Wish I had seen this post a few days sooner. I just had a discussion about women and movies this past weekend that resulted in my husband piping up with “Well, you don’t even watch enough movies to comment and anyway women don’t go to the movies that’s why they are directed more at men.”

I won’t share all of what happened after that, except to say my “death ray eye” shot, and an intelligent comeback was not deleted from the scene. Needless to say it may be a common thought that women are not into movies.”

Did it occur to him to examine the cause and effect? Maybe women go to the movies less BECAUSE movies are directed at men.

I won’t share all of what happened after that, except to say my “death ray eye” shot, and an intelligent comeback was not deleted from the scene. Needless to say it may be a common thought that women are not into movies.

Someone once told me that if you look at animated films or kid’s films, the lead is always a male voice because the mother has died (Bambi etc.) and ONLY the father can save the day.

Was there? I just did a thesis about the term “chick flick” turning men away from movies and I cited an article that mentioned the overwhelming majority of the audience for SATC was women.

so add to that small number of theaters the fact that they are in the little room at odd hours.

I almost got talked into seeing a film I didn’t really want to see, but, prevailed and we spent our money on coffee and drinks instead.

But I work in the software business, some gaming, and I promise you, this is all about a few guys sitting around and deciding what’s cool and it is done on man crushes, where they throw out ideas that please the alpha dog only and they one up one another like it’s a frat meeting. This is not even coldly about the money, it’s about pleasing their man crushes. In the past, feminists were upset about exclusive men’s clubs, like golfing clubs and some women now think, what’s the big deal? You don’t want to be strident about demanding. Yet, this is where deals and alliances are made, and men know it. That cluster of guys who go for drinks and shut out the woman production worker is more of a problem for her career than she may realize.

They lock women out of the decision making, and, in animation, there are few to none women animators. Women need to get right in there in the creative seats and the deal-making seats in power roles and more to risk “unlikablility.” Young women like Drew Barrymore have their own production companies, which is the way to courageously go. There needs to be a microloan and capital program to women projects online. Perhaps this blog could actually form some ventures.

My friend and I recently went to see State of Play (very good movie) and afterward there were people standing outside trying to get us to see an advanced screening of that Julia Child movie Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. They also were giving out tickets to an advanced screening of The Proposal. I’m male–my friend was female, and the woman was trying to push The Proposal on us even though we were interested in Julie & Julia. My friend said, “Well actually I want to see the Meryl Streep movie.” So the woman goes, “Oh, okay. Here you go.” Then turns to me, “You probably won’t be interested in this movie. It’s about women.”

THIS IS SOMEONE WHO’S SUPPOSED TO BE PROMOTING THIS MOVIE!!!

There’s a pervasive idea in our society, that men being interested in stories about women is somehow degrading or slumming. I just wrote an entire 20 page thesis about this because it’s pissing me off. I’m an aspiring screenwriter myself, and because I mostly relate to women best–my protagonists are often women. But it bugs me that many times I’ve considered changing them to male characters or downplaying the women because it means I’ll have more of a chance of my script getting anyone’s attention.

*sigh* To respond directly to Nia’s comment. The problem is NOT that women aren’t going to the movies. The problem is MEN don’t want to see their movies.

I’m angry that the success of SATC and Twilight have taught those studio executives NOTHING.

Nia Vardolos is great. I want to see more of her works. I’m proud of her. While we’re on this topic, let’s not forget how Bend it Like Beckham was also in the Top 10 a few years ago, written and directed by a woman (Gurinder Chadha), with a female positive storyline, too.