RESEARCH
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INDEPENDENT WOMEN: BEHIND-THE-SCENES REPRESENTATION ON FESTIVAL FILMS
•Executive Summary
EXCERPT
The percentage of women working as directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, and editors on domestically produced feature-length films appearing at top U.S. film festivals is substantially higher than the percentage of women working on the top 250 domestic grossing films (24% vs. 16%). In fact, in every behind-the-scenes role considered, a higher percentage of women worked on festival films than top grossing films. The differences between festival and high budget, studio films are especially dramatic in the two most traditionally male-identified roles, directing and cinematography.
This study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of over 8,000 individuals working on feature-length films identifying the U.S. as the country of origin screening at 25 U.S. festivals (June 2008-May 2009) including AFI Fest; Ann Arbor Film Festival; Atlanta Film Festival; Austin Film Festival; Chicago International Film Festival; Cinequest Film Festival; CineVegas Film Festival; Cleveland International Film Festival; Florida Film Festival; Hamptons International Film Festival; Los Angeles Film Festival; Nashville Film Festival; New Directors, New Films; New York Film Festival; Palm Springs International Film Festival; Rhode Island International Film Festival; St. Louis International Film Festival; San Francisco International Film Festival; Santa Barbara International Film Festival; Seattle International Film Festival; Slamdance Film Festival; Sundance Film Festival; SXSW Film Festival; Telluride Film Festival; Tribeca Film Festival.
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THE CELLULOID CEILING: BEHIND-THE-SCENES EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN
IN THE TOP 250 FILMS OF 2008
•Executive Summary
EXCERPT
In 2008, women comprised 16% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents a decline of 3 percentage points from 2001 and an increase of 1 percentage point from 2007.
Women accounted for 9% of directors in 2008, an increase 3 percentage points from 2007. This figure represents no change from the percentage of women directing in 1998.
This study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of 2,706 individuals working on the top 250 domestic grossing films (foreign films omitted) of 2008 with combined domestic box office grosses of approximately $9.4 billion. The report provides employment figures for 2008 and compares the most recent statistics with those from the last 10 years.
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THE CELLULOID CEILING II: PRODUCTION DESIGN, PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT, SOUND DESIGN, KEY GRIPS, AND GAFFERS
•Executive Summary
EXCERPT
For over a decade, The Celluloid Ceiling study has tracked women's representation as directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers on the top 250 domestic grossing films. In an effort to assess the larger picture of women's employment in film, this study monitored their representation as production designers (20%), production managers/production supervisors (25%/44%), sound designers/supervising sound editors (5%/5%), key grips (1%), and gaffers (1%).
The study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of 1,318 individuals working on the top 250 domestic grossing films of 2008 with combined box office grosses of approximately $9.4 billion.
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BOXED IN: WOMEN ON SCREEN AND BEHIND THE SCENES
IN THE 2008-09 PRIME-TIME SEASON
•Executive Summary
•Full Report (no full report this year)
EXCERPT
The percentage of women working in powerful behind-the-scenes roles in prime-time programming airing on the five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC) remained relatively stable in the 2008-09 season when compared with prior seasons. Overall, women comprised 25% of all creators, executive producers, producers, directors, writers, editors, and directors of photography working on situation comedies, dramas, and reality programs.
Women writers and directors of photography experienced substantial increases this year. The percentage of women writers increased from 23% in the 2007-08 season to 29% in 2008-09. The percentage of women directors of photography increased from a meager 1% in 2007-08 to 4% in 2008-09.
The study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of 2,137 individuals working on prime-time dramas, situation comedies, and reality programs airing on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and CW.
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THUMBS DOWN: THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN CRITICS AT THE TOP 100
U.S. DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN 2007
•Executive Summary
•Full Report
EXCERPT
This study examined film reviews for theatrical releases written in the top 100 U.S. daily newspapers (by circulation) from October 22, 2007 through December 25, 2007. The sample included reviews written by film critics; other types of critics including those for television, music, and popular culture; staff reporters; and freelancers.
During the fall of 2007, 186 individuals wrote 2,365 film reviews for theatrical releases appearing in the top 100 daily newspapers in the United States with a combined circulation of approximately
28,215,000 readers. Approximately one-quarter (26%) of the newspapers in the study had no women or men writing film reviews during the study period. Of the newspapers featuring film reviews in the fall of 2007, 47% had no reviews written by women critics, writers or freelancers. In contrast, only 12% had no reviews written by men critics, writers or freelancers. Overall, 70% of the individuals reviewing theatrical film releases in Fall 2007 were male and 30% were female. In addition, men wrote significantly more film reviews than women. Men wrote an average of 14 film reviews. Women wrote an average of 9 film reviews.
These imbalances may be slightly tempered by the fact that women critics, writers, and freelancers wrote for newspapers with marginally higher circulations. The average circulation size of newspapers with women writing reviews was 348,530. The average circulation size of newspapers with men writing reviews was 294,760. In addition, women and men wrote reviews of equal length. Reviews written by both women and men averaged 23 sentences.
Overall, these findings suggest that film criticism in this country's newspapers is largely a male enterprise, echoing the heavy male dominance behind the scenes and on screen in the film industry.
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WOMEN @ THE BOX OFFICE
•Full Report
This study asked two basic questions: how do films with at least one woman working in a key behind-the-scenes role fare at the box office when compared to those employing only men in the same roles, and how do films featuring female protagonists fare at the box office when compared to those featuring males.
Examining the top 100 worldwide grossing films of 2007, the study found that when women and men filmmakers have similar budgets for their films, the resulting box office grosses are also similar. In other words, the sex of filmmakers does not determine box office grosses.
In addition, when the size of the budget is held constant, films with female protagonists or prominent females in an ensemble cast earn similar box office grosses (domestic, international, opening weekend) and DVD sales as films with male protagonists. Because films featuring male protagonists have larger budgets, they earn larger box office grosses. However, the differences in box office grosses are not caused by the sex of the protagonist but by the size of the budget. Films with larger budgets generate larger grosses, regardless of the sex of the protagonist.
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