We aren’t perfect. Building environments that champion inclusivity and diversity will be a lifelong pursuit. Although we are a small and young company, we are mindful that we play a part in creating a sustainable institution for all creative individuals to thrive and prosper.
Building environments and processes that allow people to contribute at their highest level is what’s best for the company and our people. Companies that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective are proven to be stronger companies. Diversity and inclusion are necessary in reaching our goals and living up to our values.
It’s more than just hiring diverse people. We must promote cultural competence in our work environments. This can be achieved by maintaining a set of policies and attitudes that promote positive interactions with diverse cultures.
While this is only the start, we will be updating this page and blog with new policies that we implement as we continue conversations with our partners.
Paul Orr
Cinematographer and Cam Op
What I love most about working in film is the diverse group of creative and interesting people we work with and get to know ...
Marta Vizcarro
Designer
I want to be seen as a kind soul that wants to work with other wonderful souls for the common good...
Angela Herr
Director of Photography & Colorist
When I was writing, I had a hard time expressing myself. Our industry has so many layers...
Morgan Bond of CamLock Films
Director & Producer
There’s a lot of things I love about my job, but what I love the most that it’s fast paced...
Lauren Garcia
Pro Hair + Makeup Artist
What I love most about my job is the places and people it introduces me to. Places I thought I could never go...
We partnered with Big Medium—a non-profit that advocates for artists in Texas—to create promotional video content featuring local artists who do not have the resources to market themselves for the West and East Austin Studio Tours. The :60 second promos had to promote the artist and the studio tour while emotionally and visually connecting with the audience. Swng produced eight unique promos that Big Medium released on all their social platforms.
Kids In A New Groove (KING) was the first non-profit Swng donated services to back in 2016. Since then, Swng has produced all of KING’s video and photo content, most of it as a donation. Recently, KING had to pivot their in-person fundraisers to virtual events. Swng shifted their regular programming to a pre-recorded concert allowing performers to stay safe on set and providing KING with a fundraising avenue. The virtual concert was a hit with donors, and more than 450 people tuned in which is 3x the normal attendance for a Concert Club.
Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a non-profit that mitigates homelessness in Austin, Texas. Their Community First! Village, which houses more than 200 people, serves those experiencing chronic homelessness. MLF needed content to help spread awareness of their Car Care Center which provides auto mechanic training and jobs for people living in the village. Swng donated their services to MLF, and created a 2-minute informative piece on the new initiative.
Austin Dance Festival (ADF) needed to create a digital presence that would showcase their unique festival and wanted to provide high quality content to their attendees at an affordable rate. For the past 3 years Swng has been a primary partner with ADF from building their entire digital media presence to providing discounted rates for their participants. Swng donates gear, time, and continuous guidance to ADF, which ensures their ability to provide free pop-up dances around ATX, dance on film screenings, professional and youth showcases, and more.
Paul Orr
Cinematographer and Cam Op
Meet Paul
What do you love most about your job (industry at-large or a specific role, it can be any aspect of it)?
What I love most about working in film is the diverse group of creative and interesting people we work with and get to know. We work with a lot of the same behind-the-camera crew over and over again, and those creative relationships are super rewarding. Sometimes seeing a colleague on set that you haven't worked with in a few months is like reuniting with an old friend.
But even more rewarding than that is some of the folks that end up in front of the camera. Especially in non-fiction production, we have this privileged access to intimate moments of the lives of people that are from a different walk of life. Some of these experiences have been formative for me, getting to know people who I probably would never cross paths with in a more 'normal' career.
What advice do you have for people who want to create a more inclusive production set but aren't sure where to start?
There are several organizations that have put together directories of BIPOC film professionals. I think it's as simple as looking them up and hiring them for your next production. If you only have one or two BIPOC crew on your radar, ask them for referrals to fill roles in other departments!
Also I think it's important to be aware of what I call the 'experience double-standard'. I have worked for a lot of underqualified white male DPs or directors who got a job based on their connections, not their merits. This is never the case for female, non-binary, or BIPOC creatives. They generally have to work harder to prove themselves. If the work of a female or BIPOC creative impresses you, but their resume doesn't blow you away, just trust them! The reason their resume isn't as stacked as their white male counterparts is probably because of the prevalence of biased agencies and producers.
Are there any creatives or professionals in the industry that do a great job of showcasing diversity and inclusion?
The best example from my own career is director Savannah Leaf. She is a young black director and former Olympian out of the UK. I had the pleasure of working on a Gary Clark Jr. video she directed in 2018, which was one of the best production experiences I've had. She is a very level-headed and approachable director, and she really lets her work speak for itself. All of it approaches the black experience in a powerful way. She recently put out a music video for Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On' that brought me to tears. That song is one of the most iconic protest songs of the Civil Rights era, and the way she relates it to the injustices of our current world is *chefs kiss*.
How do you want to be seen in a space (whether that's a production set, the office, in the world, however you'd like to answer this question)?
I want to be seen as a genuine collaborator and co-conspirator. The collaborative nature of film as a medium is what drew me to this career. And I think the fight for social justice has a lot of that same dynamic. I want to be seen as someone who really deeply listens and considers everyone's perspective, and whose contributions reflect that.
Marta Vizcarro
Designer
Meet Marta
What do you love most about your job?
Almost everything! Meeting many new people along the way, constantly learning new skills, being challenged to translate complex problems into user-friendly visual solutions… to name a few.
What advice do you have for people who want to create a more inclusive production set but aren't sure where to start?
Start conversations, ask questions, show that you care, feel unconformable and vulnerable if it allows you to learn and create positive change.
Are there any creatives or professionals in the industry that do a great job of showcasing diversity and inclusion?
Unfortunately, we all have a long way to go. Fortunately, the current racial justice moment is sparking important conversations at a national and international level. We should take advantage of the momentum and demand public policy changes.
How do you want to be seen in a space (whether that's a production set, the office, in the world, however you'd like to answer this question)?
I want to be seen as a kind soul that wants to work with other wonderful souls for the common good.
Angela Herr
Director of Photography & Colorist
Meet Angela
What do you love most about your job (industry at-large or a specific role, it can be any aspect of it)?
I like the most that our industry is a comprehensive way of telling a story and expressing information. It doesn’t have to be through an interview or actual words, it can just be how a human is moving, editing, images together. It puts out an energy you feel. It’s telling a story in a whole different way than the written word. It’s like telling a story using multiple senses.
When I was writing, I had a hard time expressing myself. Our industry has so many layers in the storytelling process. And consuming the content is very accessible; it’s easier to show someone a 5-minute video than read a five page paper.
And finally, the collaborative part of creating. I specialize in one or two things and have knowledge on other parts of production, but I rely on the other departments to bring their knowledge of their specialities. I don’t have to be the best at every single part of production. We need each other. Whoever is the director or producer, they’re leading it, but everyone is empowered to bring what they know and what they do best.
But even more rewarding than that is some of the folks that end up in front of the camera. Especially in non-fiction production, we have this privileged access to intimate moments of the lives of people that are from a different walk of life. Some of these experiences have been formative for me, getting to know people who I probably would never cross paths with in a more 'normal' career.
What advice do you have for people who want to create a more inclusive production set but aren't sure where to start?
To make it truly feel like you’re bringing people in for their voices and not just to show you have diversity, hire people into positions of power. Whether they write, direct, DP, editor, any department that has a major voice in the piece. A lot of people just bring on a PA or AC, roles that are assisting the vision rather than have a voice in the vision. That’s important.
By bringing in a voice that is separate from your experience, you can learn a whole different perspective you haven’t considered before. And that makes you better at your position, as a boss, as an employer, and producers.
Are there any creatives or professionals in the industry that do a great job of showcasing diversity and inclusion?
Netflix prioritized diverse voices from the very beginning of the creation of their original content. They didn’t ease into it. They right off the bat were pretty inclusive. They broke boundaries with the inclusion of an actual positive trans female character. They continue to be in the forefront of it. Even though they are far from perfect, they are heading in a positive direction. They are willing to hear criticism and adapt their positioning. They showcase more diverse directors and positions in power, as well as actors and writers.
How do you want to be seen in a space (whether that's a production set, the office, in the world, however you'd like to answer this question)?
I want to walk in a space and want to be viewed as queer and non-binary. The second one is rough because people are still learning what that means. People assume that means I need to look more masculine than I do.
I don’t want to have to pretend I’m something else. I want my self to be visible. Part of that is being able to be visible in a space. When you look at someone you think you know who they are and make assumptions. My experience is different because of my queerness and gender expression. When that’s not seen, I feel like my story and the story of my community are ignored.
That’s what’s beneficial to having more inclusive sets. You will be around more people who you don’t know their experience and that might make it more ingrained in people that you can’t look at someone and assume their experience.
Morgan Bond of CamLock Films
Director & Producer
Meet Morgan
What do you love most about your job?
There’s a lot of things I love about my job, but what I love the most that it’s fast paced. You get to work with different people and different environments. You never have the same day on set ever: different people, different concepts, locations, etc. It’s a cool thing we get to do. It’s never the same thing over again.
What advice do you have for people who want to create a more inclusive production set (work environment) but aren't sure where to start?
My advice is to actively seek diversity. When we’re hiring, we're constantly talking about how to make our crews more diverse and representative. We talk a lot about who would be the best person to work on this set, or who is most reflective of the content. Background is always a consideration when we hire.
It’s easy to hire the same people over and over again because you're comfortable and familiar with them. It’s hard to hire new people all the time, but that’s how you grow in this industry. You learn new tricks, and new ways to tell stories. It’s uncomfortable and hard but so important.
If you’re having a hard time with diversity on set or screen, put a requirement for yourself. Whatever metric you want it to be, make it for yourself. Be actively trying — it’s hard but at least you can try.
Are there any creatives or professionals in the industry that do a great job of showcasing diversity and inclusion?
I think Austin has a great film population with opportunities for all kinds of people. Austin is a unique industry in that, when we’re hired we’re often asked by any agency to have a certain number of minorities and women on screen. It’s a convo we have often with agencies.
The people who are best are the ones with self confidence to magnify the voices of others. I don’t really have any call outs, but I haven’t really experienced anyone that I’ve worked with that’s bad at it. Austin has a unique environment, so many people with different backgrounds that are thriving.
Shonda Rhimes is the apex of diverse TV for me. The content is easy to consume, and she constantly is bringing up different issues, always has diverse characters, and diverse writers.
How do you want to be seen in a space (whether that's a production set, the office, in the world, however you'd like to answer this question)?
Other than a badass, I want to be seen as a professional and great at my job. That’s something I value: people who are competent and good at what they do. That’s what I've been striving for, and I want to be seen as someone who has a good handle on their job.
Lauren Garcia
Pro Hair + Makeup Artist
Meet Lauren
What do you love most about your job (industry at-large or a specific role, it can be any aspect of it)?
What I love most about my job is the places and people it introduces me to. Places I thought I could never go, and people I likely would have never meet in my daily life.
What advice do you have for people who want to create a more inclusive production set but aren't sure where to start?
I've always felt that if we want more people of color in front of the camera, we have to get more POC behind the camera.
Are there any creatives or professionals in the industry that do a great job of showcasing diversity and inclusion?
I started my freelance career at MAC cosmetics. The company and brand, always had diversity in everything. From the campaigns to the artists in store. We were always encouraged to express ourselves in makeup, hair wardrobe! No two artists looked the same, and I believe it made shopping there an experience.
How do you want to be seen in a space (whether that's a production set, the office, in the world, however you'd like to answer this question)?
I want to be seen a business professional on set. Someone who isn't lucky to be there, but has earned it.
