ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXWhat percentage of a film crew is female?
11 years ago - Catsnake Film
As many of you shooters know, I blog weekly about film data and statistics. Normally my audience is almost exclusively industry but this week I seem to have hit a nerve and it's been covered by the civilian press.
My article is here http://stephenfollows.com/gender-of-film-crews/
I looked at the gender split within the film crews of the top 2,000 films of the past 20 years. The headline figures are...
* Women make up only 23% of crew members on the 2,000 highest grossing films of the past 20 years.
* Only one of the top 100 films in 2013 has a female Composer.
* In 2013, under 2% of Directors were female.
* The only departments to have a majority of women are Make-up, Casting and Costume
* Visual Effects is the largest department on most major movies and yet only has 17.5% women
* Of all the departments, the Camera and Electrical department is the most male, with only 5% women
* Musicals and Music-based films have the highest proportion of women in their crews (27%).
* Sci-Fi and Action films have the smallest proportion of women (20% and 21% respectively).
* The films with the highest percentage were "Mean Girls" and "The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" (42%).
* The most male crews were "On Deadly Ground" and "Robots" (10% female).
The most surprising thing to me is that it's not changing over time...
* There has been no improvement in the last 20 years. The percentage of female crew members has decreased between 1994 (22.7%) and 2013 (21.8%).
* The three most significant creative roles (Writer, Producer and Director) have all seen the percentage of women fall.
* The jobs performed by women have become more polarised. In jobs which are traditionally seen as more female (art, costume and make-up) the percentage of women has increased, whereas in the more technical fields (editing and visual effects) the percentage of women has fallen.
The Guardian covered it today of page 3 ("Phhaoor look at the stats on that...." etc). http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jul/22/gender-bias-film-industry-75-percent-male. Check out the comments for some rather eclectic opinions.
This study was just measuring employment so the next stage will be to measure gender within film schools (and other entry points to the industry) and try to ascertain why there is an imbalance of women to men in the industry. If it's 100% by choice then I don't think most people will mind. However, many feel that it reveals rampent sexisim. I'll be honest and say I don't know.
What do Shooters think? Why is our industry so heavily male? Does it matter? Is the industry institutionally sexist? If so, what can be done?
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11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
I don't think you'll find many BSC members who operate and they still have Operators' Night at Pinewood, but I'm not sure at what level you are. I was trained by Jack Cardiff who as a DP always had his favourite operator. The DP on my www.MargeryBooth.com will also choose his operator. My girl students were often better than the boys and were generally more careful so I preferred getting them to set the lens.
Response from 11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc SHOW
11 years ago - Joe Conneely
Depressing trend but on the filmmaking degree course I am on about a third plus of all roles are female students and not just the stated norms, so things may be on change? Sadly in the last year, two of my worst experiences on short film sets were at hands of women - one a producer and other an AD, both of whom made the whole crew's life a misery, but maybe that was just my bad luck!.
Response from 11 years ago - Joe Conneely SHOW
11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
@Sarah Buisson Your experiences sound horrible - where was the producer to back you up and put a stop to it all? I do hate the 'mob' feeling that can arise (crew sometimes become children en masse), but a sharp word with a ringleader can usually reset the tone. If the 1AD left set, that would be the production in trouble, so it's absolutely the producer's place to step in. Or frankly the director you're supposed to be assisting. It speaks of a poor production overall.
Response from 11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
@Alève Mine I'm so sorry to hear of your experiences - any abuse of power is unforgivable. FWIW I've worked under some very respected female producers, perhaps it's a little different in events and ceremonies world, but it never even occurred to me until I've been thinking about this thread how little of a big deal it seems to be in that works compared with what I'm reading here. Is this really 21st Century Britain I'm hearing about? It's shameful. I believe in merit, entirely and wholeheartedly. And it is so shortsighted if we as an industry and cultural entity are losing talented people through antiquated attitudes.
Response from 11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
@Alève Mine Gender aside, you may find it productive to work up to the mega budget pitches with a couple of smaller budget ones just to prove you can direct(? Just guessing, maybe it's story-only you're pitching!) at feature level. A director I have worked with for a while has been delivering ever-increasing budget movies by proving he's been capable of delivering at each stage. He couldn't get traction on the next script any earlier as it requires 60 cast, bunch of premium locations, some names in key role etc., but the feature just wrapped proved he could deliver on schedule on a shorter shoot, tighter cast, lesser names, and that's got a major sales agent actively looking to throw development money at this next project. From no traction to calling the shots, all by building up.
Your mileage may, of course, vary - however people tend to naturally be a bit cautious when there's millions of pounds at stake. It means a bonded production, but if you've not proved yourself, you won't be bondable, so will not be allowed to direct your own project.
Sorry, off-topic I know, just wanted to suggest an alternative route in case you don't get any bites on the biggies.
Response from 11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
@Paddy Robinson-Griffin It's good that some people think like you. I hope your approach spreads. And I did also have some good experiences, luckily, and I'll stick with people with that kind of nature in collaborations.
But I'm afraid you are not aware of how deep and widespread the problem is. I had record deals that didn't happen because I didn't want to sleep with the guy, including a request repeated over multiple years, even right in front of the executive's assistant, who didn't seem to be unsettled by that at all, I had music videos that didn't get produced because I didn't want to become the producer's girlfriend, I had an actor's agent (member of a very highly regarded organisation in the film business) asking me to go to his place when it came down to it, I had roles in a set of films that didn't happen when I mentioned having pushed away the above-mentioned producer. Back in the engineering school I had fellow students looking at me asking if I'm really the one who wrote that code. I had a very famous and publicly respected art collector pretending to be interested in my art and being absolutely filthy while making the whole think look very different to the outside. And when you really are attracted to a man, it is mostly turned against you as a woman. And I'm truly only scratching the surface in listing all the crap that I've seen out there. Not only in the film business. Not even only in the entertainment business or the arts. I've really had enough of that f* nonsense, honestly. It's f* outrageous. Even all of Ridley Scott's work made no difference. Alien, GI Jane, Thelma&Louise. Just like Soderbergh says that even classic plays didn't solve problems in the real world. But it shows in my screenplays. I don't necessarily want that, yet it has to come out somewhere, some sort of a hypothetical solution. A way to breathe. It will be a particularly tough challenge to find anybody, male or female, who will want to produce them, for that reason as I'm starting to understand. A male pen name for the scifi helps. Be glad you were born a man, whatever the challenges to that may also be.
Rant out? No. I'm not nearly done.
That said, much love to all. I understand that everybody's life is complicated at some level. And other women's experience may be different.
An approximate quote for desert right here, after two hours of speed-showing my material to a person for corporate sponsoring purposes: "Wow, all that stuff you do is amazing! We really have to find you a husband."
Got that?
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
oops: dessert, not desert and thing, not think
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
@Paddy Robinson-Griffin Thank you so much, Paddy. Big hug.
Partially UK, partially elsewhere, that was. It's everywhere, latent or active. Some talent may be lost or even prevented that way, and the general view is, wrongly, that talent is always replaceable. Things are as they are.
As for me this kind of stuff caused considerable time delay in getting anything launched properly. But I used that time very productively and have quite a large and unusual body of work in multiple fields as of today, in which I've invested everything. A great asset to work with. But now I need to gain resources. Partners, funding, and... Well that's about it. Just good partners and funding.
One issue that I have is that the first two feature screenplays make for very expensive productions. So these require going directly to large production companies. That's my main challenge.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
@Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Totally on-topic actually! Making the films is what we're here for.
I didn't have the intention to direct - only to act in some of the roles and use my music in some places. I was aiming at a few renowned directors who had made films that relate to my screenplays one way or the other. And surprisingly did get a big although controversial name - for what was initially a short! Now, that project is an action feature. That option is still open and would take a strong producer. It would work for the scifi, too. It doesn't have to be that director but it should be one of the few that I know can pull it off. As of today I feel the choice of cinematographer is more important than that of the director, and a cult cinematographer did get interested, but you can't get things moving starting there for some reason. Meanwhile as long as I can't open a proper door, I still must do SOMEthing.
So just as you say: I need (an agent in one of the few agencies that cover the multiple disciplines but could spend the rest of my life applying, or media coverage, which I'm also aiming for) to find a way to make small films. It could make it or break it. Well the whole process is out of order anyway. It's not like I have anything left to lose. My third project, a fantasy/investigation story, can be broken down into smaller feasible chunks that would nevertheless require considerable special effects. I now have a further short that may more directly raise the chances of the scifi getting in the right hands. I'll possibly just need some more prep time for things to be ready to shoot in and of themselves. What I immediately lack, practically speaking, is the equipment or the capital to get the equipment and subsequent funding, and probably access to relevant professionals due to my current location.
My collaborating on third party projects also raises the projects' chances. Got some verbal offers at Berlinale including 1-2 main roles for projects that can take place any time between now and universal heat death. And I've already missed 3 auditions due to my being stuck here. Now there is a fourth coming and they would apparently exceptionally accept a video instead of me live. I don't have any cameras whatsoever at this point, not even on my phone! Access to equipment is urgent.
You know, the funny thing is that time delay is a monetary loss for the producer. So I hope I'll reach a sensible person at a relevant position before having done x small irrelevant films for no reason. All 3 stories in these projects are really worth it. They are particularly visual, if that makes any sense. And we already have them. Right here in front of my nose. We don't need to work our way towards finding them anymore. I never wanted to write, but these stories have very strong raison-d'etres, each of them separately.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Sarah Buisson
This is in response to your comment, plus my own say on the subject.
As a female I would like to say that the worst experience I have ever had on a film set was with men. This experience includes harassment from men, who when they are told of my background in martial arts tend to instantly stop flirting for fear that I will break them and run away as quickly as possible. That's always a funny moment! Not that I am advocating violence!
Males outweigh females 4:1 on my film degree but we are just as talented and all looking to go into the camera/editing/directing departments.
Males often harass females in the industry. A friend of mine just got back from a week long shoot as the DoP and was constantly catcalled, whistled at and told that she wasn't good enough to be doing her job. She has been working in the industry as a DoP for 7 years and has heard this sort of thing on pretty much every shoot that she goes on unless the director or a producer has been female. The film industry has been a male dominated profession for since the beginning, perhaps in part to these reasons. Attitudes need to change in the whole of the industry, from Hollywood down to the independently produced films for a completely diverse mix.
Hand me a make-up brush and I wouldn't have a clue where to start. I was on a shoot where I was meant to be the 1st AD, but as soon as I got on to the set, they said to me "ohh you're the only girl here today, here's the make-up kit, go put make-up on the actors as you will know how to do it." I handed the kit make to the producer and said that if he wanted make-up done on the actors he could do it himself. I didn't spend hours of my life putting together the shooting schedule, call sheets, and other paperwork, just to turn up and do all the make-up on the actors, I don't have a clue how to apply make-up to my own face let alone someone else's. I walked off the set half an hour later when three men at least double my age made passes at me in that small space of time. I was there to do a job and couldn't do it because the men working on that shoot were disrespectful, rude and generally some of the least hardworking people I have ever met in my life.
Response from 11 years ago - Sarah Buisson SHOW
11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
I could add that I often had groups (when I ran the Brighton Film School) where the majority were girls. Say 2/3rds sometimes, and several groups were all girls! They were better at studying although perhaps not best at the maths of cinematography. I bet, Suzanne, you couldn't carry our S35mm Mitchell BNCR!! Anyway, DPs aren't supposed to hold cameras. That's the operator's job.
Response from 11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc SHOW
11 years ago - Dan Selakovich
Hold on there, Franz! The best steadicam operator I ever knew was a woman. And that was back in the days of a Panavision with a 1000 foot mag. With the steadicam, about 60 pounds. And she was a petit woman too!
Response from 11 years ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
Erratum: the quote was not Al's but Rho's, a future MALE human and, yes, the ultimate project manager. I had looked it up too hastily in the novella where the attribution of dialogue lines is done contextually.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Suzanne Smith
Well Frans I'm not sure what you teach but most DP's operate these days in the industry. And I'm Steadycam trained too so yes, operators develop muscle memory, and stretching is very important. I think you should be very careful having that attitude around women you teach, because you're doubt will be felt by them. As far as maths is concerned, it's obviously extremely important for focus pullers but not so much cinematography as an art form..
Response from 11 years ago - Suzanne Smith SHOW
10 years, 12 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
It's a good point you make about the distribution of those female directors within the population of directors etc. I can't see as many women wanting to direct 'Transformers' and ilk as men, for instance!
Response from 10 years, 12 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
It's a great thing to make such a program available. I would have loved to attend.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
10 years, 12 months ago - Alève Mine
@Paddy Robinson-Griffin That's because they are invisible.
Response from 10 years, 12 months ago - Alève Mine SHOW
10 years, 11 months ago - Melody Bridges
Hello folks,
I just wanted to wade in to say thank you Stephen for your excellent research. It's great that your stats had so much coverage in the media recently.
I started a similar conversation on the site about 9 months ago and quoted from some of your responses in the recently published book 'Celluloid Ceiling: women film directors breaking through'. It's an international book and I wrote the chapter on the UK film scene. It's really interesting to read about women directors around the world - their fight and their triumphs. So far there has been a great response at book launches in Melbourne, LA and Singapore.
If any of you would be interested in attending the book launch in London then please message me and I'd be happy to send you the info. It's always great to network at these things and it would be good to meet some of you in person. The issue of low numbers of women in film and television is important because the media offers a reflection of our world - and if certain voices aren't being represented then that is a problem.
Best wishes Melody
Response from 10 years, 11 months ago - Melody Bridges SHOW
10 years, 12 months ago - Dan Selakovich
@Paddy Robinson-Griffin That may be true, Paddy. I know Kathryne Bigelow (who I personally can't stand as a director) was offered the Spiderman reboot and turned it down. On the other hand, Mimi Leder is a very competent action director that doesn't get many jobs outside of television. Nancy Myers is an excellent director who I'd hire for just about anything, but doesn't work hardly at all outside of television. Is it because they don't want to? Probably not. (Though I know a boatload of old male directors in the same boat).
Response from 10 years, 12 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
An illustration of: "Things don’t always evolve forward" Al Ukin, (female) protagonist of The Premise, hard scifi feature screenplay. To which the latest (and most straightforward, I'm thankful for that) feedback I had from a (female) producer was something along the lines: we like strong female characters, but not THAT strong. Okay. A woman sort of saves the universe. So what? She's not doing it alone anyway. The other projects of mine also have - pretty strong - female main characters. Maybe seeing it all at once is too much to take?
You could say well that's not the crew.
Recently the History Channel was looking for submissions: "Submissions should focus on charismatic male characters living in surprising worlds or with fresh points of view".
It's such a deeply rooted issue. It ends up being the crew.
Thank you all for this thread.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Kays Alatrakchi
I think it's because women are smarter and they tend to stay away from stupid crazy industries like the entertainment business.
Response from 11 years ago - Kays Alatrakchi SHOW
11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
I got through over 2,000 in 12 years and MOST were rubbish at maths. VERY few of either gender could tell me what a half of 1/25th sec was when discussing exposure. As for "If a shutter angle of 180 gave you 1/50 at 25fps, what does the shutter angle have to be if you want 24fps?" Which is so basic a maths point in cinematography that it is even marked on most Arris and is a setting on Sekonic light meters. This is why we established an MSc in Cinematography at Greenwich Uni in order to set a standard under the auspices of Arri, LipSynchPost and the BKSTS.
Response from 11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc SHOW
11 years ago - Katie Smith
I think its thoroughly interesting to know these sorts of stats within the film industry.
I'm a female director and writer and recently just finished directing my latest film, an LGBT drama, Crossroads.
My crew equalled to 17 people and 6 of them were female (including me) the stats here (forgive me if I'm wrong) but It doesn't state whether the 2% of female directors are independent films or larger scale productions? I know many female directors who are independent filmmakers but I guess they don't fall into this bracket? Which (if this is the case) then it is a shame because some of them have gone on to do great things and it's where true talent emerges.
I don't necessarily think the film industry is sexist though, you can't make females apply for jobs within the film industry just like you can't force men to. It is just the way it is.
I happily work with anyone regardless of their gender because as long as they are professional, approachable, technical and knowledgable it doesn't really matter whats under the clothes.
:)
Response from 11 years ago - Katie Smith SHOW
11 years ago - Suzanne Smith
I think you have had a bit of bad luck there Joe, I too have had very bad experiences with ladies. But I've also had very good ones! And the same with men, however, I think that with women there tends to be an insecurity which stems from the doubt they see in peoples eyes when they arrive on set. Can you imagine arriving on set, and everyone looks at you, doubting you, expecting you not to be able to do your job? EXPECTING you to be rubbish? Can you imagine how much pressure that would put on you? In my expereince these women actually end up more sexist than anyone else as a result, which is ironic.
I'm a DP, and I did a shoot a couple of months back for tv coverage of a well known event based in London (which I'd just like to add that I enjoyed immensely, and the production team were excellent and all very lovely) I was recommended for the job, arrived on set and the producer later admitted to me that she was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to handle the camera all day long.
So I should point out that I was operating a C300 on sticks. I mean seriously. But I was grateful for her honesty. The truth is, if she had met me prior to the job, she wouldn't have booked me to do it and there would go another credit, another 2 days work, and a lower bank balance. An people look at the statistics, wondering why women on average earn less money...
Anyway overal I would sincerely like to thank Stephen for highlighting this issue because I'm sure it will help. I'd like to thank Johnny because I think he has the right attitude, And I'm going to carry on marching around with the biggest heaviest cameras I can find to prove my point. Budget permitting..
Response from 11 years ago - Suzanne Smith SHOW
11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
Interesting, but should not the stats include cast to see the total female input on a film, and wearing my statisticians hat, 20 years stats should show skew etc and not just average as things have changed considerably over the years. My Brighton Film School students included several girls who fell in love with Sennheisers and another with lights, being a qualified electrician upon arrival. Girls also made better clapper/loaders because you could read their writing on pic neg reports!
Response from 11 years ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc SHOW
11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Looking back at the film we just wrapped, and we pretty much fill every of your stats - ~25% female, weighted towards art and make-up departments and away from electricals etc. So now we come to the question as to whether it was sexism or just the gene pool we have to draw from. Answer - it was the gene pool. Looking back at the applications I had for each role, it's impossible to crew 'positively' when there are no female applicants for a job. Where there were female applicants, there was no discernible gender preference in the crewing choices.
I'm quite, quite happy to crew whoever is best (technically, availability, rates, whatever) for the job. Get more women applying for jobs, and the percentages will rise. We can't force crew to apply for jobs they're not suitable for, so I can't see any other way around it!
Response from 11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years ago - Alève Mine
Franz, hi. I love you but please avoid perpetuating myths such as the girls and maths one. Thanks.
Response from 11 years ago - Alève Mine SHOW
11 years ago - Johnny Sanchez
Kays maybe you are right. :)
On another note. Catsnake, I love your findings. Bravo! They are enlightening.
The Directors Guild of America would agree with your numbers. Yes, the DGA! See their own study here:
LOS ANGELES – The Directors Guild of America released a report analyzing ethnicity and gender of directors hired to direct primetime episodic TV across all venues from 2012-2013.
The DGA analyzed more than 3,300 episodes produced in the 2012-2013 network television season. The report showed that Caucasian males directed 72% of all episodes; Caucasian females directed 12% of all episodes; minority males directed 14% of all episodes and minority females directed 2% of all episodes. Among one-hour series, Caucasian males directed 74% of all episodes, and in half-hour series, Caucasian males directed 70% of all episodes. Here is the link to their study:
http://www.dga.org/News/PressReleases/2013/100213-DGA-Report-Finds-Director-Diversity-in-Episodic-Television-Remains-Static.aspx
Personally, I have met many female crew members and directors (specially of color) who complain about the lack of opportunities they get - when compared to men. Specially white men. Your numbers (facts) back up the frustrations many women complain about.
The funny thing is that same men who say they do not discriminate against women are the ones who do it most. I find this happens because they are not willing to admit their sexist mentalities. I, for one, admit I am sexist.. because that is the only way I will overcome and change my sexism. By admitting. being man enough to admit it.
For those based in the USA, you may know of Donald Sterling and George Zimmerman's famous quotes when they defended their racist actions by saying "I'm not a racist". Until alcoholics admit they are alcoholics, they will keep doing what they do. The same for racists, sexists and phobes. They will say they are not the problem.. and that's why they perpetuate the problem. Until we admit the problem, the problem will not go away
Yes, Catsnake, you hit a nerve. Becaus we do not want to be called out on this and we will defend until the day we die. We don't want to change status quo. As men, we want to reap the benefits of status quo. Sadly, we, men, and especially Caucasian men (I'm hitting another nerve), will justify the status quo. This is not something new.
Thank you for your findings. With your permission, I am going to post your numbers on my Facebook and Reddit account, for my filmmaker friends and others to see. You hit a nerve for a reason, and these numbers must be brought to light. Thank you.
- Johnny
Response from 11 years ago - Johnny Sanchez SHOW