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FILMMAKING
A QUICK HISTORY
Because gender inequality was around before movies existed, there has been an obvious imbalance in gender since movies have been around. McKenzie Barber suggests that the, "...different types of portrayals of women through the various films can be seen lining up with the cultural aspects of what was happening around that same time frame." In the classic Disney princess movies Snow White (1937) and Cinderella (1950), the women are stereotyped as damsels in distress while the men are the heros. This has become a pattern for countless other films ranging from romances to action movies.
Societal Stereotypes
As society has become more accepting towards women in the past 100 years, the ideas have been reflected in films. Since Snow White and Cinderella, the portrayal of women has changed. Shortly after women gained more rights in the 80's, the Little Mermaid was released. While it did portray Ariel as an independent and singular character, she wore less clothing. More recent films such as Frozen, Moana, and Brave have made a lot of progress in defying stereotypical gender portrayals. However, old gender stereotypes still shape the film industry today.
Repeated stereotypes in movies are influencing the youngest generations before they reach kindergarten. Barber writes, "Television viewing has more of an impact than just entertainment; it influences our attitudes and perceptions about ourselves and others (Tonn, 2008). Through the thousands of images, sounds, and words that viewers see flashed or play out on a screen, it impacts their identities and relationships, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy (Palmer, 2013)." In the 2018 version of New York Academy's infographic, the top 900 films from 2007 - 2016 were assessed. They found that 25.6% of actresses get partially naked while 9.2% of men do. This sexualises women and pushes societal pressures onto them. Because films are so widely viewed, it is important for some characters to break stereotypes.
Quick Stats
The ratio of female to male actors is
1 : 2.3
The ratio of female to male workers behind the scenes is
1 : 5
Behind the Scenes
Though gender inequality is apparent on screen, it is not often recognised behind the cameras. However, this imbalance also has an influence on society. Many males are praised for their impressive filmmaking work, but women do not receive such recognition. This is likely due to the accepetable societal standards that are more accepting towards male filmmakers. In the 250 top grossing movies in 2017, the most representation women had behind the scenes was 25% in producer roles. According to the New York Film Academy, only 4% of women were employed as cinematographers in these 250 top grossing films. Additionally, 11% of writers and directors were female while 16% of editors were female. With more balance behind the scenes, we can expect more balance on screen. In a tweet, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative wrote, "Only a third of all speaking characters across 100 films were female. Female directors tell female-driven stories. Do the math. Hire more female directors." Overall, the lack of female representation in film has stayed consistent for the past 11 years, according to a study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative titled "Inequality in 1,100 Popular Films."
Awards
72%
Males represent
Females represent
16%
5
Females have been nominated for best director since the start of the academy awards in 1928.
of all Oscar voters.
of all Oscar nominees.
1
female has won.
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