Let's Talk Numbers!!

I got into a very interesting discussion the other day with someone who had read my blog. (No, not my mom. Although that reminds me I should call her.)

 The person I was talking to said they thought I had made some interesting points about the gender inequality that exists in film and television, but that I couldn’t really argue that it’s unfair that there aren’t enough women behind the scenes, because he said not that many women are pursuing film.  

It did get me thinking. I wondered what the statistics were of women trying to break into the industry. So, I figured I would look at the core of where the young Hollywood minds begin (no, not porn)…FILM SCHOOL!!! 

It’s the factory where some of the best directors, writers, and producers are born. 

So just as a reminder, currently ….

for every one working female director, writer, or producer, there are 4.9 working males in the same above-the-line gate-keeping positions.  Stated in another way, 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.   http://womensmediacenter.com/blog/2011/04/exclusive-hollywood-gender-gap-persists-in-100-top-grossing-2008-films/

So let’s compare these industry numbers to film school.

 I looked at the demographics of one of the top film schools in the nations, USC. The 2010- 2011 student body statistics reveal that 

59 percent of undergraduate students are male, while 41 percent are female. http://cinema.usc.edu/admissions/statistics/index.cfm

Although there is still a large disparity, it still doesn’t match up with the industry numbers.

According to the number of males and females in film school there should at least be 4 females to every 6 males, rather than one female to 4.9 males (as it currently is).

So maybe there isn’t exactly a 50/50 division of women and men pursuing jobs in the industry, but there are definitely more women trying to break in to the industry compared to the current representations. 

So one can’t justify the low numbers of women behind the cameras by saying that they’re not interested in film and television, because women are well-represented in film schools.

So the question remains…why aren’t there enough women behind the cameras?

One reason is sexism. 

Women aren’t welcome into this male-dominated world. The boy’s clubhouse still hasn’t taken down the “no girls allowed” sign.

Discrimination in certain work environments could discourage women from seeking employment there.

Oh you want proof….well here it is:

The recent Writers Guild Report shows that the median for female film writers' self-reported income in 2007 was over $40,000 less than the median for male film writers. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacy-smith/female-directors-writers_b_480848.html

If that’s not discrimination I don’t know what is.

Why should a woman who does the same job as a man be paid less? 

(Go ahead…try to come up with something…..I’ll wait…..still waiting…..still waiting…….)

Frankly, there’s no reason it should be happening. It just doesn’t make sense to me, nor should it make sense to anyone.

But the reality is…it’s happening!

If women were paid equally and had equal opportunities to direct, write, and produce certain projects then more women might be inclined to pursue this industry. 

Even one of the most successful female screenwriters claimed she encountered pay discrepancy.

I attended a panel discussion with well known screenwriter Linda Woolverton, who wrote Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and Alice in Wonderland (2010). 

She acknowledged that she is being paid less than male screenwriters. However, she stated that in the grand scheme of things she is overpaid in compared to many working class people, and that she would rather take a lower paycheck and get her story told and have the opportunity to send her messages through film.

Although I think it’s great that she is passionate about telling great stories and ensuring that they be told, I think she is well known and established enough that she can negotiate and demand for higher pay and her persistence and advocacy could create a ripple effect in the industry.

One woman standing up for her own paycheck could have profound effects on all women in the industry.

If the boy’s have a club, we should too!!