ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

8 years, 7 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

I'm not female, but overall the balance is around 50/50 - more represented in some departments more than others, but you don't mention the role you are after!

8 years, 6 months ago - Nathalie Hickson

Hi Alexandra, I have rejoined SP as keen to write etc. My experience I worked at MTV & had a male creative director & had to follow up with lots of calls. As a screen writer, producer Leon I met today said it is a fine line between hassle & hustle but you decide. I have worked in a number of fields & all quite hard work. Let's see if manage anything but think have to create myself. If want more info let me know.

8 years, 6 months ago - Alice Charles

I've been scriptwriting for 15 years - and have no produced credits and only two options. Believe me, it's not for want of trying. A journalist for more than 20 years, I've entered scores of initiatives, schemes and contests. I've been selected and shortlisted/finalist for more things than I care to remember - all to little or no avail. To give you some indication of the kinds of barriers I face: I wrote a pitch for a thriller which was good enough to get me a meeting with Working Title - and the executive I met asked me three times if I'd written it myself. Meanwhile, a BBC script editor suggested that I write something "more black"! Really. (I've tried out for every long-running drama series only to be told that I'm a good writer - and then sent on my way). More recently, my agent submitted my TV drama pilot to ITV - only for me to discover that they ripped off my characters and storylines for another project. And that's not the first time that's happened. British women in film and TV are firmly restricted to working within certain parameters. For example, in its 50-year history Dr Who has had only a handful of female writers and two female directors. Some shows have never had female directors or writers. In TV, you'll find women working in children's TV and long-running series - but not on big budget teatime shows. And it's nowhere near 50%. In the UK, the industry has not progressed beyond tokenism - where is the next Sally Wainwright? Why isn't there the British Shonda Rhimes?
Jane Goldman is one of only a handful of female genre writers - and it's no coincidence she's married to Jonathan Ross, the man with the best contacts book in the business. As a British woman, it seems that you have to be successful at something else first, like bestselling authors Jojo Moyes and EL James - or married to someone in the business.

8 years, 6 months ago - Alyson Connew

Yes I do agree with Alice. I think when you are so passionate about what you do and in my case directing it can be get a little demoralising at times when you have knocked on so many doors and there never seems to be a glimmer of hope, but I just keep going and have a great small team behind me. I have very limited budget on most of the productions I do so can't do all the more advanced camera I shots I would like but that does not stop me. I am twenty two years now still doing what I love doing best and I have to be honest I do live in hope that one day my work will be recognised. But I do take comfort in the fact that I have shared a journey with so many talented young people bringing to life and capturing moments of magic on screen.

8 years, 6 months ago - Alexandra Tincu

Hi all!
Firstly, please accept my apologies for the late reply - I did not receive e-mail notifications to announce that all these replies were posted :)

Secondly, thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my question - it really means a lot!

I have not specified the role I am after because I am still at the beginning of my career, I have done a lot of directing/ self-shooting unpaid jobs so far for small projects but obviously, I can't call myself a director/ videographer yet as I never had a paid role in the industry.

As an early career individual it is very helpful to hear your perspectives, as I am finding it very hard to even network in Bristol, let alone volunteer/ intern somewhere.

Once again, thank you!!!!!

8 years, 6 months ago - Richard Anthony Dunford

At last years BAFTA's both the short film and short animation categories were won by women.

Creative England have run film funding schemes such as 'I shorts funny women' which have been 'female only' and there's a host of film festivals international that are female only so you can't say the 'powers that be' aren't doing their bit to encourage women into the industry. By the look of last years BAFTA awards in the UK it's paying off.

Unfortunately regardless of gender the film industry is one of the most difficult on the planet to break into.