ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXAny women wish to partake in documenting their experiences of sexual exploitation/harrassment in the industry?
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Aimed at women, notably actresses and female crew members:
Dear Ladies,
For the foreseeable future, I will be running a campaign known as "Why Should I?" - This will be a platform created to provide women with the opportunity to voice their encounters of sexual harassment, exploitation, degradation or otherwise, committed primarily by men in "positions of power", in the film/entertainment industry.
This will be aimed at actresses that have everyday stories of sexism, discrimination or similar, whether that’s a terrible request during an audition to simply a patronising comment from a male colleague or director/producer. etc.
This is not only actresses, but also female crew and, of course, women in other professions entirely.
I've already had over 20 actresses come forward which is a sad but truthful testament to how problematic this is.
What we aim to do is document these stories or experiences and provide a catalogue of women who have been subjected to this on a website to create maximum exposure and help spread the word and stamp this out.
I am in charge of a company that prides itself on promoting the incredible work women do in film today and am personally saddened by the constant trend of unequal respect and treatment of women.
Recent events in the media have brought this more attention, but solving this imbalance still needs a lot more encouragement in industries that are predominantly ruled by men.
We understand that some of your encounters might be very emotional to recount either on video or audibly, so we aim to uphold the utmost sensitivity, professionalism and productivity when commencing this process.
The process itself would entail a talking heads-type interview, in a mutually agreed location, conducted by a female interviewer who has volunteered herself, as she has also personally suffered sadly.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more or feel you would indeed like to participate and have your story told.
This can also be done anonymously if you so wish.
If you don't wish to post directly on this forum, please feel free to send me a direct email at: belloq@sky.com
Look forward to hearing from you.
Take care and wish you well.
Warmest Regards,
Mark
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7 years, 10 months ago - Allan (Mac) McKenna
Jesus Mark - you're beginning an enquiry into sexism by addressing your audience as 'Dear Ladies'???? My wife would have hit you already.
7 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran
Gotta exploit a band wagon whilst the issue is still hot Allan.
Interesting that the callow meters don't really kick in until one is in receipt of a pension.
7 years, 10 months ago - Nick Hilton
I'm sure your heart is in the right place, but this might be a subject better left to a female filmmaker.
7 years, 10 months ago - Angela Peters
Thanks Mark for posting this. And I’ll email you privately about speaking about my own experience. I think it’s a great thing that you’re offering to do, and I honestly don’t think it matters that a gentleman is offering to head up the filming of it. The point is, you’re helping get the stories captured so we can bring about some (hopefully) positive improvements. I also don’t find any objection to “Dear Ladies”. Did I miss something?
Best
Angela
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Hi guys.
Thank you all for your responses.
Allan, I'm not quite sure what you thought I meant by "Dear Ladies". I meant it in the context of "Ladies and Gentlemen", but in this case, it's addressed primarily to ladies. Was not meant in a patronising way. I apologise if that came across as so.
You might be right Nick, but I think half the problem, personally, is that women simply do not get the respect they deserve and that extends to being listened to in the film world.
We are trying to address the whole issue and sensitively as possible, because I'm fully aware this will not be an easy subject for some people and we simply cannot please everyone.
But I have a personal duty to at least try.
Angela, feel free to email me about it yourself.
Thanks again all.
Best,
Mark
7 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran
Where and how will this 'catalogue " be distributed or viewed? Is this a narative documentary commensurate with broadcast potential, an archive or some other purpose?
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Hi John.
For now, the intention is to host all these interviews as part of a collective online, via a new website in the works.
The specific aim right now is just to document the sheer volume, but we are actively thinking of ideas to increase exposure and be constructive about the whole process.
It is most likely going to be a more active campaign rather than a semi-contained project.
Best,
Mark
7 years, 10 months ago - Zoe Cunningham
Good luck Mark!
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Thanks Zoe. :)
7 years, 10 months ago - Alève Mine
Mark, keep in mind people tend to copy behaviors and stick to received images. First think about the risk that this would, from either point of view, consolidate the current female position in society.
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Hi Aleve,
Not sure I entirely understand what you mean, but I (and many women thus far) feel it's an issue that strongly needs addressing.
Surely the consolidated female position in society should be one of equality and respect?
I am proceeding with caution either way, but feel free to email me with your thoughts if you wish to clarify your points.
Best,
Mark
7 years, 10 months ago - Allan (Mac) McKenna
You and Mark in cahoots then John? And what's the crap about pensions? Mind you sexism and ageism are hardly unknown beffellows. Not worth really saying any more John. And Angela - if you have to ask why not 'dear ladies' you've managed to instantly alienate most of your female audience. At least I hope you have.
7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Owen
Really not sure what you're driving at Allan.
"Dear Ladies and Gentlemen" is perfectly acceptable, so how is "Ladies" on its own not?
If I was just addressing Gentlemen, I would say "Dear Gentlemen" - but I fail to see how that would be alienating men?
FYI, I've had 16 women contact me privately since I posted, who wish to take part.
If what I wrote was remotely offensive, then I doubt they would.
Best,
Mark
7 years, 9 months ago - John Lubran
Just got back to this strand.
Allan my allusion to pensioners was not meant to be derogatory about pensioners; as it happens I'm a pensioner. What I alluded to was that the callowness sometimes associated with youth is often only apparent to those old folk whose 'callow meters' are sensitive to the irony of callowness. I was having a go at knee jerk reactionism, mob law and the ability of media to exploit itself in crocodile tears for purposes that have little to offer to solutions.
I recently suggested in another strand, that similarly to Oscar Wilde's observation that "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel", moral band wagonism is often the last redoubt of hypocrisy.
The evils that exist in this society don't do so entirely in isolation to a much wider reality of truth, consciousness and ethos. Where love and goodwill is displaced by prejudice, greed, fear and a lack of practical empathy for others the Daily Mailesque lynch mob approach can often seem rational. What has always been apparent is that delusions of grandeur amongst powerful elites tend towards corruption. Focusing too much on the symptoms of the disease can be detrimental to the cure. If folk stopped putting up with other folks evil behaviours, of all kinds, instead of acquiescing for personal security or gain, much of it would have already been nipped in the bud. Let’s hope that human evolution will eventually lift our hearts out of the primordial soup we’re so evidently still stuck in.
7 years, 9 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy
Oscar Wilde, John? Nah, Samuel Johnson.
Perhaps you were thinking of Wilde's "Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious".
7 years, 9 months ago - John Lubran
Much obliged sir