NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP, ADVOCATES SAY.

Byline: Elizabeth M. Cosin Daily News Staff Writer

Jesse Jackson's protest of the lack of minorities among this year's Oscar nominees brought back into the public eye an issue that the entertainment-industry guilds have formed special groups to address, with some success.

``Certainly, there is still much to be desired in achieving substantial gains for minorities, but there have been some dramatic gains, when one reviews the last 10 years' statistics,'' said Gil Avila, executive administrator, affirmative action, for the Screen Actors Guild.

Ten years ago, 12 percent of acting jobs were filled by minorities. In 1994, minorities were filling more than 18 percent of the acting roles in both movies and TV, he said.

African-Americans got 12 percent of the acting jobs in 1994. African-Americans accounted for 12.4 percent of the U.S. population, according to the 1990 census.

``It would seem there is some form of parity in those numbers,'' Avila said. ``The community that is being grossly overlooked, according to figures, is the Latino community.''

Although almost 10 percent of U.S. population, Latinos filled only 3 percent of acting roles in 1994.

An ``American scene clause'' is now added to many contracts, specifying that programs try to depict diversity and feature portrayals of people in realistic situations.

Special training programs also have become a road to jobs in Hollywood for minorities.

``We also have seminars for Guild and nonmembers about selling,'' said Zara Buggs Taylor, executive administrator for employment diversity at the Writers Guild of America, West.

``I try to personally coach writers. But the most important thing I can do, when I can get in the front door, is meet with studio heads, network programming heads and executives and producers,'' she said. ``I'm trying to sell the value of diversity.''

The Directors Guild of America also relies on the art of persuasion to improve minority participation, said spokesman Chuck Warn.

Since 1983, minorities have received about 3 percent of directing jobs. During the same period, the number of directing jobs that went to women increased from 4 to 9 percent.

``Although you can name a number of African-American directors who work regularly, the issue becomes: How quickly are new people able to break in?'' Warn said. ``Efforts by our steering committees that represent women and minorities have focused on helping first-time directors to break in.''

Many minorities who have made it reach back to pull others in. Director Spike Lee has employed scores of young minorities.

Bill Cosby, who was the most visible African-American in U.S. entertainment for years, also aided the careers of many young up-and-comers. He and his wife recently funded a minority screenwriter program for professionals at the University of Southern California.

``Bill Cosby helped me get a job when no one else would hire me,'' said California State, Northridge, professor Nate Thomas, a director who with actor Tim Russ (``Star Trek Voyager'') is funding the feature ``East of Hope Street.''

``Cosby got to a place where he had influence and used it to help others get jobs in the industry,'' Thomas said. ``He wanted his crews to mirror the rest of society.''

Many pin hopes on the younger generation of African-Americans making their mark.

``There is so much room in this growth industry for divergent voices to come together that it's important we all keep focus on work,'' said Erich Leon Harris, a screenwriter and author of ``African-American Screenwriters Now: Conversations With Hollywood's Black Pack.''

``Each individual must do his or her best job. ... Regardless of race, it's hard to do this work. I'm optimistic; I feel that things are getting better.''

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Photo: Director Spike Lee has employed scores of young mino rities for his various films.