Parents' Guide to

Project Greenlight

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Solid filmmaking doc showcases creativity, hard work.

TV HBO Reality TV 2015
Project Greenlight Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

PROJECT GREENLIGHT is a documentary series (which has aired on both HBO and Bravo) about what it really takes to make a film. Executive producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck want to invest millions of dollars in budding directors to help them make full-length movies. Before each season begins, filmmakers are invited to submit their work for review and consideration for the project. After several rounds of elimination to narrow down the thousands of entries, Damon, Affleck, and members of their production team determine which writer and/or director will receive the funds and have his or her project "greenlit" for production. With the help of industry mentors, including previous Project Greenlight winners, they must work within their budgets and manage their time, team, and talent to successfully produce a feature film. At the end of each series, the finished production is screened.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The unapologetic and insightful series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the process by which a feature film is made and at the many challenges filmmakers face. It also highlights (intentionally or otherwise) some of the problems with the industry, including its ruthless competitiveness and the lack of gender and racial/ethnic diversity.

There are slow moments, but this is mainly because the actual process of making a movie often is pretty tedious. But the interaction among Damon, Affleck, and other mentors on their team are quite interesting, especially when they're discussing the specific aspects of the filmmaking process. Budding filmmakers of all ages will certainly learn a lot of from the show.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it means to "greenlight" a project in the film and TV industry. Is what you see in this series similar to what happens in Hollywood when a project is being considered for production? What do you consider to be the most challenging part of the process?

  • The TV and filmmaking industry is often criticized for underrepresenting or stereotyping people of various sexual orientations and racial/ethnic backgrounds. If there were more diversity among producers, directors, and writers, how do you think this might change?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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