Women directed just 7% of Hollywood's top 250 films last year and made up only 11% of writers and 23% of producers, according to The Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University (Colon 2015, prgrh. 2). Sunny Hollywood lies within the city of Los Angeles, California, home of the American film industry since early 1900s. 50 years back, sexism was a common and normal perception in the world. Therefore, it is no surprise that this manner inflicted the film industry in Hollywood. Nevertheless, since that time the world seems to have progressed, except Hollywood. In fact, the film industry in Hollywood is not at all reflective of the direction of which society is moving.
Most women in Hollywood that work in
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The Academy Award of Merit, in full, is a number of awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (Academy Award 2017, prgrh. 1) The Academy Awards was created as a recognition of achievements in the film industry. The award, a gold-plated statuette, is bestowed upon winners in the 24 different categories. A few days back, February 26, the nominees for this year’s Oscar were realised. Of all the nominees for directing, cinematography and visual effects none were women. In addition, there were only one or two female nominees for categories such as writing (both adapted and original screenplay), film editing, production design, sound editing and sound mixing. (The 89th Academy Awards | 2017) According to statistics, 17% of the nominees for the Oscars 2015 were female, which is lower than in 1930 at 22%. (Why Oscar is a Male 2016) Moreover, Oscar winners are even more likely to be men. One might wonder why the gender gap so huge? Firstly, all nominations and winners are selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. The voting members of the Academy are mostly white, old men, around 80%. (McCarthy 23.02.2015) The already existing influence of sexism and the overwhelming number of men, effects the result. Secondly, there are not as many known and famous women working in the film industry, due to sexism. Consequently, will the …show more content…
While male characters are powerful, strong and foreboding, female ones tend to be anything but. Often, they are stereotypically feminine – obsessed with their looks, dreaming of husbands, and used as pawns by the men around them.” (Sanghani, R. 23.09.2014, prgrh. 15-16)
When writer Amish Tripathi asked actress Sonan if she faced gender bias in Bollywood, she said;
“Though my father is a North Indian Punjabi, never once did he make me feel the difference between my brother and me. […] But when I joined the film industry, it was such a shock! I would give an opinion on something and would be told to behave like a girl and be softer else people wouldn’t find me attractive. […]” (Sonan admits there is bias against women in Bollywood, too. 25.11.2015, prgrh. 3)
It seems that sexism in Bollywood is just as bad as in Hollywood. However, if one compares the two, one will find that sexism in Bollywood is more direct than the mostly discreet sexism in
Throughout time, women in movies and other similar texts are shown to be generally focused on men. This might make sense if every movie ever made was set in a time where women had absolutely no rights but of course, that is not the case. Older and more modern depictions of women in media, both show women whose lives revolve around men. Even movies that market their female characters as strong and powerful are still shown to be dependent on the male leads and puts them first. Also, since women in movies have more of a focus on men, female to female relationships suffer in the same films. There are very few exceptions to this unfortunate truth.
Film making has gone through quite the substantial change since it’s initial coining just before the turn of the 19th century, and one would tend argue that the largest amount of this change has come quite recently or more so in the latter part of film’s history as a whole. One of the more prominent changes having taken place being the role of women in film. Once upon a time having a very set role in the industry, such as editing for example. To mention briefly the likes of Dede Allen, Verna Fields, Thelma Schoonmaker and so forth. Our female counterparts now occupy virtually every aspect of the film making industry that males do; and in many instances excel past us. Quite clearly this change has taken place behind the lens, but has it taken
...ue to the fact that she is so concerned with the gender aspect that she overlooks the reasons for keeping the categories separate. By having separate categories a male and female staring in the same film are both eligible to win an award, something that would be impossible if the categories were merged. She also disregards the fact that merging the two categories would lead to fewer nominees, which would force both male and female actors to be left out of the nominations. Her background in Women’s studies further impacts the overall effectiveness of this argument. Many readers may disregard the entire article because they feel that she is just using it as a means to promote Women’s rights. On the other hand, people who firmly believe in gender equality may be more inclined to accept her argument, even if they could care less about having separate categories.
I was listening to an Elvis interview recently and the radio deejay asked Elvis who his favorite male actor in Hollywood was. He responded, fairly quickly, with three or four names and could list even more. He talked about the movies they were in and how great they were. The deejay then asked him who his favorite actress in Hollywood was. Elvis sat, pondered, and stumbled for a good minute before he listed only one leading lady. A moment later Elvis talked about how great a couple more women in films were, with ease. As if he suddenly remembered all the wonderful women in film, many of whom he had worked with. This is a reinforcement of the fact that ladies in Hollywood are less frequent than males. In actual movies and in the public knowledge.
The gender pay gap is not only a problem in the past. To my surprise, Hollywood has a gender pay gap. I would have never thought the industry that makes billions of dollars through movies and television shows would pay women less than men. This is a huge problem and in 2015 women in Hollywood should not have to worry about the gender pay gap. Furthermore, minority women should not get fewer opportunities for an acting jobs (Berg). It is absurd that women in Hollywood do not have equal pay. Instead of setting an example of equal pay to other occupations Hollywood is setting an example of a gender pay gap.
A sweeping and more positive change would only be likely to occur if more women were behind the cameras and behind the images that are being portrayed. It would modify the entire perspective because it would no longer be male-oriented and male-dominated and it would create an environment in which womanhood would define themselves in relation to themselves and not toward men only. It would convert the case of them being the vehicles of representation and less the case of them being represented (that is being behind the cameras) which would give them more power to control what is on the screen and thus greater power to control and shape the audience’ views on women and how they should be treated. The most harmful issue is that by triggering women to have very low self-esteem and be continually unconfident
The search for equality within the film industry has been very much a subject of contention over the years, and even now, is still a source struggle for all women within the industry. Whether women are actors or producers, directors or screenwriter, behind-the-scenes or talent, they knew that their dream of making it in the world of filmmaking will come with many obstacles. They would have to work twice as hard as men, only to be payed less than the majority of them.
The gender pay gap was a problem in the past and it is now. Hollywood has a gender pay gap and that came to my surprise. I would of never thought the industry that makes billions of dollars through movies and television shows would pay women less than men. Actresses and film executives are paid less than their male colleagues (Khon). It is absurd that women in Hollywood do not have equal pay.
"Roundtable: Five Casting Directors on Crazy Auditions and Industry Sexism." The Hollywood Reporter. THR Staff, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.
During the 1990s, feminism was flourishing like ever before through a plethora of films and through the music industry, with special efforts being made to reinforce empowerment and independence in women. Film was able to play the most influential role in doing so though, as many film directors were beginning to bring to light many of the issues women were still facing in society at the time. The repeated images and stereotypes of women depicted in films had gone on for way too long and started to see a drastic change in ‘90s Hollywood films. Many of the feminist films released during the ‘90s are deemed so influential because they still remain relevant to our present-day society and feminism. Such films were able to critique society through
Noted in Yvonne Tasker’s Working Girls: Gender and Sexuality in Popular Cinema, Goldie Hawn says this about women's role in the film business “There are only thee ages for women in Hollywood: Babe, District Attorney and Driving Miss Daisy” (1998, p. 3). While Haw...
...als of which we forge our notion what it means to be male or female” is becoming less applicable as many films are becoming less predictable and taking up challenging roles by allowing women to act as a more dominant character in order for the movies to succeed. Therefore, film does not constitute common culture, as movie makers will create fascinating stories out of what is actually happening in the society for the film to be exciting to watch for the audiences. The film may deliver or represents certain aspects and stereotypes of gender in the society but does not fully represent the society itself. As a result, every viewer would be left with their own thoughts and opinions without judging what the movie is presenting are totally right. Therefore, films do give people an insight about our society but it does not control the way people should behave in the society.
Today, only 16% of protagonists in movies are female, and the portrayal of these women is
Women have made progress in the film industry in terms of the type of role they play in action films, although they are still portrayed as sex objects. The beginning of “a new type of female character” (Hirschman, 1993, pg. 1). 41-47) in the world of action films began in 1976 with Sigourney Weaver, who played the leading role in the blockbuster film ‘Aliens’ as Lt. Ellen Ripley. She was the captain of her own spaceship, plus she was the one who gave out all the orders. Until then, men had always been the ones giving the orders; to see a woman in that type of role was outlandish.