Say Yes: Head of Diversity at Disney
TALKS HOW TO BUILD A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD AND WHY DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT
By Marian Cook
Jay Francis smiled when he told me this story. “That receptionist will never know how she changed the course of my life. She gave me the addresses of two small independent animation companies. One of them was DIC Entertainment, [who at] that time was making Inspector Gadget and Dennis the Menace. I ended up getting a production assistant job [there].”
JAY FRANCIS is Vice President, Current Series and Diversity at Disney Television Animation (TVA). He is responsible for managing the creative direction of production on current series for Disney TVA and working closely with the development and recruitment teams to identify, secure and mentor diverse creative talent for Disney TVA and Disney Junior.
Francis joined Disney TVA in 2007. During his tenure, he has overseen creative direction on a multitude of original animated series including Disney's five-time Emmy® Award-winning "Phineas and Ferb," Emmy® Award-nominated "Big City Greens," "Amphibia," and most recently the Disney+ original animated adventure movie "Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe."
In his Diversity role, Francis has created an educational institutions program for which he regularly visits and speaks with students at key universities across the country as well as the country's prestigious art and animation schools. He also oversees the television animation studio's Apprentice Writers and Diversity Development Programs.
Prior to joining Disney TVA, Francis was vice president and general manager, Development and Acquisitions for Level 13, Film Roman's online animation distribution network.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Francis received a Bachelor of Science in Television and Film Production from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
The conversation leading Jay to DIC was a fluke. It was the summer of 1984, and Jay had just moved to LA in search of an entertainment job after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Television and Film Production at Syracuse University.
He didn’t have a dream job in mind — in fact, animation wasn’t even on his radar — but he knew he wanted to be a part of the industry. As he rode the bus into Studio City, passing through the Cahuenga Pass, the first building he saw was the old Hanna-Barbera studio, and a lightbulb went off. So, he hopped off the bus and walked in, met a helpful and caring receptionist, and his life hasn’t been the same since.
Jay’s anecdote about how he stumbled into animation resonates with me. Like many emerging filmmakers, I have aspirations about my dream job in Hollywood, but I have no idea where to start. I think I may want to be a writer-director, but maybe I’m destined to be a producer. Sometimes, to find our purpose, it takes trial and error. For others, it's just luck.
“I remember thinking,” Jay said, “‘Oh I'll just do this until I get a real entertainment job,’ and I never left. Two reasons. Number one, I became very passionate about the art form. And number two, the people who work in animation are just some of the most wonderful people that I’ve had the good fortune to work with.”
Today, Jay sits on the other side of the table. He is Vice President of Current Series and Diversity at Disney Television Animation (TVA). His responsibilities include managing the creative direction of current series’ productions, and working closely with the development and recruitment teams to identify, secure, and mentor diverse creative talent for Disney TVA and Disney Junior. He has worked on series such as the five-time Emmy Award-winning Phineas and Ferb and recent Disney+ movie Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe; Milo Murphy's Law; the Emmy Award-nominated Big City Greens; Amphibia; and many, many more. Just as he’s developed shows, he’s helped nurture careers.
Jay told me the most rewarding part of his current job is driving diversity. The events of 2020 have showcased the need for diversity and inclusion in America. And dismantling a problem so persistent in Hollywood, and reflective of society as a whole, requires knowledge, diplomacy, access and dialogue.
“Being put in a position to help others ... to provide access for people to get into this industry, I think is incredibly important. To the degree that I can help facilitate that, even in a small way, makes me happy. Truly. I didn’t have a lot of people talking to me about that when I was trying to break into the industry,” Jay explained.
“I think my job initially in taking this expanded role was to bring in more underrepresented people in our writers rooms, to our production teams, helping the studio reflect the audience that we serve, but I think the most fundamental part of the job is to make sure that the people who are already there feel welcome, wanted, heard, [and] have a seat at the table.”
I took two themes with me from my conversation with Jay.
First, it’s never too late to try that entertainment job that has always beckoned you. It may take some luck or it may take trial and error, but as Jay learned, it’s always better to try than to not try at all, and be receptive to all opportunities. Second, I realize that although it may seem the industry is impenetrable, there are people like that receptionist at Hanna-Barbera and Jay working to change that, whether on a small or large scale, every day. Keep your eyes open, pay attention to opportunities, and maybe just say ‘yes’ more.
Marian Cook is a former journalist, Stowe Story Labs staff member, and current USC student pursuing an MFA in directing. She’s been published over a dozen times, covering topics from local news to federal healthcare legislation. Although she loves the world of journalism, having done documentaries on a range of topics from plastic surgery to segregation in the church, her real passion lies in narrative film. She one day hopes to be a writer-director and tell strong, female-led stories, especially that of Latinas. When she’s not filming, she likes to explore, listen to blues and jazz, brush up on her French, and absorb everything science fiction related. Learn more at http://mariandcook.weebly.com/. At Stowe Story Labs, Marian assists with all aspects of operations, writes for the newsletter, and assists with research and writing to support fundraising and communications about programs.
