative has partnered with Netflix on a new initiative that will expand underrepresented communities’ access to below-the-line career opportunities. Participants will secure access to on-set production training, as well as job placements this year on multiple Netflix productions throughout the United States and Canada.
Reynolds and Lively launched GEI via their companies Maximum Effort and B for Effort, and also serve as its financiers. The organization first brought a group of trainees together in Vancouver, on the set of Reynolds’ hit film The Adam Project for Netflix and Skydance, with eight participants serving as entry-level production assistants in various departments including camera, construction, costume, makeup, production design, production office and VFX. Netflix has already partnered with GEI on productions including White Noise, You People and Leave the World Behind, following the success of the program on the set of the Shawn Levy pic.
“We started the Group Effort Initiative a little less than two years ago to create a pipeline for underrepresented voices in our industry. Its growth has exceeded our wildest expectations and it could not have succeeded as it has without the unwavering support of Netflix,” said Reynolds and Lively in a joint statement. “What started on the Adam Project will now expand to many more Netflix productions. We thank Scott Stuber and the entire team for their commitment to inclusion. We won’t let you down.”
“At Netflix, we believe more people deserve to have their lives reflected on screen and that starts with the important people behind the camera,” added Stubbier, who serves as Head of Global Film at Netflix. “We are thrilled to partner with Ryan and Blake to create opportunities for the next generation of creatives who will shape the future of the entertainment industry.”
Netflix’s partnership with GEI is part of its Fund for Creative Equity, intended to help create more behind-the-camera opportunities for underrepresented communities within the TV and film industries. New projects on which the companies have partnered have already launched production in Long Island and Los Angeles.
Written By Matt Grobar for Deadline
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