“LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION” are quintessential film terms; however they are seldom spoken by women because there is a large disparity between men and women in the entertainment industry. How many female directors can you name off hand? (Besides Kathryn Bigelow…yeah, that’s what I thought.) The world of Hollywood is a tough world to break into, especially when it is a male dominated world. Hollywood is a boy’s club where the words “No girls allowed” are posted on the outside of their clubhouse. They gather around, swap stories, drink beer, and make important deals. All while The Beastie Boys is playing in the background “Girls- to do the dishes, Girls - to clean up my room, Girls - to do the laundry, Girls - and in the bathroom. ” Why have men in Hollywood regressed to their playground-like antics? Do they still think we have cooties? Don’t they know that due to advanced science and medicine they’ve come out with a cootie vaccination within the last couple of years? We’ve been cootie free since 2003!!
Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a male bashing blog, no bra-burning will occur, and no men hating clubs will be formed. Rather, this blog serves to reexamine the Hollywood industry and ask why there is such a lack of women in the entertainment industry. I’ll provide sound examples by posting the alarming statistics and facts about the declining numbers of women in the entertainment industry. (Yes, you heard me correctly STATISTICS. Be prepared to be shocked.) One study revealed that women make up only 32.8 percent of speaking characters in the top 100 grossing films in 2008.
My response is…“I am woman, hear me roar.” (And roar I shall.)
The blog will also have highlights and profiles on women that have emerged as power players and are paving the way for other women filmmakers, writers, and executives. Can you say, Sarah Palin? Oops, I meant Tina Fey.
I will also analyze and review current films and television shows and their portrayal of women. I will discuss the films and shows that bring awareness to women and represent us in a positive light, as well as the negative depictions of women and how these harmful views can and should be changed. (Just because you thought Mrs. Robinson was trying to seduce you doesn’t mean we all do too.)
As someone who hopes to pursue a job in this industry I think it is imperative to ask why the numbers of women in Hollywood are so low and how the media portrayals of women shape people’s perspectives towards women. We must evaluate how these depictions effect how women think about themselves and how it alters mens attitudes toward women.
Think about it you have men writing for and about women, what does that say about who we are as females? People take away how they should act from media depictions and when you have men writing these roles it’s as if they’re creating images of how we should be. (Am I the only one who’s thinking Stepford Wives?) (Not the Nicole Kidman version, the 1975 version. A film also written by a man. Surprise, surprise.)
I have had a few experiences in the industry and feel that these experiences allow me to offer a few insights into the world of pursuing the Hollywood dream as a female. I have interned at various entertainment companies and even as an intern I have observed the gender gap that exists and have had to work twice as hard to be noticed by my male counterparts. “Why the hell do I have to go on a coffee run AGAIN? Make that dude do it.”
All joking aside, I think this is a serious and important issue to address because when we look at certain statistics of women in film the numbers are disparaging. For example, only 8 percent of directors, 13.6 percent of writers, and 19.1 percent of producers were female across the 100 top-grossing films in 2008. If there were more women behind the camera then we would have more females on screen, as well as more positive depictions of women.
The ultimate question I hope to address in this blog is what can be done to promote women in the industry and to promote positive portrayals of women? Because "Nobody puts 'Baby' in a corner."
This blog will help people understand the importance of having diverse voices and opinions in creating media and this diversity will help contribute to a more profound understanding and knowledge of the world we live in. (Cue: Kumbaya) AND THAT’S A WRAP!!
Profile
"There's no crying in baseball!"
(Well said Tom, well said.)
There’s also no crying in Hollywood. (Lying, cheating, and stealing are okay, just not crying.) The intention of my blog is not to simply cry about the inequalities that exist but create a plan of action that will help change the industry. (We should give our plan a special code name…Ok, operation “CINEwoMAn” is in effect.” Ready, break!)
In this quest I’ve looked at other blogs similar to my own and I’ve come across another great blog called, Women and Hollywood. This blog “focuses much needed attention about women’s issues and Hollywood.” It provides news and commentary about the entertainment industry from a female perspective. The blog aims to raise awareness about all issues related to women and popular culture. And its main objective is to educate, inform, and strive for change in the entertainment industry. (Now THAT’S what I’m talking about.)
The goal of this blog is similar to my own in that I hope to bring awareness to this discrepancy of women in the industry and to empower and promote women. I also hope to unveil what needs to be done to promote women in the industry and to encourage positive depictions of women. “They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom."
The blog is written by Melissa Silverstein who is a marketing consultant with an expertise in the area of social media regarding women and Hollywood. She is the producer and co-founder of the Athena Film Festival – A Celebration of Women and Leadership at Barnard College in NYC. She has also been featured on CNN as well as in Newsweek, Salon, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, NY Times, and many other publications. In 2008 More Magazine named her blog as one of the “blogs to watch,” and in 2009, it was named “Best Hollywood blog” by totalfilm.com. (I expect to get a call from them any day now about my award for 2011.)
Her blog is extremely successful and according to Alexa ratings the blog is ranked 339,853 in the US and has a reputation of 365. Melissa continues to blog and posts about two to three blogs a day. She posts interviews she has done with women in the industry, and discusses upcoming films that are female centered and that are directed by women. She discusses everything from television shows, films, posters, trailers, and film festivals.
She also provides great facts and statistics to back up her claims. In one post, Women Lose Ground as TV writers she states that
“women have regressed behind the scenes in writing gigs. In the season that just ended women held 25% of all jobs behind the scenes on TV. The number of women writers plummeted from 29% to 15%.”
(“You’re killing me smalls.”) Throughout this post she continues to state these alarming numbers and facts about women in television. This is a great way to bring awareness to people as you lay down the truth. I found this particular post extremely beneficial and it really helped me learn a lot. The post was very detailed as it provides an in depth analysis of the statistics.
This post like many of her other posts takes a very scholarly approach. However, there are times when she takes a more casual and laid back approach and you can sense her passion and dislike for an inequality that exists. For example in her post The Playboy Club is About Women’s Empowerment? she takes a very firm stand against the show.
“I just don’t see how a show that shows women being groped and working as bunnies—even if some amazing women did it in their time including Gloria Steinem (who went undercover as a journalist)— is about women’s empowerment.”
(I know a few bunnies who would disagree with her, but I’ll let you read Bugs Bunny and The Easter bunnies blogs on your own time.)
Her blog is a great resource in helping me to frame my own blog. In terms of content I definitely want to address similar issues. I want to feature profiles of women in the industry, do reviews on female centered shows and films, as well as discuss the facts and statistics of the industry. However, I think my voice is more sarcastic and witty. Humor is an effective tool to get people thinking and I plan to use it to express my opinions and passions. It’s time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. LET’S PLAY BALL (without crying of course).
Voice Critique
“You can't handle the truth!"
This is true most people can’t. When they ask, “did you like dinner,” “do I look fat in this,” “did you like my gift,” they don’t really want to know. What if you did answer honestly, and said, “You call this piece of garbage, food? Not only do you look fat, you look pathetic. I hated it and am going to re-gift it and give it to you for your birthday.”
They just wouldn’t be able to take it.
However, I came across a blog that is completely honest.Television without pity (need I say more?) is a very witty blog where the blogger reviews movies from a feminist standpoint and holds nothing back. The title perfectly encompasses what kind of voice this blog has. It is very tongue- in-cheek. (Speaking of, where does that saying come from? Anyways, I digress.)
This blogger speaks openly and honestly about the films. She develops a very sarcastic tone and like I do, she uses (parentheses) to interject her personal opinions or offer a side note. (Great minds parentheses alike. Ba rump bump.) (Okay, I know that was a lame joke.)
Anyways, another stylistic choice the blogger uses is dashes – rather than commas to break up her sentences, which gives her sentences a sense of personality by creating a sense of fluidity.For example, in this opening paragraph of a post she uses various dashes to break up her sentences.
“The new Sex and the City movie is a shining example of why everyone -- especially screenwriters -- should learn math and chemistry. Math, because the movie's 140-minute runtime could do with a little subtraction -- this isn't Gandhi, here, although Sarah Jessica Parker looks more like him every day. And chemistry, because the movie's two most important elements, "sex" and "the city" -- you know, the ones that are in the title -- are practically nonexistent in this installment, which takes away much of what usually makes this compound so potent. Statistically speaking, if New York City is "the fifth cast member" of the show, then 80% of this film is missing 20% of the cast.”
You definitely get a sense of the bloggers personality from this one paragraph alone as she is extremely witty and sarcastic. I mean, it’s called Sex and the City; the woman’s got a point. Throughout her posts she uses colloquial language but interjects certain words such as “potent” that speak to the intelligence of the author. It allows her to remind her readers that she is intellectual and it gives her a sense of authority to express her opinion.
The post about The Sex and the City film is entitled “Sex and the City 2: No sex? Different City? Why Bother?” and this kind of catchy and sarcastic title already sets us up for what kind of voice the post will have. The title of the post is crucial as it lets the reader know what to expect and is what DRAWS YOU IN. It’s like the trailer of a movie, the appetizer before the meal, the picture of that hunky guy on eharmony.com. (Just to clarify, I’m not speaking from personal experience.) (I mean c’mon. I use match.com.)
This blogger uses analogies and she makes pop culture references, which assumes that the audience is up to date with things.
“And now every character, not just Carrie, speaks entirely in puns. A partial list includes "mid-wife crisis," "Erin go braless," "Abu-Dhabi-Do!" and "Lawrence of My Labia," but the movie has more painful dialogue than an entire season of Smallville.”
Who doesn’t want to watch a down to earth Superman (get it… that was a pun.)
In another post she uses a humorous title to catch the audience. This post is entitled “Bridesmaids punches other bridal movies in the boob.”
The bloggers use of humor is one of her strong points. She speaks completely candidly about things and her colloquial word choice stays consistent with her humorous voice.I think what makes this blog so enjoyable is her honesty, even if it is a bit harsh. Her coarse words and no holds barred attitude make us laugh because she has the guts to say what many of us our thinking.
“Raunch, raunch, raunch, from Wiig's comedic sex scenes with self-proclaimed "fuckbuddy" Jon Hamm to the explosive puking/pooping dress fitting that ends in the middle of the street. And while there are no nut shots, there is plenty of the female equivalent: tennis balls to the boob.”
Overall, this blogger speaks with such passion and contempt for certain films. She creates a sarcastic and humorous tone to voice her opinion about the films. She also creates a witty tone as she references other pop culture and uses analogies to compare things. This blogger has established a strong and entertaining voice and remains consistent throughout.
So maybe Jack Nickolson was right Tom Cruise can’t handle the truth (which is why he’s a scientologist), but that won’t stop bloggers like this from stating the facts. AND THAT’S THE TRUTH.
