News, Women Directors

Hollywood Reporter Acknowledges That The Industry is Sexist

The Hollywood Reporter in the wake of their complete dismissal of women in both its writer and director roundtables has done a 360 and put together a whole cover on the lack of women directors and other women in power in the business. While the package is interesting (while not saying anything we didn’t already know), I just wish that this didn’t seem like such a fix up for their earlier ridiculousness.

While we might want to celebrate the successes of women in Hollywood cause it is so much more fun than talking about all the work that needs to be done (trust me, I know), we must continue to push and make people aware of the disparities. Part of the problem is that no one wants to believe that things are so bad. But it is bad. In their piece, Why the Odds Are Still Stacked Against Women in Hollywood, a couple of women who have the clout give some quotes along with Martha Lauzen who tracks women working in Hollywood at San Diego State and all those quotes are extremely depressing but real.

Here are some of the stats included:

  • Pay for writers: In 2009, the median annual pay in film was about $76,500 for men, compared with $62,500 for women. In TV men made $108,000 and women $98,600 for women. (Writers Guild West)
  • Women hold 16 percent of powerful behind-the-scenes jobs — writing, directing, editing and other influential positions. (Center for the Study of Women in TV and Film- San Diego State)
  • Women make up only 13.4 percent of the DGA. (DGA)
  • 62 percent of roles went to men versus 38 percent to women. (SAG)
  • Women make up approx 50% of the PGA. (PGA)

And they list 5 reasons who it still sucks to be a woman in Hollywood: Read the full piece

1. Hollywood is still a boys club …

2. … Especially the Agencies

3. The studios are all about the teen males

4. It’s the culture

5. Women are to blame (Of course we have to blame women because if women weren’t out to derail other women it wouldn’t be a good story on Hollywood.) But still ladies…just because you made it to the office doesn’t mean you have to forget you have a vagina cause no matter how high you get the guys never forget who has a dick.

They have a section on five Hollywood directors to know which includes Vera Farmiga, Dee Rees, Phyllida Lloyd, Lorene Scafaria and Patty Jenkins. (Pay particular attention to Lloyd’s section.) And in a bit of irony, which goes to show how little power women have in the directing ranks, Jenkins who was being lauded for a girl finally getting to direct a Marvel movie lost the gig just as this issue was coming out. OUCH.

But let’s be real, none of those women (except for Jenkins who was fired) are on the short studio list of directors that can be hired for Hollywood films. Even Lloyd doesn’t get hired in Hollywood, and she has proven track record at the box office and has directed the second highest grossing film directed by a woman (Mamma Mia). But Indie films are another story and women do much better in that world.

Angelina Jolie and ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson on Hollywood’s Female Director Deficit, New ‘Kung Fu Panda 3 (Hollywood Reporter)

Why the Odds Are Still Stacked Against Women in Hollywood (Hollywood Reporter)

5 of Hollywood’s Female Directors to Know (Hollywood Reporter)


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