The tired myth that gender equality in film is impossible because there just are not enough women working is being disproven yet again. A new database, Primetime, debuted at Cannes today. Founded by actress Victoria Emslie (“Downton Abbey”), the program spotlights women from all over the world working above the line and below the line in film. Screen Daily broke the news.
“Currently men outnumber women anywhere from 2:1 to 3:1 onscreen. Women tend to hire more women which leads to more female-led content being made; so to change the conversation onscreen we need to change the conversation behind the screen,” Emslie explained. “At Primetime we hope our mission will be met with a united front and desire to drive towards better work culture and hiring practices, in addition to hiring some pretty badass women.”
Primetime is now live and free to use for women and companies looking to hire. Listings are vetted, and women must have three IMDb credits in a given role in order to be featured. The database will also accept credits from major theater productions and APA-registered companies.
The platform has already earned the support of Time’s Up UK, ERA 5050, and The Geena Davis Institute. UK agencies 42 Management and Casarotto Ramsay & Associates are urging their clients to sign up.
Emslie emphasized Primetime’s inclusivity to Screen Daily. The database is for “all women — trans, intersex, and cis,” the Time’s Up UK advocate said, “all those who experience oppression as women, including non-binary and gender non-conforming people, and all those who identity as women.” She also spoke about how Primetime will contend with unconscious bias. “Primetime is working to overcome the bias that traditionally affects women within the industry,” Emslie said. “To this effect, there are no profile pictures of members, and Primetime includes testimonials to help overcome the word-of-mouth based referral culture that prevails in the industry. The focus is on the achievements of members, showcasing the quality of their work.”
Primetime’s tech will expand in the future, with the help of corporate sponsorship. Upcoming features could include a job board, contract integration, and availability info. “We plan to put a percentage of our profits from future paid-for features into funding projects led by the women on our platform,” Emslie announced.
Emslie received a BIFA nomination for her role in short film “Run It Off.” Among her other credits are “The Frankenstein Chronicles,” “The Danish Girl,” and “The Theory of Everything.”
Check out Primetime here.
