Here is a challenge for development people in television for today: call up the last five projects you rejected by a screenwriter of colour, and stress-test your rejection. https://twitter.com/nikeshshukla/status/1283299172893044736

Did you find the characters unrelatable?

If so, ask yourself, unrelatable to who? Are the white characters in all the shows on your slate super relatable? Relatable to who?

Did you say the idea was too small/niche?

Too small or niche for who? Not Going Out is on its tenth season and it's literally about someone not going out.

Did you think the writer lacked experience? How does one get experience if no one gives them experience and the only experience available to them is the diversity scheme? Do they need experience? Or a chance? Who was the last person you gave a chance to?

Did you think your audience wouldn't be into this show? Did you ever think about... you know... maybe... diversifying your audience?

Go through all your recently rejected projects by screenwriters of colour with these things in mind, and ask yourself, finally, how much do I want things to change?

Okay, I'm done, muting these threads and off to write. Bye.

sorry specifically aiming this at white development people.

And if you're a white screenwriter currently benefitting from the gift of work, time for you to ask questions too. Support us. Don't DM me and say, this is terrible, tell me all the people I shouldn't work with (because you won't honour that). Say it publicly on the TL.