Right now I'm working with a composer on original music for my short film. In the past, when people would ask me who my favorite composers are, my usual response included Philip Glass, Rogers and Hammerstein, or John Williams. However, I never named any women, or could even recall famous women composers.
According to this article on Women in Film Music "only 2.4% of the 500 top-grossing films in the USA in the past five years have been scored by female composers." There is a common misconception that women composers can not write "masculine" scores, and "that women composers tend to be meek, less bold or daring. And if they try to do so, the prejudice against them is that their efforts are seen as contrived or forced; in other words, trying to imitate boldness and not doing it naturally."
It is fascinating that even in the world of music composition for films, there is still an unspoken bias that assertiveness in music comes from one's gender, not their talent. One woman who broke out of this stereotype is Shirley Walker who wrote actions films including Turbulence and Final Destination. As far as her experience writing film scores, "Walker noted that assignments dealing with female subjects are not necessarily easier for female composers to obtain."
Determined to find a contemporary female composer I could name, I did some research and did not have to look far. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs recently composed original music for Where the Wild Things Are.
Writing about the experience, Karen O states in the article Wild Thang that she wanted the soundtrack to be "immediately familiar - like you've known the songs your entire life.I will sacrifice any formality for just the right spirit and feeling."
The composition for Where the Wild Things Are is not about Karen O's gender, but about the emotions it needs to convey in order to enhance the story of the film.
I'll keep this in mind as I work with my composer to finish the score.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Through a different lens
Over the summer I interned in Los Angeles at Panavision, a company that provides cameras and camera equipment for films and television in Hollywood. I was told that Panavision was the place to go in order to learn more about cinematography and network with other people in this field.
My job was to find camera parts, sorting through the massive warehouse. In my first week alone, I helped shipped battery packs for Iron Man 2 (I accidentally got a slight shock from the battery pack, but that's another story).
Director of photography positions are notorious for having very few women in the field. Often, this has been cited due to the fact that DPs are required to do heavy lifting. Also, the technical aspect of camera work tends to deter women who might feel like they have to prove their knowledge of cameras in order to gain acceptance from the cinematography community.
A trailer from the movie Women Behind the Camera interviews a subject who has hesitations about women becoming "camera men."
My experience at Panavision definitely incorporated aspects of this. Although I was not the only girl (there were a surprising number of girl interns that summer), Panavision certainly had its fair share of guys. However, one really memorable thing about working at Panavision was, despite being around heavy equipment, there were relatively few times where the men offered to carry items for me.
Although part of this was due to the fact that everyone was usually too busy to babysit me, for the most part everyone assumed I could lift items when necessary, and that I would come to them if I needed help moving anything. In comparison to experiences in my film classes, there were (and still are) many times when guys offered to carry equipment bulky equipment for me, even though I did not need the help. At Panavision, I got to prove that I could indeed handle the equipment. I may have needed more time or more dollies to move equipment, but I could lift just about any piece of equipment that the other guys moved (the key to moving heavy objects is not brute force, but leverage that doesn't take as much strength).
Over the course of the two months I interned at Panavision I grew accustomed to the "heavier" side of film production, and got to learn about the cameras that made movies like Jaws. My last day at Panavision, I even got to practice panning and tilting one of the models, a skill that my supervisor said I picked up remarkably fast. By the end of my summer at Panavision, I gained a sense that I could accomplish anything in film making, and now am less anxious about working in the production side of this industry.
My job was to find camera parts, sorting through the massive warehouse. In my first week alone, I helped shipped battery packs for Iron Man 2 (I accidentally got a slight shock from the battery pack, but that's another story).
Director of photography positions are notorious for having very few women in the field. Often, this has been cited due to the fact that DPs are required to do heavy lifting. Also, the technical aspect of camera work tends to deter women who might feel like they have to prove their knowledge of cameras in order to gain acceptance from the cinematography community.
A trailer from the movie Women Behind the Camera interviews a subject who has hesitations about women becoming "camera men."
My experience at Panavision definitely incorporated aspects of this. Although I was not the only girl (there were a surprising number of girl interns that summer), Panavision certainly had its fair share of guys. However, one really memorable thing about working at Panavision was, despite being around heavy equipment, there were relatively few times where the men offered to carry items for me.
Although part of this was due to the fact that everyone was usually too busy to babysit me, for the most part everyone assumed I could lift items when necessary, and that I would come to them if I needed help moving anything. In comparison to experiences in my film classes, there were (and still are) many times when guys offered to carry equipment bulky equipment for me, even though I did not need the help. At Panavision, I got to prove that I could indeed handle the equipment. I may have needed more time or more dollies to move equipment, but I could lift just about any piece of equipment that the other guys moved (the key to moving heavy objects is not brute force, but leverage that doesn't take as much strength).
Over the course of the two months I interned at Panavision I grew accustomed to the "heavier" side of film production, and got to learn about the cameras that made movies like Jaws. My last day at Panavision, I even got to practice panning and tilting one of the models, a skill that my supervisor said I picked up remarkably fast. By the end of my summer at Panavision, I gained a sense that I could accomplish anything in film making, and now am less anxious about working in the production side of this industry.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Diamond in the rough (cut)
I have been working on a rough cut of Broken Heart Boy with my editor for the past week. Editing is vital to a film, and can make or break a story. It truly is a second pass, a second draft to the film's narrative.
One of the few positions women have been able to break into in the film industry is editing. Originally, women were allowed to edit because it was a position that many deemed uncreative. It was even compared to sewing, as though editing was just another chore apart of homemaking. However, as I get deeper into post-production, editing is not simply a mechanical process of putting the film together, but a whole other opportunity to tell the story.
Dede Allen is a pioneer when it comes to women in editing. According to A conversation with Dede Allen on editorsguild.com, Dede Allen was told "she would never make it as an editor because she wasn't strong enough to carry the film." I am a product of the digital film making age, but this comment still astounds me that Dede Allen had to prove she was strong enough to carry the film before she could even edit it. She further learned to edit "while working as an assistant to a sound editor who drank too much, (she would finish his work when he was too inebriated)." As a result, she is not only one of the most influential women editors, but helped define a transition in editing, breaking out of standard Hollywood editing and incorporating French New Wave techniques. An example of this is from the film Bonnie and Clyde.
The scene builds tension, starting off calmly and building to the final climax when Bonnie and Clyde are killed. Each shot has a purpose, its placement in the scene thought-out like a game of chess. Editing is truly an art form, essential to a great movie.
One of the few positions women have been able to break into in the film industry is editing. Originally, women were allowed to edit because it was a position that many deemed uncreative. It was even compared to sewing, as though editing was just another chore apart of homemaking. However, as I get deeper into post-production, editing is not simply a mechanical process of putting the film together, but a whole other opportunity to tell the story.
Dede Allen is a pioneer when it comes to women in editing. According to A conversation with Dede Allen on editorsguild.com, Dede Allen was told "she would never make it as an editor because she wasn't strong enough to carry the film." I am a product of the digital film making age, but this comment still astounds me that Dede Allen had to prove she was strong enough to carry the film before she could even edit it. She further learned to edit "while working as an assistant to a sound editor who drank too much, (she would finish his work when he was too inebriated)." As a result, she is not only one of the most influential women editors, but helped define a transition in editing, breaking out of standard Hollywood editing and incorporating French New Wave techniques. An example of this is from the film Bonnie and Clyde.
The scene builds tension, starting off calmly and building to the final climax when Bonnie and Clyde are killed. Each shot has a purpose, its placement in the scene thought-out like a game of chess. Editing is truly an art form, essential to a great movie.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
What motivates me as a woman in filmmaking
Principal photography is done. This feels great to say.
There were many times when problems arose, such as broken microphones or threats of rain, when I wanted to quit filming. However, I had to keep pushing through, figuring out ways to film when it seemed impossible to do so.
One of the things that motivated me through the production process is this image of a letter from Disney that I keep tacked up on my wall.
(larger size here)
The letter addresses Mary Ford, a woman who wrote to Disney asking for a job as an animator. In reply to her request for a job, the letter states:
Although this letter singles out Mary for being a woman, the writer of the letter is herself a woman.
Considering that this letter was written in 1938, the woman who wrote the letter from Disney (her name is also Mary) is most likely a secretary, merely transcribing the orders of a male executive with authority hiring new animators. Did this woman, the secretary, feel empathy for Ms. Ford? Perhaps she too tried applying for a job at the wonderful world of Disney, only to be forced into a secretarial position.
At the top of the letter is Snow White, smiling innocently, unaware of the inequality occurring in the stationary she is affixed to.
In the lower right of the letter, contrasting Snow White's feminine grace, is her vile stepmother, the Queen.
The two images represent the ideologies placed on women. Snow White establishes women as a dainty and fragile entity, only to be looked at (in this case by seven different men). On the other hand, the evil Queen shows women at their worst, cold and manipulative.
This letter may seem like an odd choice when I say that it motivates me. Every time I read it, my initial reaction to it is anger. It would be easy to say that it's not fair, that Disney is prejudiced against women. I could easily write an angry letter to the offices at Disney and wait for some sort of reply, justification for their blatantly sexist practices.
However, as I reflect on this picture more, all I really want to do is keep writing and making films. I want to prove to others, and more importantly myself, that I can tell the stories I want to tell. There will always be obstacles, whether it be a broken microphone or a person telling me that I can't make a film because my gender makes me too weak to hold a camera or write a script. But overcoming these expectations of what I can and can't do is the best feeling in the world.
I hope that Mary Ford was able to pursue her dream in animating. If nothing else, she should know that her attempt to break into a system adamantly against her is one of the bravest things a person can do. Her attempt certainly inspired me.
There were many times when problems arose, such as broken microphones or threats of rain, when I wanted to quit filming. However, I had to keep pushing through, figuring out ways to film when it seemed impossible to do so.
One of the things that motivated me through the production process is this image of a letter from Disney that I keep tacked up on my wall.
(larger size here)
The letter addresses Mary Ford, a woman who wrote to Disney asking for a job as an animator. In reply to her request for a job, the letter states:
Although this letter singles out Mary for being a woman, the writer of the letter is herself a woman.
Considering that this letter was written in 1938, the woman who wrote the letter from Disney (her name is also Mary) is most likely a secretary, merely transcribing the orders of a male executive with authority hiring new animators. Did this woman, the secretary, feel empathy for Ms. Ford? Perhaps she too tried applying for a job at the wonderful world of Disney, only to be forced into a secretarial position.
At the top of the letter is Snow White, smiling innocently, unaware of the inequality occurring in the stationary she is affixed to.
In the lower right of the letter, contrasting Snow White's feminine grace, is her vile stepmother, the Queen.
The two images represent the ideologies placed on women. Snow White establishes women as a dainty and fragile entity, only to be looked at (in this case by seven different men). On the other hand, the evil Queen shows women at their worst, cold and manipulative.
This letter may seem like an odd choice when I say that it motivates me. Every time I read it, my initial reaction to it is anger. It would be easy to say that it's not fair, that Disney is prejudiced against women. I could easily write an angry letter to the offices at Disney and wait for some sort of reply, justification for their blatantly sexist practices.
However, as I reflect on this picture more, all I really want to do is keep writing and making films. I want to prove to others, and more importantly myself, that I can tell the stories I want to tell. There will always be obstacles, whether it be a broken microphone or a person telling me that I can't make a film because my gender makes me too weak to hold a camera or write a script. But overcoming these expectations of what I can and can't do is the best feeling in the world.
I hope that Mary Ford was able to pursue her dream in animating. If nothing else, she should know that her attempt to break into a system adamantly against her is one of the bravest things a person can do. Her attempt certainly inspired me.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
E-male
In order to send out casting calls, and take care of other business related to my short film I created an email account.
Whenever I send an email, I always sign it:
-Matty Greene
There have been a few times when I have received e-mails back that addressed me as Matt, and even once as Mr. Greene. It's always interesting to see these variations, because they say different things about our social interactions.
For example, the person who shortens my name to Matt, is trying to imply a sense of informality in order to establish a closer, friendlier relationship.
The person who addresses me as Mr. Greene does so in an attempt to be formal and courteous.
This article from Netmanners addresses formality in emails.
If you do not know them very well or at all, always use the highest level of formality Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc. to start. Especially in business, you don’t want to get too informal too soon
Another article from netmanners on Assuming Genders in E-Mail states:
I am always talking about not assuming when it comes to an e-mail. Assuming never leads to anything positive. If you are unsure; ask.
As you can see, this issue is an intersection of both gender and status. In the replies to my casting calls, people are trying to establish a relationship that did not exist before, in a way they are comfortable with.
It's always interesting to see who assumes I am male, and even more exciting when they show up to the casting call and realize I'm not a 'Mr. Greene' at all.
Whenever I send an email, I always sign it:
-Matty Greene
There have been a few times when I have received e-mails back that addressed me as Matt, and even once as Mr. Greene. It's always interesting to see these variations, because they say different things about our social interactions.
For example, the person who shortens my name to Matt, is trying to imply a sense of informality in order to establish a closer, friendlier relationship.
The person who addresses me as Mr. Greene does so in an attempt to be formal and courteous.
This article from Netmanners addresses formality in emails.
If you do not know them very well or at all, always use the highest level of formality Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc. to start. Especially in business, you don’t want to get too informal too soon
Another article from netmanners on Assuming Genders in E-Mail states:
I am always talking about not assuming when it comes to an e-mail. Assuming never leads to anything positive. If you are unsure; ask.
As you can see, this issue is an intersection of both gender and status. In the replies to my casting calls, people are trying to establish a relationship that did not exist before, in a way they are comfortable with.
It's always interesting to see who assumes I am male, and even more exciting when they show up to the casting call and realize I'm not a 'Mr. Greene' at all.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Introduction
Welcome, to Film Girl Film. This blog is a project that I will update during the semester as I venture into the world of film making. It is not simply a diary, but also an open discussion of other topics about women in the media.
This semester I am directing an original short film called Broken Heart Boy. A story about first love and first heartbreak, it is about a boy with a mechanical heart who falls in love and has his heart broken. He goes on a journey to get it repaired, struggling to fix it before it breaks permanently.
As the semester progresses, I plan to comment about how the film is being made and more interestingly, what it means to be a female in this area of the entertainment industry.
For example, according to the article 'Women in Media' by Jennie Ruby:
7% of directors in 2005 were women
19% of films released in 2005 employed no women directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers or editors
3 female filmmakers, in all of academy award history, have been nominated for best director award (Lina Wertmuller in 1977, Jane Campion in 1994, and Sofia Coppola in 2004)
0 women directors have ever won
A graphic I made to better represent this data:
As this is a blog, I fully intend to exploit the medium. I promise lots of hyperlinks, will post many youtube videos:
And most of all, I encourage feedback.
Thank you, and I look forward to blogging with you over the next several months.
Love,
-Matty
This semester I am directing an original short film called Broken Heart Boy. A story about first love and first heartbreak, it is about a boy with a mechanical heart who falls in love and has his heart broken. He goes on a journey to get it repaired, struggling to fix it before it breaks permanently.
As the semester progresses, I plan to comment about how the film is being made and more interestingly, what it means to be a female in this area of the entertainment industry.
For example, according to the article 'Women in Media' by Jennie Ruby:
7% of directors in 2005 were women
19% of films released in 2005 employed no women directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers or editors
3 female filmmakers, in all of academy award history, have been nominated for best director award (Lina Wertmuller in 1977, Jane Campion in 1994, and Sofia Coppola in 2004)
0 women directors have ever won
A graphic I made to better represent this data:
As this is a blog, I fully intend to exploit the medium. I promise lots of hyperlinks, will post many youtube videos:
And most of all, I encourage feedback.
Thank you, and I look forward to blogging with you over the next several months.
Love,
-Matty
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