BRIC Entertainment

BRIC Entertainment, encompassing entities such as Briclyn Entertainment Group and BRICS Entertainment, operates as an international full-service entertainment and boutique booking agency based in New Jersey. The organization specializes in comprehensive talent booking, event programming, and strategic media representation across the broader media landscape. Operating within the highly competitive entertainment, gaming, and technology industries, the agency provides specialized services for diverse corporate clients and live events. The broader BRIC brand name is also associated with related industry organizations, including the Brooklyn-based non-profit arts presenter BRIC Arts Media, which was established in 1979 and is currently led by President Wes Jackson, and the BRIC Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving workforce diversity across the entertainment and technology sectors. The core booking and events agency, Briclyn Entertainment Group, was officially founded in 2007 by Anshia Briclyn Crooms.

High-Level Overview

BRIC Foundation (standing for Break, Reinvent, Impact, Change) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing representation of women and underrepresented groups in Entertainment, Gaming, Media, and Tech industries.[2][3] It achieves this by partnering with education, government, nonprofits, and industry leaders to create equitable talent pipelines, including apprenticeships for roles like visual effects artists, game designers, animators, and production managers.[2][3] Note that "BRIC Entertainment" aligns most closely with this entity, distinct from the unrelated BRIC Arts & Media, a Brooklyn-based arts institution focused on cultural programming.[1][4][5]

The foundation serves diverse, historically excluded creators by addressing hiring and retention gaps in entertainment, fostering pathways from early education to leadership roles.[2][3]

Origin Story

BRIC Foundation was founded in July 2018 in Los Angeles, CA, by Alison Mann, a veteran of 17 years in creative talent recruitment for entertainment.[3] Inspired by industry-wide diversity shortcomings, Mann partnered with producers Jill Gilbert and Nicole Hendrix to rethink talent pipelines, shifting focus from current hiring pools to early-life engagement for long-term change.[3]

The idea emerged from Mann's frustration with stagnant diversity efforts, leading to BRIC's launch with a mission to "Break, Reinvent, Impact, and Change" industry foundations.[3] Early momentum came from strategic alliances with industry giants like Lucasfilm, DreamWorks Animation, and Moonbug Entertainment via its board, enabling apprenticeship programs and advocacy.[2][3]

Core Differentiators

• Pipeline-Focused Model: Unlike reactive diversity hiring, BRIC emphasizes early intervention through apprenticeships and partnerships, building future talent pools for roles like VFX artists, storyboard artists, and game designers.[2][3]
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborates with education, government, and industry leaders (e.g., Lucasfilm's Global Diversity Recruitment Manager on the board), providing real-world access and credibility.[2][3]
• Targeted Impact: Prioritizes women and underrepresented groups in high-leadership entertainment roles, with programs like apprenticeships yielding pathways to tech artist, animator, and production manager positions.[2][3]
• Board Expertise: Features executives from DreamWorks, NFMLA, and Moonbug, blending recruitment, research, and production insights for actionable change.[3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

BRIC rides the wave of DEI mandates and talent shortages in entertainment and gaming, where underrepresented creators remain scarce amid booming demand for diverse storytelling in VFX, animation, and digital media.[2][3] Timing is ideal post-2020 social justice movements, aligning with industry shifts toward inclusive hiring amid labor gaps from tech's convergence with media (e.g., AI-driven effects, VR gaming).[2]

Market forces like streaming wars and game industry growth (projected to hit $300B+ globally) favor BRIC, as studios seek sustainable diversity to avoid backlash and innovate narratives.[3] It influences the ecosystem by incubating talent that diversifies content pipelines, indirectly boosting innovation in Brooklyn-adjacent media hubs while countering systemic inequities.[1][3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

BRIC Foundation is poised to scale its apprenticeship model amid rising DEI scrutiny and tech-entertainment fusion, potentially expanding to AI ethics training or global programs as industries face regulatory pressures.[2][3] Trends like generative AI in VFX and inclusive gaming will amplify its role, evolving influence from pipeline builder to policy shaper with board networks.[3]

As entertainment reckons with representation gaps, BRIC's early bet on foundational change positions it to redefine who tells tomorrow's stories, anchoring diverse voices in a $2T+ creative economy.[2][3]