Last year a Directors Guild study found that 82 percent of first-time TV directors were male, and 87 percent were white — more evidence that, despite Hollywood’s frequent lip service toward diversity, white men still get more chances in the entertainment industry than anyone else. Now one of those powerful white guys has committed to doing something about it. THR reports that Ryan Murphy has set up a foundation, called Half, within his production company to bring more diversity into the TV-directing ranks. As the name suggests, by the end of this year, Murphy has committed to filling 50 percent of the director slots on his shows with candidates who are women, racial minorities, or members of the LBGT community. Beyond that, the American Crime Story producer says the foundation will create a database of diverse filmmakers for other showrunners to consult, as well as offer mentorship opportunities for college students interested in directing. “The industry has always been about, you come to us,” Murphy says. “I’m saying, ‘No, we’re going to go to you.’”
