Women & Directors

Why are women so rare as directors?

• Film is such a male dominated industry. There's a lot of "who you know" in terms of how you get promoted.
  
• Men at every level, which makes it really hard for women to get their feet in the door.


• it is hard to feel able to express yourself and to feel that you will be heard in a male dominated environment.


• Female directors just don't seem to send their projects in.


• Females are more likely to have children, making it hard to get back into the directing industry after having a child.


• There are gender issues about control and authority, just like in the armed forces.

3 ways we can improve this:

1. By having workshops and events where women directors can talk about there experiences and more within the directing industry, this is so they can share this with other women, inspiring them to also break into the directing industry.
   
2. By celebrating the women directors more, this will allow for acknowledgement of female directors to be far greater than it is now.
   
3. women directors can do visits to schools that study media and do a workshop in which the students can direct films with the help of the female directors, increasing the confidence in females wanting to come into the directing industry.

5 female producers:

1. Gurinder Chadha - born in Kenya, and grew up in Southall, London, England. She began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio, directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, and began an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI) and Channel Four. In 1990, Chadha set up her own production company: Umbi Films. her works include: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
   Paris, je t'aime (2006) segment "Quais de Seine"
   The Mistress of Spices (2005)
   Bride and Prejudice (2004)
   Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
   What's Cooking? (2000)
   Rich Deceiver (1995), BBC two-part drama
   A Nice Arrangement (1994)
   What Do You Call an Indian Woman Who's Funny? (1994)
   Bhaji on the Beach (1993)
   Acting Our Age (1992)
   Pain, Passion and Profit (1992) (V)
   I'm British But... (1990) (TV)





2. Lynne Ramsey - 5 December 1969, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK, Graduated from the UK's National Film and Television School in 1995. Trained as a camera operator. Her works include the following: The Lovely Bones (2004); We Need To Talk About Kevin (2004); Black And White Town (2005)




3. Amma Asante - was an actress in the 1980's and 1990's, starred in many things, even the programme grange hill. She attended full time stage school in London, where she trained as a student in dance and drama. She directed films such as A Way Of Life (2004) and the pre production of Where the Hands Touch (2010)



4. Jane Arden - Jane Arden (née Norah Patricia Morris) was born in Twnpath Road, Pontypool, Wales on 29th October 1927. She studied acting at RADA and began her career in the late 1940s on television and in the cinema. Arden appeared in a TV production of Romeo and Juliet in the late 1940s, and then went onto star in two British crime movies, Her works include: 1940s Romeo and Juliet (BBC TV) (actor)
   1947 Black Memory (1947 film) (actor)
   1948 A Gunman Has Escaped (1948 film) (actor)
   1954 Conscience and Desire, and Dear Liz (theatre) (playwright)
   1955 Curtains For Harry (ITV) (co-writer)
   1958 The Party (theatre) (playwright)
   1959 The Thug (ITV) (writer)
   1963 Exit 19 (commentator)
   1964 Huis Clos (BBC TV) (actor)
   1965 The Logic Game (BBC TV) (writer, actor)
   1965 The Interior Decorator (actor)
   1966 Dali in New York (BBC TV) (interviewer)
   1968 Separation (film) (writer, actor)
   1968 The Illusionist (writer)
   1969 Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven (theatre) (writer)
   1970 The Holocaust (theatre) (writer)
   1971 A New Communion for Freaks, Prophets and Witches (theatre) (playwright)
   1972 The Other Side of the Underneath (1972 film) (writer, uncredited actor, director)
   1974 Vibration (film) (writer, co-director)
   1978 You Don't Know What You Want, Do You? (poetry) (writer)
   1979 Anti-Clock (film) (writer, composer, co-director)



5. Sharon Maguire - (born 1960) made her name as a film director when she landed the job of directing Bridget Jones's Diary. Sharon Maguire studied English and Drama at the University of Wales Aberystwyth from 1979-1983 and graduated with a 2:2 degree before going on to do the PGCE teaching qualification. After leaving Aberystwyth, she did a year's postgraduate course in journalism at City University in London and worked as a researcher then a director on The Media Show. In 1991, she got a job with the BBC as producer/director of The Late Show. The Thing is... Babies (1991)
   The Thing is... Hotels (1991)
   The Godfather (1993)
   In at Number Ten (1994)
   Yo Picasso (1994)
   Rumer Godden: An Indian Affair (1995)
   H.G. Wells: Bromley Boy (1996)
   H.G. Wells: The Panther and the Jaguar (1996)
   Dame Henrietta's Dream (1997)
   Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
   Incendiary (2008)

Adverts

KoolAid Commercials - 1950s-1990s


the first advertisement, the 1950's, Presents the women as the maternal, caring, Motherly figure, this links to Mcneal(1975) women are usually presented as housewives, they don't work. Another link could be Gunter(50s, 60s, 70s), the things that are most important to women in the media are 'marriage, parenthood and domesticity'. However the women in the advertisement arguably has power as she does have most of the speaking role, nevertheless she is represented as a stereotypical housewife and a women that cares for her Children, therefore appealing to a female audience.

Flash - 1960s


The advertisement is for a cleaning product, the representation is of a housewife cleaning, once again targeting that stereotype of women being housewives, however she arguably is presenting how the power of women is increasing as there is a female voice over, this can be linked with the idea that women are usually housewives, Mcneal (1975). The advertisement shows no change in the representation of women, apart from the idea that women are becoming more powerful through the voice over.

Old Spice - 1970s


The advertisement is selling men's after shave, deodorant, etc. The use of a women shows how she is used to connote that the product can be used for man as ways of attracting women, the female voice over adds to the effect that women can help to endorse the product, her sexy, provocative voice and shots of her in a bikini promote the idea of Laura Mulvey (1975) and the male gaze, as well as Gunter(50s, 60s, 70s) idea that women are 'mealy token females', they are just used to promote products through their bodies, a sort of selling their sex.

Lynx - 2006


The advert is selling the product lynx deodorant, however it is selling it in a very indirect way, as the audience never actually see the product. What we do see is a lot of women being objectified for their bodies, the women are seen to be under the control of the men, as if they were under some sort of spell, they are their to provide entertainment for men, as well as caring for men's needs. However this could arguably be ironically funny as well as acceptable as it obvious that this would never happen, its mealy a humour technique.

Aero - 2007


The advert is selling a chocolate based product, the advert focuses on the male selling the product, through his physical features, in this case the male is being objectified, this also links to the idea of the female gaze. The voice over is also female and male, there fore presenting the idea that women and men are becoming equal within the industry, Miles (1975), 'men and women are equal'.

Sanex - 2004

The advertisement is selling a shower gel, the advert promotes the idea of women having beauty that is natural, the women being pregnant is a representation of women being the reproducers, however this is an advert that promotes pregnancy as a positive thing, it argues against Gunters idea that women are just concerned with 'domesticity, parenthood and marriage', in this case it is the man that is seen to be the supporting figure. The advert also promotes the idea that women are becoming more powerful, in an indirect way, through the use of a female voice over.

3 adverts/Images

The new perfume for women, allows them to get sex when they want whenever they want. just one squirt does the work!

The New ketchup bottle, so easy a man cannot open it!

The New WonderBra...Because Women Your Breast's Are Not Big Enough For Men To Enjoy.

Films

1950's
High Noon - 1952




Bridge On the Rive Kwai - 1957





In both texts there are very little or no use of women on screen, Men are represented as being powerful through their use of gun play. Men are always playing the assertive and dominant, leading roles. Women were not seen yet as 1st wave feminism had not been seen on screen this early.

1960's
Sound Of Music - 1965



Lawrence Of Arabia - 1962


Both texts present different ideologies, Sound of Music represents the stereotype of a caring, maternal, woman figure, a mother like woman. Where as Lawrence Of Arabia still presents the idea that women are not on screen figures to this decade.

1970's
Star Wars - 1977


The Godfather - 1972



Both films represent males to still be powerful roles in films, however there are more on screen women now, although they still play roles that are in a way demeaning, as they play roles such as weak women and mothers, they are also presented as the propparian princesses that need to be rescued.

1980's
Aliens - 1986


The Terminator - 1984




Both texts begin to introduce/reinforce the idea that women are able to play leading roles on screen, however they still posses the sterotypical features, motherly, caring figures. However in the terminator the women is presented more as a woman that is the proparian princess, where as in Aliens the woman is represented as more independent and powerful.

1990's
Die Another Day


Fatal Attraction

David Gauntlett Handout - Representations Of Gender Today

Notes:

This chapter talks about how men and women have changed the representations of gender and how they are working side by side, as equals. It relates it to the change in society, As well as the introduction of new audiences, such as 'gays'.

• 1990s - gender roles on television became increasingly equal and non-stereotyped.
• Portrayal of women in prime time TV shows during the 1992-1993 season, by Elasmar, Hasegawa and Brian. During 1995-1996 season, by Lauzen and Dozier, Elasmar reports the numbers of TV women who are employed, and who care for children.
• (still Prime Time TV shows) 1992-1993, men took 61% of speaking roles, Women had 39%. 1995-1996, men took 63% and women had 37% of speaking roles.
• 1992-1993, 18% of women were major characters, two thirds of these played domestic situation comedies. 1995-1996, 43% of major characters were female.
• 1992-1993, 3% of women were represented as housewives as their main occupation. 8% of women were shown as the 'homemakers'.
• 1995-1996, roles of women and men in conversations on screen, recording the degree of control they exerted over dialogue, it was found that on a character-by-character basis, females and males were equal.
• 1992-1993 study found that 'the women on prime time TV in the early 1990s was young, single, independent, and free from family and work place pressures' (Elasmar, Hasegawa and Brian 1999: 33)

The Studies show a growth in gender equality on screen.

• The pThe Friends programme shows that there has been an increase in equality between both genders.
• The programme series consisted of 3 males and 3 females, which shows an equal amount of characters and equality between the genders
• The three males are shown with masculine qualities, although with some characteristics of "sensitivity" and "Gentleness" and male bonding.
• The three females are shown as "intelligent" and "non-housewifely".
  This gives it a refreshing feel to it rather than the traditional T.V programmes the viewers were use to.
• Programmes such as "Ally McBeal" (1997) and "Sex and the City" (1998) put successful women at the forefront and focuses on their paths to and for sex, pleasure and romantic love. This then shows women in a different light, representing them as provocative and promiscuous, rather than the traditional House wife and Homemaker.
  A study by psychologists, Muncer, Campbell, Jervis and Lewis (2001), respond to the growing concern of the Media term "Ladettes", these are women who are assertive with an aggressive attitude which are usually associated with "Lads". The study talks about whether "girls power" leads to "girl violence".
  

Maggie Humm- Films either stereotype women as "Good Mothers" or "Bad Hysterical careerists".

Michael Thomson- "By all means be feisty, but never forget to be feminine".

Charlies Angels(2000)- Barrymore, Diaz and Lui represent redhead, blonde and brunet respectively or as David Poland pointed out and said, as "Tits", "Ass" and "Hair"?

Although, today's representation show that equally men and women have to be attractive with us recognising the conventions that show that they are attractive.