A new study indicates that the tenets that contributed to “Barbie’s” $1.4 billion box office success and pop culture dominance — namely featuring a female-led ensemble — was the exception rather than the rule in Hollywood this year. Outside of Barbieland and a handful of other movies that were fronted by female characters, there was decreasing opportunity for women in film in 2023.
The latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report from Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, found that in 2023, only 18% of the 100 top-grossing films featured more female than male characters and 5% of films had equal numbers of female and male characters. This meant that a whopping 77% of movies had more male than female characters in speaking roles.
“Because ‘Barbie’ claimed so much of our cultural space in 2023, female characters may have seemed more abundant in films last year,...
The latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report from Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, found that in 2023, only 18% of the 100 top-grossing films featured more female than male characters and 5% of films had equal numbers of female and male characters. This meant that a whopping 77% of movies had more male than female characters in speaking roles.
“Because ‘Barbie’ claimed so much of our cultural space in 2023, female characters may have seemed more abundant in films last year,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Women in film in 2023 were getting younger. When it came to all female characters that had speaking roles in last year’s top grossing movies, fewer than half were from women over the age of 40.
The latest report from Dr. Martha Lauzen’s famous Celluloid Ceiling study — this year called “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” — found that on the whole, female characters were significantly younger than their male counterparts.
According to the study, which looks at the top 100 grossing movies released at the domestic box office in the year, 33 percent of female characters were in their 30s, but that number dropped precipitously to 15 percent for those in their 40s. Only 7 percent of female characters were over 60. For men, that decline didn’t happen until they got to age 50. The percentage of male characters in their 30s was the same as male characters in their 40s, at 28 percent, but...
The latest report from Dr. Martha Lauzen’s famous Celluloid Ceiling study — this year called “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” — found that on the whole, female characters were significantly younger than their male counterparts.
According to the study, which looks at the top 100 grossing movies released at the domestic box office in the year, 33 percent of female characters were in their 30s, but that number dropped precipitously to 15 percent for those in their 40s. Only 7 percent of female characters were over 60. For men, that decline didn’t happen until they got to age 50. The percentage of male characters in their 30s was the same as male characters in their 40s, at 28 percent, but...
- 2/27/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
It should perhaps come as no surprise that reality television more accurately represents real-world gender distribution than its scripted series counterparts.
The latest Boxed In report from San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that during the 2022-23 season, women accounted for 50 percent of characters or participants in unscripted programs and 43 percent of characters in scripted shows across broadcast and streaming.
“These findings suggest that the percentage of females onscreen will inch upward this year as television platforms rely more heavily on unscripted programs due to the interruption in production caused by the labor strikes,” the center’s executive director, Martha Lauzen, said in a statement.
Behind the scenes, there was not much difference in the employment of women on unscripted versus scripted series in every category except directing, where scripted shows hired many more women (22 percent, compared to 11 percent).
Elsewhere, there...
The latest Boxed In report from San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that during the 2022-23 season, women accounted for 50 percent of characters or participants in unscripted programs and 43 percent of characters in scripted shows across broadcast and streaming.
“These findings suggest that the percentage of females onscreen will inch upward this year as television platforms rely more heavily on unscripted programs due to the interruption in production caused by the labor strikes,” the center’s executive director, Martha Lauzen, said in a statement.
Behind the scenes, there was not much difference in the employment of women on unscripted versus scripted series in every category except directing, where scripted shows hired many more women (22 percent, compared to 11 percent).
Elsewhere, there...
- 10/17/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Independent film has always been seen as faster to give opportunities to people who are historically excluded, and a new report from San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film indicates that continues to be the case.
In Indie Women, the center surveyed 754 features screened at 20 major American film festivals this year and found that the ratio of narrative films directed exclusively by women and men, respectively, is now seven to 10, up from six to 10 a year ago. Documentaries reached gender parity in the director’s chair for the first time since the center began tracking women’s festival representation in 2008. Across key crew positions (directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers), women worked more in docs (44 percent) than in narrative features (35 percent). Unsurprisingly, movies directed by women were more likely also to have women in other behind-the-scenes roles (30 percent of cinematographers and...
In Indie Women, the center surveyed 754 features screened at 20 major American film festivals this year and found that the ratio of narrative films directed exclusively by women and men, respectively, is now seven to 10, up from six to 10 a year ago. Documentaries reached gender parity in the director’s chair for the first time since the center began tracking women’s festival representation in 2008. Across key crew positions (directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers), women worked more in docs (44 percent) than in narrative features (35 percent). Unsurprisingly, movies directed by women were more likely also to have women in other behind-the-scenes roles (30 percent of cinematographers and...
- 9/12/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Female actors achieved parity with their male counterparts last year on original U.S. films made for the major streaming services, according to the latest report from Dr. Martha M. Lauzen, founder and director of San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
Only 6% of all speaking characters were Latina, however, and just 5.6% were Latino, “making them the most underrepresented ethnic group in film when compared to their representation in the U.S. population.” And behind the cameras, women of all races and ethnicity still have a lot of catching up to do.
“In 2022, more original U.S. films on major streaming services featured female than male protagonists,” the Streaming Women report found, noting that 49% of these films featured female protagonists versus 38% that featured male protagonists, with 12% being ensembles. The report defines protagonists as the characters from whose perspective the story is told.
Females...
Only 6% of all speaking characters were Latina, however, and just 5.6% were Latino, “making them the most underrepresented ethnic group in film when compared to their representation in the U.S. population.” And behind the cameras, women of all races and ethnicity still have a lot of catching up to do.
“In 2022, more original U.S. films on major streaming services featured female than male protagonists,” the Streaming Women report found, noting that 49% of these films featured female protagonists versus 38% that featured male protagonists, with 12% being ensembles. The report defines protagonists as the characters from whose perspective the story is told.
Females...
- 5/23/2023
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh and Jenna Ortega may have topped the box office and won rave reviews in films such as ‘The Woman King’, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and ‘Scream’, but Hollywood still tended to bank on movies with male leads in 2022, reports ‘Variety’. A new survey of the top 100 grossing domestic releases found that women only accounted for 33 per cent of movie protagonists last year. That represented an infinitesimal two percentage point increase from 2021, according to the report by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
And, says ‘Variety’, quoting the survey, don’t expect actresses to get as many lines as their male counterparts. Females accounted for 37 per cent of all speaking characters in 2022, up three percentage points from 34 per cent in 2021. Men had 63 per cent of speaking roles, and 0.1 per cent of were transgender. One speaking character was non-binary.
And, says ‘Variety’, quoting the survey, don’t expect actresses to get as many lines as their male counterparts. Females accounted for 37 per cent of all speaking characters in 2022, up three percentage points from 34 per cent in 2021. Men had 63 per cent of speaking roles, and 0.1 per cent of were transgender. One speaking character was non-binary.
- 3/8/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
The annual “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” examined the top-grossing films of 2022 and, boy, do we still have some catching up to do.
Unveiled just in time for International Women’s Day (March 8), the study led by Dr. Martha M. Lauzen found that there was a 2 percent jump in female protagonist characters from 2021, with women additionally accounting for 37 percent of all speaking roles last year. Yet still, 80 percent of films featured more male than female characters. Only 11 percent of films had more female than male characters, and 9 percent of films featured equal numbers of female and male characters.
The key to more women’s stories on screen? Unsurprisingly, it’s more women behind the camera.
Across the findings of a content analysis of over 2,100 characters appearing in films in 2022, films with at least one woman director and/or writer were more likely than films with no women in...
Unveiled just in time for International Women’s Day (March 8), the study led by Dr. Martha M. Lauzen found that there was a 2 percent jump in female protagonist characters from 2021, with women additionally accounting for 37 percent of all speaking roles last year. Yet still, 80 percent of films featured more male than female characters. Only 11 percent of films had more female than male characters, and 9 percent of films featured equal numbers of female and male characters.
The key to more women’s stories on screen? Unsurprisingly, it’s more women behind the camera.
Across the findings of a content analysis of over 2,100 characters appearing in films in 2022, films with at least one woman director and/or writer were more likely than films with no women in...
- 3/7/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Viola Davis, Michelle Yeoh and Jenna Ortega may have topped the box office and won rave reviews in the likes of “The Woman King,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Scream,” but Hollywood still tended to bank on movies with male leads in 2022.
A new survey of the top 100 grossing domestic releases found that women only accounted for 33% of movie protagonists last year. That represented an infinitesimal two percentage point increase from 2021, according to the report by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. And don’t expect actresses to get as many lines as their male counterparts. Females accounted for 37% of all speaking characters in 2022, up 3 percentage points from 34% in 2021. Men had 63% of speaking roles, and 0.1% of speaking characters were transgender. One speaking character was non-binary.
Moreover, a whopping 80% of films featured more male than female characters. Only 11% of films...
A new survey of the top 100 grossing domestic releases found that women only accounted for 33% of movie protagonists last year. That represented an infinitesimal two percentage point increase from 2021, according to the report by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. And don’t expect actresses to get as many lines as their male counterparts. Females accounted for 37% of all speaking characters in 2022, up 3 percentage points from 34% in 2021. Men had 63% of speaking roles, and 0.1% of speaking characters were transgender. One speaking character was non-binary.
Moreover, a whopping 80% of films featured more male than female characters. Only 11% of films...
- 3/7/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The percentage of female characters portrayed in the 100 top domestic grossing films increased only “slightly” last year compared to 2021, according to the latest report from San Diego State. Last year, they accounted for 33% of the protagonists – up from 31% in 2021, but well below the 40% high-water mark achieved in 2019.
Women also made up 38% of the major characters – up from 35% in 2021, and 37% of all speaking roles – up from 34% the year before. The percentage of female speaking roles last year was an all-time high since the school began collecting data in 2002, when they received only 28% of all speaking roles.
Even so, only 11 of the top 100 films had more female than male characters; 9% had an equal number of female and male roles, while 80 of the films featured more male than female characters.
Read the full report here.
Black actresses in major roles fared well last year, accounting for 21.6% of all major female characters, which was...
Women also made up 38% of the major characters – up from 35% in 2021, and 37% of all speaking roles – up from 34% the year before. The percentage of female speaking roles last year was an all-time high since the school began collecting data in 2002, when they received only 28% of all speaking roles.
Even so, only 11 of the top 100 films had more female than male characters; 9% had an equal number of female and male roles, while 80 of the films featured more male than female characters.
Read the full report here.
Black actresses in major roles fared well last year, accounting for 21.6% of all major female characters, which was...
- 3/7/2023
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
In the movies, women are talking (as Mark Wahlberg put it) — but not as much as the men.
Male-speaking characters outnumbered their female counterparts 63 percent to 37 percent in the 100 highest-grossing domestic films of 2022, according to the latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report from San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
This year’s report added demographic analysis of more than 2,100 characters to a body of research that now spans two decades, 1,200 movies and more than 27,000 characters. In 2022, women served as the protagonist in roughly a third of movies (33 percent), roughly consistent with the trend from the last five years and up from 16 percent in 2002, the first year of the study. Interestingly, horror movies were much more likely to have female leads (43 percent of female protagonists appeared in scary films) than male (just 4 percent of male leads did).
Women comprised 38 percent...
Male-speaking characters outnumbered their female counterparts 63 percent to 37 percent in the 100 highest-grossing domestic films of 2022, according to the latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report from San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
This year’s report added demographic analysis of more than 2,100 characters to a body of research that now spans two decades, 1,200 movies and more than 27,000 characters. In 2022, women served as the protagonist in roughly a third of movies (33 percent), roughly consistent with the trend from the last five years and up from 16 percent in 2002, the first year of the study. Interestingly, horror movies were much more likely to have female leads (43 percent of female protagonists appeared in scary films) than male (just 4 percent of male leads did).
Women comprised 38 percent...
- 3/7/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A pair of studies released Monday from San Diego State’s annual The Celluloid Ceiling report and USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative showed few gains for women and people of color working in the film industry in 2022.
In the Sdsu study (read it here), which has tracked women’s employment on the 250 top-grossing films for the past 25 years, this year’s findings reveal that 11 of directors of 2022’s 100 top-grossing domestic films were women, down 1 year-over-year. Among the top 250 films, that number rose to 18, up 1.
Overall, women comprised 24 of all directors, writers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers working on the 250 top-grossing films of 2022, a 1 decline from 2021. In 1998, the first year of the Celluloid Ceiling report, that number was 17.
Source: The Celluloid Ceiling: Employment of Behind-The-Scenes Women On Top Grossing U.S. Films in 2022
Among 2022’s top 250 films, the report found, women comprised 19 of writers, 25 of executive producers, 31 of producers, 21 of editors,...
In the Sdsu study (read it here), which has tracked women’s employment on the 250 top-grossing films for the past 25 years, this year’s findings reveal that 11 of directors of 2022’s 100 top-grossing domestic films were women, down 1 year-over-year. Among the top 250 films, that number rose to 18, up 1.
Overall, women comprised 24 of all directors, writers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers working on the 250 top-grossing films of 2022, a 1 decline from 2021. In 1998, the first year of the Celluloid Ceiling report, that number was 17.
Source: The Celluloid Ceiling: Employment of Behind-The-Scenes Women On Top Grossing U.S. Films in 2022
Among 2022’s top 250 films, the report found, women comprised 19 of writers, 25 of executive producers, 31 of producers, 21 of editors,...
- 1/2/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood employed fewer female filmmakers and directors from underrepresented communities to make its biggest films in 2022, according to a new study by USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative.
The USC Annenberg report found that of the 111 directors hired to make the 100 top-grossing movies last year, just 9 were women. That was down from 12.7 in 2021. At the same time, the number of Black, Asian, Hispanic/Latino and multi-racial and multi-ethnic moviemakers also fell from 27.3 in 2021 to 20.7 in 2022. Women of color accounted for a mere 2.7 of directors of the top 100 movies last year. The declines come as the movie business, and particularly the major studios that call the shots, have been under pressure to provide more opportunities to female artists and people of color in the wake of social justice and advocacy movements such as #MeToo and #OscarsSoWhite.
Female employment in the film business was also the focus of a second study, dubbed “Celluloid Ceiling,...
The USC Annenberg report found that of the 111 directors hired to make the 100 top-grossing movies last year, just 9 were women. That was down from 12.7 in 2021. At the same time, the number of Black, Asian, Hispanic/Latino and multi-racial and multi-ethnic moviemakers also fell from 27.3 in 2021 to 20.7 in 2022. Women of color accounted for a mere 2.7 of directors of the top 100 movies last year. The declines come as the movie business, and particularly the major studios that call the shots, have been under pressure to provide more opportunities to female artists and people of color in the wake of social justice and advocacy movements such as #MeToo and #OscarsSoWhite.
Female employment in the film business was also the focus of a second study, dubbed “Celluloid Ceiling,...
- 1/2/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
As 2023 dawns, two major academic organizations that measure the progress of inclusion in Hollywood are looking back at the track record for 2022 in film.
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s latest “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” report analyzes the gender and race/ethnicity of the directors behind last year’s 100 highest-grossing movies in the U.S., while the San Diego State Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film’s most recent “Celluloid Ceiling” report examined the employment of women in key behind-the-scenes roles in both the 100 and 250 top-grossing movies at the domestic box office.
In the one category shared by both studies — percentage of women directors among top 100 films – the schools came up with slightly different counts (possibly because of the criteria each group uses to compile its Box Office Mojo sampling). Sdsu reported that 11 percent of 2022’s helmers...
As 2023 dawns, two major academic organizations that measure the progress of inclusion in Hollywood are looking back at the track record for 2022 in film.
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s latest “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair” report analyzes the gender and race/ethnicity of the directors behind last year’s 100 highest-grossing movies in the U.S., while the San Diego State Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film’s most recent “Celluloid Ceiling” report examined the employment of women in key behind-the-scenes roles in both the 100 and 250 top-grossing movies at the domestic box office.
In the one category shared by both studies — percentage of women directors among top 100 films – the schools came up with slightly different counts (possibly because of the criteria each group uses to compile its Box Office Mojo sampling). Sdsu reported that 11 percent of 2022’s helmers...
- 1/2/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
How will film and television history remember the last two decades of gender relations and representation in Hollywood?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission came to town, found evidence of gender discrimination by the major film studios but left without taking any publically acknowledged action. Harvey Weinstein’s reign of terror and intimidation came to an end in courtrooms on both coasts, in a downfall so ugly that his business-turned-criminal acts will mark him forever as a true Hollywood monster. And the #MeToo movement announced itself, raised awareness about sexual harassment and abuse, and spurred an on-going reckoning.
I started tracking the numbers of women working on screen and behind the scenes in television and film 25 years ago when the occasional media report announced women were enjoying increased visibility and success on the basis of a few anecdotal cases. Seeing no evidence of these improvements on screen or behind the scenes,...
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission came to town, found evidence of gender discrimination by the major film studios but left without taking any publically acknowledged action. Harvey Weinstein’s reign of terror and intimidation came to an end in courtrooms on both coasts, in a downfall so ugly that his business-turned-criminal acts will mark him forever as a true Hollywood monster. And the #MeToo movement announced itself, raised awareness about sexual harassment and abuse, and spurred an on-going reckoning.
I started tracking the numbers of women working on screen and behind the scenes in television and film 25 years ago when the occasional media report announced women were enjoying increased visibility and success on the basis of a few anecdotal cases. Seeing no evidence of these improvements on screen or behind the scenes,...
- 11/15/2022
- by Martha Lauzen
- Variety Film + TV
During the 2020-21 TV season, a study found that streaming companies put more women in positions of creative power than broadcast networks did, though broadcasters featured slightly more women as major characters in their shows. But a year later, that same study has found that streamers now beat out networks on both fronts by slight margins.
The study, titled “Boxed In,” has been run by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, for 25 years now. Lauzen also conducts the yearly studies “Celluloid Ceiling” and “Thumbs Down: Gender and Film Critics, and Why It Matters.” Boxed In” considers one randomly selected episode of different series appearing on the broadcast networks during primetime and streaming services. In 2021-22, the study tracked over 3,000 characters and more than 3,800 production credits, adding to a total of over 53,000 characters and 66,000 credits since...
The study, titled “Boxed In,” has been run by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, for 25 years now. Lauzen also conducts the yearly studies “Celluloid Ceiling” and “Thumbs Down: Gender and Film Critics, and Why It Matters.” Boxed In” considers one randomly selected episode of different series appearing on the broadcast networks during primetime and streaming services. In 2021-22, the study tracked over 3,000 characters and more than 3,800 production credits, adding to a total of over 53,000 characters and 66,000 credits since...
- 10/18/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
A new report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University has found that women made up 50 of major characters on streaming programs and 48 on broadcast TV during 2021-2022, the fourth year in a row that streaming companies have outpaced their broadcast network counterparts in that metric.
“Half of the major characters on streaming programs are girls and women, approximating their numbers in the actual population,” said Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the center.
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Streaming also topped broadcast percentage-wise in key behind-the-scenes jobs, according to the report, titled Boxed In:...
“Half of the major characters on streaming programs are girls and women, approximating their numbers in the actual population,” said Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the center.
Related Story Italian Content Boom Confirmed As Producers Study Shows Investment Topped 1.4B in 2021, For 37 Increase Since 2017 Related Story Percentage Of Women In Key Jobs On Top-Grossing Films Has "Barely Budged" Over Past 20 Years, Study Finds Related Story "Historic Highs" For Female Directors, Writers & Producers Of Indie Films, Study Finds
Streaming also topped broadcast percentage-wise in key behind-the-scenes jobs, according to the report, titled Boxed In:...
- 10/18/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The number of women who review feature films has decreased in recent years as movie criticism remains a man’s game, according to a new study.
The report, titled “Thumbs Down: Film Critics and Gender, and Why It Matters,” shows that in early 2022, males continue to outnumber their female counterparts by more than 2 to 1 in the U.S. Across print, radio, television and online outlets, men account for 69 of critics, women account for 31 and nonbinary individuals account for 0.3. After the percentage of women increased “slightly but steadily” from 2016 to 2020, the statistic dropped by 4 in the last two years.
Since 2007, Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, has delved into women’s representation and impact as film reviewers. The annual study analyzes more than 4,000 film reviews by 334 individuals working for print, broadcast and online outlets from January...
The report, titled “Thumbs Down: Film Critics and Gender, and Why It Matters,” shows that in early 2022, males continue to outnumber their female counterparts by more than 2 to 1 in the U.S. Across print, radio, television and online outlets, men account for 69 of critics, women account for 31 and nonbinary individuals account for 0.3. After the percentage of women increased “slightly but steadily” from 2016 to 2020, the statistic dropped by 4 in the last two years.
Since 2007, Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, has delved into women’s representation and impact as film reviewers. The annual study analyzes more than 4,000 film reviews by 334 individuals working for print, broadcast and online outlets from January...
- 5/24/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Male characters in films continued to heavily outnumber female characters in 2021, according to the latest It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World study from Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
A hefty 85% of films featured more male than female characters, the study found. Male characters outnumbered females by almost two to one, and just 31% of films featured sole female protagonists. Only 7% of films had more female than male characters, while 8% of films featured equal numbers of female and male characters.
Major female characters in 2021 dropped slightly from 2020, from 38% in 2020 to 35% of major characters last year. Females made up 34% of all speaking characters, down from 36% in 2019, while sole female protagonists increased ever so slightly from 29% in the first year of the pandemic to 31% last year.
“Despite the major disruptions in the film business over the last couple of years,...
A hefty 85% of films featured more male than female characters, the study found. Male characters outnumbered females by almost two to one, and just 31% of films featured sole female protagonists. Only 7% of films had more female than male characters, while 8% of films featured equal numbers of female and male characters.
Major female characters in 2021 dropped slightly from 2020, from 38% in 2020 to 35% of major characters last year. Females made up 34% of all speaking characters, down from 36% in 2019, while sole female protagonists increased ever so slightly from 29% in the first year of the pandemic to 31% last year.
“Despite the major disruptions in the film business over the last couple of years,...
- 3/15/2022
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Representation of female protagonists and Bipoc women in 2021’s top-grossing films have ticked up slightly from the previous year, the latest study from San Diego State University’s Dr. Martha Lauzen finds.
The study, titled It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World, Even in a Pandemic Year: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top U.S. Films of 2021, found that female protagonists led 31% of the year’s highest-grossing films, up slightly from 2020‘s 29%. However, even with the incremental shift, 57% of the surveyed films featured male protagonists.
“Despite the major disruptions in the film business over the last couple of years, on-screen gender ratios have remained relatively stable,” Lauzen noted. “Last year audiences saw almost 2 male characters for every female character, and although women protagonists led some of the most high-profile films including Spencer, Being the Ricardos, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, women comprised slightly less than one third of sole protagonists last year.
The study, titled It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World, Even in a Pandemic Year: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top U.S. Films of 2021, found that female protagonists led 31% of the year’s highest-grossing films, up slightly from 2020‘s 29%. However, even with the incremental shift, 57% of the surveyed films featured male protagonists.
“Despite the major disruptions in the film business over the last couple of years, on-screen gender ratios have remained relatively stable,” Lauzen noted. “Last year audiences saw almost 2 male characters for every female character, and although women protagonists led some of the most high-profile films including Spencer, Being the Ricardos, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, women comprised slightly less than one third of sole protagonists last year.
- 3/15/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
“Dune,” “Belfast,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “The Power of the Dog” are among the films nominated by the American Society of Cinematographers in the feature film category.
The ASC nominees for feature film, documentary and television cinematography represent the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking. Last year’s ASC feature film winner was “Mank” cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt who upset “Nomadland” Dp Joshua James Richards, the Oscar favorite. Messerschmidt went on to win the Best Cinematography Oscar.
Cinematographer Ari Wegner was nominated in the theatrical film category for her work on Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog,” becoming the second woman ever nominated by the guild, after Rachel Morrison for Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017).
“Power of the Dog” director Jane Campion made history almost 30 years ago when she became the second woman ever to be nominated for best director for “The Piano” (1993) after Lina Wertmüller...
The ASC nominees for feature film, documentary and television cinematography represent the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking. Last year’s ASC feature film winner was “Mank” cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt who upset “Nomadland” Dp Joshua James Richards, the Oscar favorite. Messerschmidt went on to win the Best Cinematography Oscar.
Cinematographer Ari Wegner was nominated in the theatrical film category for her work on Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog,” becoming the second woman ever nominated by the guild, after Rachel Morrison for Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017).
“Power of the Dog” director Jane Campion made history almost 30 years ago when she became the second woman ever to be nominated for best director for “The Piano” (1993) after Lina Wertmüller...
- 1/25/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay and Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The number of top-grossing films in 2021 directed by women has decreased, according to the latest Celluloid Ceiling study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
Women accounted for 17 percent of directors working on the top 250 films, down from 18 percent the year prior. In the top 100 films, the percentage of women directors also decreased from 16 percent in 2020 to 12 percent in 2021.
“Appearances can be deceiving. While Chloé Zhao won the Oscar last year for directing Nomadland, and Jane Campion is a front-runner in this year’s race for The Power of the Dog, the percentage of women directing films actually declined in 2021,” said the study’s researcher, Dr. Martha Lauzen.
“Basing our perceptions of how women are faring on the well-deserved fortunes of just a few high-profile women can lead us to inaccurate conclusions about the state of women’s employment,” she added.
Women accounted for 17 percent of directors working on the top 250 films, down from 18 percent the year prior. In the top 100 films, the percentage of women directors also decreased from 16 percent in 2020 to 12 percent in 2021.
“Appearances can be deceiving. While Chloé Zhao won the Oscar last year for directing Nomadland, and Jane Campion is a front-runner in this year’s race for The Power of the Dog, the percentage of women directing films actually declined in 2021,” said the study’s researcher, Dr. Martha Lauzen.
“Basing our perceptions of how women are faring on the well-deserved fortunes of just a few high-profile women can lead us to inaccurate conclusions about the state of women’s employment,” she added.
- 1/3/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The year 2020 saw historic highs for the inclusion of women on top-grossing films of the year, but 2021 has seen a slight decline in the number of women directing films, according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film’s latest Celluloid Ceiling report.
Only 12 percent of the top 100 highest-grossing films of 2021 featured women directors at the helm, down from 16 percent in 2020. Female directors accounted for 17 percent of the top 250 highest grossers, down from 18 percent in 2020. Over 80 percent of 2021 films were directed by men, the study finds.
However, women were up overall in key behind-the-scenes roles in 2021, at 25 percent, up from 23 percent in 2020. This can be attributed to more women with a seat at the table as executive producers and producers, per the study.
“Appearances can be deceiving. While Chloé Zhao won the Oscar last year for directing ‘Nomadland,’ and Jane Campion is a front-runner in this...
Only 12 percent of the top 100 highest-grossing films of 2021 featured women directors at the helm, down from 16 percent in 2020. Female directors accounted for 17 percent of the top 250 highest grossers, down from 18 percent in 2020. Over 80 percent of 2021 films were directed by men, the study finds.
However, women were up overall in key behind-the-scenes roles in 2021, at 25 percent, up from 23 percent in 2020. This can be attributed to more women with a seat at the table as executive producers and producers, per the study.
“Appearances can be deceiving. While Chloé Zhao won the Oscar last year for directing ‘Nomadland,’ and Jane Campion is a front-runner in this...
- 1/2/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Hollywood made history in 2020, fielding a record number of films from female directors.
But after achieving that milestone, the film business found itself regressing in 2021 with women comprising 17% of directors on the top 250 grossing movies, down from 18% the previous year. The picture grows darker when the focus narrows to the top 100 most popular movies at the box office — women comprised 12% of directors on those films, down from 16% in 2020.
The research is the product of a report entitled the Celluloid Ceiling, which is produced annually by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. It comes as female filmmakers like Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”) have achieved notable critical successes this year and are seen as awards contenders. It also is being released after several female filmmakers like Chloé Zhao (“Eternals”) and Nia DaCosta (“Candyman...
But after achieving that milestone, the film business found itself regressing in 2021 with women comprising 17% of directors on the top 250 grossing movies, down from 18% the previous year. The picture grows darker when the focus narrows to the top 100 most popular movies at the box office — women comprised 12% of directors on those films, down from 16% in 2020.
The research is the product of a report entitled the Celluloid Ceiling, which is produced annually by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. It comes as female filmmakers like Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”) have achieved notable critical successes this year and are seen as awards contenders. It also is being released after several female filmmakers like Chloé Zhao (“Eternals”) and Nia DaCosta (“Candyman...
- 1/2/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Time’s Up, arguably the most visible advocacy group dedicated to fostering a safe workplace for women in Hollywood, will undergo a major “reset” of its personnel in the hopes of rehabilitating the scandal-marred organization.
Just two months after erstwhile CEO Tina Tchen resigned, interim president and CEO Monifa Bandele will step down, as a small transition team and board will oversee the process. According to a press release, “the structure, strategy, and staff of the group will be rebuilt from the ground up.” In other words, most of the group’s staff (including some two dozen workers) have been laid off.
“This is a needed reset, not a retreat,” said board chair Gabrielle Sulzberger in a statement to media. “Time’S Up stands for accountability and systematic change in the workplace. It is incumbent on us to learn from these findings, and focus on building an organization that powerfully serves women...
Just two months after erstwhile CEO Tina Tchen resigned, interim president and CEO Monifa Bandele will step down, as a small transition team and board will oversee the process. According to a press release, “the structure, strategy, and staff of the group will be rebuilt from the ground up.” In other words, most of the group’s staff (including some two dozen workers) have been laid off.
“This is a needed reset, not a retreat,” said board chair Gabrielle Sulzberger in a statement to media. “Time’S Up stands for accountability and systematic change in the workplace. It is incumbent on us to learn from these findings, and focus on building an organization that powerfully serves women...
- 11/20/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
IndieWire turns 25 this year. To mark the occasion, we’re running a series of essays about the future of everything we cover.
At the time, the reaction was swift: just three months after Hollywood super-producer Harvey Weinstein was first accused of a litany of acts of sexual abuse and harassment in what would become a Pulitzer Prize-winning expose from The New York Times and The New Yorker, the industry snapped to attention.
After innumerable other allegations against Weinstein and dozens of other Hollywood bigwigs, 300 of the industry’s biggest names joined together to create Time’s Up, an initiative created “to fight sexual harassment in Hollywood and beyond.” Such aims soon evolved to include broader questions about how to address issues relating to parity, safety, inclusion, and equity. New organizations came into existence and set timelines for instituting permanent changes to the industry. Conversations about these issues fueled all manner of panels,...
At the time, the reaction was swift: just three months after Hollywood super-producer Harvey Weinstein was first accused of a litany of acts of sexual abuse and harassment in what would become a Pulitzer Prize-winning expose from The New York Times and The New Yorker, the industry snapped to attention.
After innumerable other allegations against Weinstein and dozens of other Hollywood bigwigs, 300 of the industry’s biggest names joined together to create Time’s Up, an initiative created “to fight sexual harassment in Hollywood and beyond.” Such aims soon evolved to include broader questions about how to address issues relating to parity, safety, inclusion, and equity. New organizations came into existence and set timelines for instituting permanent changes to the industry. Conversations about these issues fueled all manner of panels,...
- 10/15/2021
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
It is such welcoming news that television veteran Lesli Linka Glatter has been elected president of the Directors Guild of America. For years, Glatter has mentored and advocated for women directors and has been a force within the union fighting for members’ rights.
Presumably her position will give her an even bigger platform to continue pushing for more parity in Hollywood’s male-dominated director ranks. Recent studies from “The Celluloid Ceiling” and “Boxed In,” two reports from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, show us just how egregiously wide the gap in the business still is: Women comprised just 16% of directors working on the top 100 (domestic) grossing films of 2020; women accounted for 31% of directors working on U.S. shows on streaming services and 19% of directors working on U.S. shows for broadcast networks in 2020-21.
“More than eight out of...
Presumably her position will give her an even bigger platform to continue pushing for more parity in Hollywood’s male-dominated director ranks. Recent studies from “The Celluloid Ceiling” and “Boxed In,” two reports from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, show us just how egregiously wide the gap in the business still is: Women comprised just 16% of directors working on the top 100 (domestic) grossing films of 2020; women accounted for 31% of directors working on U.S. shows on streaming services and 19% of directors working on U.S. shows for broadcast networks in 2020-21.
“More than eight out of...
- 9/22/2021
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
As the entertainment industry looks to improve the ratio of female representation in television on screen and behind the scenes, a study finds that the youngest streaming services have made more progress than broadcast networks that have been around for decades.
That’s one of the conclusions of this year’s “Boxed In” survey, an annual report on female employment in television by Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
The latest edition of the long-running industry report card finds that in the 2020-21 television season, women accounted for 30% of creators, 31% of directors and 24% of editors on streaming programs, versus 22% of creators, 19% of directors, and 15% of editors on broadcast network programs. In front of the camera, 52% of major characters on streaming programs were women, while networks trailed behind with 45%.
“Streamers get a lot of credit for offering more progressive programming,...
That’s one of the conclusions of this year’s “Boxed In” survey, an annual report on female employment in television by Martha Lauzen, executive director of San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
The latest edition of the long-running industry report card finds that in the 2020-21 television season, women accounted for 30% of creators, 31% of directors and 24% of editors on streaming programs, versus 22% of creators, 19% of directors, and 15% of editors on broadcast network programs. In front of the camera, 52% of major characters on streaming programs were women, while networks trailed behind with 45%.
“Streamers get a lot of credit for offering more progressive programming,...
- 9/14/2021
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
More than half (52.2%) of the major characters on streaming programs shown during the 2020-21 season were played by women – an increase of seven percentage points from a year ago and a “recent historic high,” according to the latest “Boxed In” report from Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State.
The report also found that percentages of females in all speaking roles (45%) for both broadcast networks and streaming services have reached “recent historic highs,” with the broadcast networks up from the previous high of 44% in the previous year, and streaming shows dead even with the percentage they achieved in 2018-19.
According to the report, the percentage of female producers (43%) and directors of photography (6.8%) working on broadcast network programs also hit “recent historic highs” during the 2020-21 season.
Even so, the report found that women accounted for only 22% of creators,...
The report also found that percentages of females in all speaking roles (45%) for both broadcast networks and streaming services have reached “recent historic highs,” with the broadcast networks up from the previous high of 44% in the previous year, and streaming shows dead even with the percentage they achieved in 2018-19.
According to the report, the percentage of female producers (43%) and directors of photography (6.8%) working on broadcast network programs also hit “recent historic highs” during the 2020-21 season.
Even so, the report found that women accounted for only 22% of creators,...
- 9/14/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Female directors had a better chance of having their documentaries screened at film festivals than their narrative features, according to a new study.
Women accounted for 42% of directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers on documentaries that were featured in Sundance, SXSW, AFI, New York Film Festival and other annual celebrations of moviemaking. In contrast, they comprised 35% of those working on narrative features at those same festivals. The report, which was undertaken by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, examined 7,452 credits on 582 films that screened at 20 high-profile film festivals in the U.S. The report captured a year in which female filmmakers, like Sian Heder (“Coda”), Amber Sealey (“No Man of God”), Mariem Pérez Riera (“Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It”) and Rebecca Hall (“Passing”), scored some of the biggest deals and best reviews of the film festival season.
Women accounted for 42% of directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers on documentaries that were featured in Sundance, SXSW, AFI, New York Film Festival and other annual celebrations of moviemaking. In contrast, they comprised 35% of those working on narrative features at those same festivals. The report, which was undertaken by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, examined 7,452 credits on 582 films that screened at 20 high-profile film festivals in the U.S. The report captured a year in which female filmmakers, like Sian Heder (“Coda”), Amber Sealey (“No Man of God”), Mariem Pérez Riera (“Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It”) and Rebecca Hall (“Passing”), scored some of the biggest deals and best reviews of the film festival season.
- 8/31/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
While 2021 might have brought with it some major changes when it comes to the ways in which female filmmakers are lauded in Hollywood — including, for the first time ever, the nomination of two women for Best Director, with Chloé Zhao eventually winning for “Nomadland” — other areas of the industry continue to fall behind. The latest report out of The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, titled “Indie Women in a Pandemic Year,” finds that documentary films continue to employ higher percentages of behind-the-scenes women than narrative features.
Per today’s study, “Women accounted for 42 percent of individuals working as directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers on documentaries versus 35 percent of those working on narrative features.” That should come as little surprise to anyone who closely observes the differences between docs and narrative films, as docs have long provided more opportunity for female filmmakers of all kinds.
Per today’s study, “Women accounted for 42 percent of individuals working as directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers on documentaries versus 35 percent of those working on narrative features.” That should come as little surprise to anyone who closely observes the differences between docs and narrative films, as docs have long provided more opportunity for female filmmakers of all kinds.
- 8/31/2021
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“Wonder Woman 1984,” “Promising Young Woman” and “Pieces of a Woman” may have been major film releases in 2020, but new statistics show that 2020 was hardly the year of the woman protagonist on film despite the fact that major Hollywood studio releases where men have traditionally dominated were often postponed or shifted to streaming during the pandemic.
According to “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” — a report released Tuesday by Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University — the percentage of the 100 top-grossing films featuring female protagonists dropped from 40% in 2019 to 29% in 2020 — a decline of nearly 28%.
The study reports that 49% of 2020’s top-grossing films featured male protagonists and 22% had ensembles sharing the protagonist role. The study defines protagonists as characters from whose perspective the story is told.
“As protagonists in films, females took a step back in 2020 after two consecutive years of growth,...
According to “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” — a report released Tuesday by Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University — the percentage of the 100 top-grossing films featuring female protagonists dropped from 40% in 2019 to 29% in 2020 — a decline of nearly 28%.
The study reports that 49% of 2020’s top-grossing films featured male protagonists and 22% had ensembles sharing the protagonist role. The study defines protagonists as characters from whose perspective the story is told.
“As protagonists in films, females took a step back in 2020 after two consecutive years of growth,...
- 4/13/2021
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
The percentage of top-grossing films that featured female protagonists “dropped dramatically” last year, down from 40% in 2019 to just 29% in 2020 – a decline of more than 27%, according to the latest study from Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. The report found that after two years of gains, last year’s percentage of female protagonists was the same as in 2016 – the year before the start of the #MeToo movement.
And the numbers don’t get any better with age: last year, males 40 and over accounted for 52% of all male characters in the 100 top domestic-grossing films, while females 40 and over comprised 32% of all female characters. The report also found that major female characters experience “a precipitous drop” from their 30s to their 40s – falling from 31% of the roles to just 13%.
“We see a handful of mature female actresses...
And the numbers don’t get any better with age: last year, males 40 and over accounted for 52% of all male characters in the 100 top domestic-grossing films, while females 40 and over comprised 32% of all female characters. The report also found that major female characters experience “a precipitous drop” from their 30s to their 40s – falling from 31% of the roles to just 13%.
“We see a handful of mature female actresses...
- 4/13/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Onscreen representation for women in film took a sharp dive in 2020, according to the latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report.
The analysis of the top 100 grossing films of 2020, released today by Dr. Martha Lauzen, reveal that only 29% of 2020’s top grossing films had female protagonists.
The percentage of female protagonists has dropped from 40% in 2019 to just 29% in 2020. The new data shows the lowest marks for films since 2017, when only 24% of top grossing films had female protagonists.
“As protagonists in films, females took a step back in 2020, after two consecutive years of growth,” said Lauzen, founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, revealing the team’s findings.
For the purposes of the study, the term “protagonist” refers to characters from whose perspective the story is told. This year’s study analyzed over 1,700 characters from...
The analysis of the top 100 grossing films of 2020, released today by Dr. Martha Lauzen, reveal that only 29% of 2020’s top grossing films had female protagonists.
The percentage of female protagonists has dropped from 40% in 2019 to just 29% in 2020. The new data shows the lowest marks for films since 2017, when only 24% of top grossing films had female protagonists.
“As protagonists in films, females took a step back in 2020, after two consecutive years of growth,” said Lauzen, founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, revealing the team’s findings.
For the purposes of the study, the term “protagonist” refers to characters from whose perspective the story is told. This year’s study analyzed over 1,700 characters from...
- 4/13/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
I love firsts.
In my lifetime, I’ve been fortunate enough to have witnessed a number of historic milestones, including the first human to walk on the moon, the first Black president to be elected and now the first woman to become vice president, who is also the first woman of color to hold that high office.
While what happened this week at the Golden Globes may seem insignificant by comparison, for Hollywood it is a historical marker worth celebrating: Three women were nominated for best director in the same year, outnumbering the men three to two.
Directors Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”), Regina King (“One Night in Miami”) and Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) joined a pathetically small group of women who were ever nominated for their directing achievements in the Globes’ 78-year history. They’ve been shut out for the past six years, and only one woman — Barbra Streisand — ever...
In my lifetime, I’ve been fortunate enough to have witnessed a number of historic milestones, including the first human to walk on the moon, the first Black president to be elected and now the first woman to become vice president, who is also the first woman of color to hold that high office.
While what happened this week at the Golden Globes may seem insignificant by comparison, for Hollywood it is a historical marker worth celebrating: Three women were nominated for best director in the same year, outnumbering the men three to two.
Directors Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”), Regina King (“One Night in Miami”) and Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) joined a pathetically small group of women who were ever nominated for their directing achievements in the Globes’ 78-year history. They’ve been shut out for the past six years, and only one woman — Barbra Streisand — ever...
- 2/4/2021
- by Claudia Eller
- Variety Film + TV
Not all news was bad news for filmmakers during the pandemic year. According to the latest study from the Celluloid Ceiling, the longest-running and most comprehensive study of women’s employment in film, women directors were up overall in 2020. The 23rd edition released Saturday from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
Once again, women directors achieved historic highs this past year, with women comprising 18% of the filmmakers calling the shots behind the top 250 domestic features, an uptick from 13% in 2019 and 8% in 2018. That’s even with a lineup of major women-directed titles pushed to 2021 due to theater closures, including Chloé Zhao’s “Eternals” and Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” on the big studio side. Still, this year saw films like Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984” which, even with day-and-date play on HBO Max, managed...
Once again, women directors achieved historic highs this past year, with women comprising 18% of the filmmakers calling the shots behind the top 250 domestic features, an uptick from 13% in 2019 and 8% in 2018. That’s even with a lineup of major women-directed titles pushed to 2021 due to theater closures, including Chloé Zhao’s “Eternals” and Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” on the big studio side. Still, this year saw films like Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984” which, even with day-and-date play on HBO Max, managed...
- 1/2/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Hollywood tapped a record number of women to call the shots on major movies in 2020, according to a new study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
Women represented 16% of directors working on the 100 highest-grossing films in 2020, a high-water mark for female representation behind the camera. That’s up from 12% in 2019 and a lowly 4% in 2018, and a sign that the pressure on studios to promote more female filmmakers may be resulting in tangible change.
Of course, this was a year like no other, one that saw the theatrical business brought to a virtual standstill for months due to coronavirus. That also meant that some of the biggest budgeted films boasting female filmmakers, such as Chloe Zhao’s “The Eternals” and Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow,” had their releases pushed into 2021. Zhao did helm the Oscar hopeful “Nomadland,” while other female...
Women represented 16% of directors working on the 100 highest-grossing films in 2020, a high-water mark for female representation behind the camera. That’s up from 12% in 2019 and a lowly 4% in 2018, and a sign that the pressure on studios to promote more female filmmakers may be resulting in tangible change.
Of course, this was a year like no other, one that saw the theatrical business brought to a virtual standstill for months due to coronavirus. That also meant that some of the biggest budgeted films boasting female filmmakers, such as Chloe Zhao’s “The Eternals” and Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow,” had their releases pushed into 2021. Zhao did helm the Oscar hopeful “Nomadland,” while other female...
- 1/2/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The Celluloid Ceiling, a report that has tracked women’s employment in film for the last 23 years, says female directors reached an all-time high in 2020.
The report claims to be the longest-running and most comprehensive study of women’s behind-the-scenes employment on US films. Since 1998, the study has tracked a total of approximately 73,000 credits.
The 23rd annual Celluloid Ceiling report was released Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
For the second consecutive year, the percentages of women directing top grossing films increased, reaching historic highs, the latest report claims, while the overall percentages of women working in key behind-the-scenes roles remained relatively stable in 2020.
Women comprised 16% of directors working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020, up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018. Women accounted for 18% of directors on the top 250 films, up from 13% in 2019 and 8% in...
The report claims to be the longest-running and most comprehensive study of women’s behind-the-scenes employment on US films. Since 1998, the study has tracked a total of approximately 73,000 credits.
The 23rd annual Celluloid Ceiling report was released Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
For the second consecutive year, the percentages of women directing top grossing films increased, reaching historic highs, the latest report claims, while the overall percentages of women working in key behind-the-scenes roles remained relatively stable in 2020.
Women comprised 16% of directors working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020, up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018. Women accounted for 18% of directors on the top 250 films, up from 13% in 2019 and 8% in...
- 1/2/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The percentage of women directing top-grossing films increased in 2020 and, in fact, reached recent historic highs, according to the 23rd Annual Celluloid Ceiling Report released Saturday.
While the overall percentages of women working in key behind-the-scenes roles remained relatively stable in 2020, the other numbers inched upward in a year marked by major disruption of theatrical film releases, particularly big-budget studio films that either bypassed theaters are were postponed until 2021.
Women comprised 16% of directors working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020 (up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018) and 18% of directors on the top 250 films (up from 13% in 2019 and 8% in 2018). It’s worth noting that all but one of last year’s top 10 grossing films were released in the first quarter, before the widespread shutdown of theaters.
“The good news is that we’ve now seen two consecutive years of growth for women who direct. This breaks a recent historical pattern in which...
While the overall percentages of women working in key behind-the-scenes roles remained relatively stable in 2020, the other numbers inched upward in a year marked by major disruption of theatrical film releases, particularly big-budget studio films that either bypassed theaters are were postponed until 2021.
Women comprised 16% of directors working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020 (up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018) and 18% of directors on the top 250 films (up from 13% in 2019 and 8% in 2018). It’s worth noting that all but one of last year’s top 10 grossing films were released in the first quarter, before the widespread shutdown of theaters.
“The good news is that we’ve now seen two consecutive years of growth for women who direct. This breaks a recent historical pattern in which...
- 1/2/2021
- by Rosemary Rossi
- The Wrap
The overall percentage of women employed as directors of the top-grossing Hollywood films has hardly budged over the last 20+ years despite assumed progress in the industry, a new report shows. Even with record highs, Hollywood has remained historically male-dominated.
On Tuesday, Dr. Martha Lauzen’s “Celluloid Ceiling” study released its “Living Archive,” which found that the number of women working on the top 250 films was at 9% when the study began in 1998 but in 2019 had risen to only 13%, its highest ever.
The study shows that the same was true of women working in behind the scenes roles, whether as cinematographers, writers, producers or editors. Women cinematographers were virtually unchanged, rising from 4% in 1998 to 5% in 2019. 27% of women are now producers, only 3% more than in 1998, and editors rose by another 3%, from 20% in 1998 to 23% in 2019. Women writers experienced the largest gains in their field, with their percentage rising 6 points from 13% in 1998 to 19% in 2019.
“The...
On Tuesday, Dr. Martha Lauzen’s “Celluloid Ceiling” study released its “Living Archive,” which found that the number of women working on the top 250 films was at 9% when the study began in 1998 but in 2019 had risen to only 13%, its highest ever.
The study shows that the same was true of women working in behind the scenes roles, whether as cinematographers, writers, producers or editors. Women cinematographers were virtually unchanged, rising from 4% in 1998 to 5% in 2019. 27% of women are now producers, only 3% more than in 1998, and editors rose by another 3%, from 20% in 1998 to 23% in 2019. Women writers experienced the largest gains in their field, with their percentage rising 6 points from 13% in 1998 to 19% in 2019.
“The...
- 12/8/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The percentage of women working in key behind-the-scenes jobs on the 250 top-grossing domestic films “has barely budged” during the past two decades – increasing by only 4 percentage points from 17% in 1998 to 21% last year. That’s according to the latest “Celluloid Ceiling” report from Dr. Martha Lauzen, founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
“The celluloid ceiling has proven to be far more resilient than we ever could have imagined,” Lauzen said. “Despite the countless panels, repeated calls for voluntary programs and promises of change, the percentages of women working on top-grossing films have remained relatively stable over the last two decades.”
As seen in the charts below, however, women have made some significant gains since the rise of the #MeToo movement in late-2017, with the percentage of women directors nearly doubling since 2016, rising from 7% to a high of 13% last year,...
“The celluloid ceiling has proven to be far more resilient than we ever could have imagined,” Lauzen said. “Despite the countless panels, repeated calls for voluntary programs and promises of change, the percentages of women working on top-grossing films have remained relatively stable over the last two decades.”
As seen in the charts below, however, women have made some significant gains since the rise of the #MeToo movement in late-2017, with the percentage of women directors nearly doubling since 2016, rising from 7% to a high of 13% last year,...
- 12/8/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Female independent filmmakers made historic gains in 2019-20, according to a report released today by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. The report, titled Indie Women, cites more than a dozen categories in which women attained “recent historic highs” as directors, writers, producers, editors and cinematographers of indie feature films and documentaries.
“We have now seen gains over the last two consecutive years for women working as directors, writers, and producers in independent film,” Lauzen said. “The percentage of women working as directors on narrative films has more than doubled over the last decade, rising from 15% in 2008-09 to 33% in 2019-20.” She noted, however, that men continue to outnumber women nearly two-to-one (66% to 34%) when all behind-the-scenes roles – directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers – are considered.
Read the report here.
Lauzen’s Indie Women study,...
“We have now seen gains over the last two consecutive years for women working as directors, writers, and producers in independent film,” Lauzen said. “The percentage of women working as directors on narrative films has more than doubled over the last decade, rising from 15% in 2008-09 to 33% in 2019-20.” She noted, however, that men continue to outnumber women nearly two-to-one (66% to 34%) when all behind-the-scenes roles – directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers – are considered.
Read the report here.
Lauzen’s Indie Women study,...
- 10/15/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
When it comes to female representation, both in front of and behind the camera, streaming provides “substantially more” opportunities compared to its broadcast and cable counterparts.
According to the latest “Boxed In” report released Thursday by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, 42% of streaming shows featured a female protagonist — defined as the perspective that the story is told through — compared to 27% on cable and 24% on broadcast. On streaming, it was just as likely a show would feature a female in the lead role as a male protagonist, the latter of which was also featured in 42% of streaming shows; 16% shows on streaming were considered to have ensembles.
Across platforms, 29% of all programs featured clearly identifiable sole female protagonists, 37% had male protagonists, and 33% feature ensembles.
The percentage of female directors on streaming also more than doubled from 15% in 2018-19 to 32% in 2019-...
According to the latest “Boxed In” report released Thursday by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, 42% of streaming shows featured a female protagonist — defined as the perspective that the story is told through — compared to 27% on cable and 24% on broadcast. On streaming, it was just as likely a show would feature a female in the lead role as a male protagonist, the latter of which was also featured in 42% of streaming shows; 16% shows on streaming were considered to have ensembles.
Across platforms, 29% of all programs featured clearly identifiable sole female protagonists, 37% had male protagonists, and 33% feature ensembles.
The percentage of female directors on streaming also more than doubled from 15% in 2018-19 to 32% in 2019-...
- 9/10/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Original streaming shows in the 2019-2020 TV season featured “substantially” more women as protagonists than shows on cable or broadcast, according to a report from the Center for the Study of
Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
The annual “Boxed In” report found that 42% of streaming programming had “clearly identifiable sole female protagonists,” vs. 27% of cable programs and 24% of shows on broadcast. The study, which tracked over 4,100 characters and more than 4,200 behind-the-scenes credits, additionally found that streaming originals were just as likely to have female protagonist as male protagonists.
There were more creators, directors, writers, executive
producers, producers, editors, and directors of photography on original streaming programs than ever, with the percentage of women directors working on the most recent TV season spiking to 32% from 15% in the 2018-2019 season. Women directors of photography jumped to 17% from 3% in the prior-year season.
“The gains demonstrate that streamers are...
Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
The annual “Boxed In” report found that 42% of streaming programming had “clearly identifiable sole female protagonists,” vs. 27% of cable programs and 24% of shows on broadcast. The study, which tracked over 4,100 characters and more than 4,200 behind-the-scenes credits, additionally found that streaming originals were just as likely to have female protagonist as male protagonists.
There were more creators, directors, writers, executive
producers, producers, editors, and directors of photography on original streaming programs than ever, with the percentage of women directors working on the most recent TV season spiking to 32% from 15% in the 2018-2019 season. Women directors of photography jumped to 17% from 3% in the prior-year season.
“The gains demonstrate that streamers are...
- 9/10/2020
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
Shows made for streaming services are much more likely to employ women in front of and behind the cameras than programs made for cable and network television, according to a new report.
“The gains demonstrate that streamers are outpacing both the broadcast networks and cable channels in hiring key behind-the-scenes women and in telling stories from a female perspective,” said Dr. Martha Lauzen, founder and executive director of San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
The latest “Boxed In” report, now in its 23rd year, found that women reached “historic highs” as creators, directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and directors of photography on original programs featured on streaming services. The gains made by women working as directors and directors of photography on streaming shows “were particularly impressive,” the report found, with the percentage of women working as directors soaring from 15% in 2018-...
“The gains demonstrate that streamers are outpacing both the broadcast networks and cable channels in hiring key behind-the-scenes women and in telling stories from a female perspective,” said Dr. Martha Lauzen, founder and executive director of San Diego State’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
The latest “Boxed In” report, now in its 23rd year, found that women reached “historic highs” as creators, directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and directors of photography on original programs featured on streaming services. The gains made by women working as directors and directors of photography on streaming shows “were particularly impressive,” the report found, with the percentage of women working as directors soaring from 15% in 2018-...
- 9/10/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The arena of film criticism continues to look like a man’s world.
A new study shows that in early 2020, male film reviewers outnumbered their female counterparts by nearly 2 to 1, before the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the film business and movie theaters closed worldwide this spring.
Female film critics contributed 35% of the film reviews across print, broadcast and online outlets, up 1% from 2019, according to the report, titled “Thumbs Down 2020: Film Critics and Gender, and Why It Matters.”
Though the increase in numbers of female film critics seems marginal, the numbers show a marked improvement from the 73% male to 27% female breakdown in 2016.
Since 2007, the study has been conducted annually San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women Film and Television. Researchers, led by Dr. Martha Lauzen, analyzed more than 4,000 film reviews by over 380 individuals working for print, broadcast and online outlets from January through March 2020.
The researchers also...
A new study shows that in early 2020, male film reviewers outnumbered their female counterparts by nearly 2 to 1, before the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the film business and movie theaters closed worldwide this spring.
Female film critics contributed 35% of the film reviews across print, broadcast and online outlets, up 1% from 2019, according to the report, titled “Thumbs Down 2020: Film Critics and Gender, and Why It Matters.”
Though the increase in numbers of female film critics seems marginal, the numbers show a marked improvement from the 73% male to 27% female breakdown in 2016.
Since 2007, the study has been conducted annually San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women Film and Television. Researchers, led by Dr. Martha Lauzen, analyzed more than 4,000 film reviews by over 380 individuals working for print, broadcast and online outlets from January through March 2020.
The researchers also...
- 8/19/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
On Tuesday, Dr. Martha Lauzen released her annual survey of gender in film criticism. Titled Thumbs Down: Film Critics and Gender, and Why It Matters, it is the most comprehensive and longest-running study of women’s representation in film criticism.
This year’s survey found persistent inequalities that had profound impacts on how film is reviewed and provide a warning for what lies ahead as the industry reopens.
Before the shuttering of U.S. theaters last spring, male film reviewers outnumbered female critics by nearly 2 to 1. Men comprised 65 percent and women 35 percent of film reviewers in the U.S.
Unsurprisingly, the data shows that female-driven films and films directed by women make up a smaller proportion of the reviews written by men — 45 percent — than those written by women — 54 percent.
The study also found that film reviewers of color remain critically underrepresented. Just 23 percent of female critics are women of color.
This year’s survey found persistent inequalities that had profound impacts on how film is reviewed and provide a warning for what lies ahead as the industry reopens.
Before the shuttering of U.S. theaters last spring, male film reviewers outnumbered female critics by nearly 2 to 1. Men comprised 65 percent and women 35 percent of film reviewers in the U.S.
Unsurprisingly, the data shows that female-driven films and films directed by women make up a smaller proportion of the reviews written by men — 45 percent — than those written by women — 54 percent.
The study also found that film reviewers of color remain critically underrepresented. Just 23 percent of female critics are women of color.
- 8/19/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite widespread attention on gender disparity in commercial filmmaking, the six biggest Hollywood studios are set to release just 15 films directed or co-directed by women in 2020 — the same number as last year, according to an analysis by TheWrap. While the raw number is the same, one big change is what kind of films women are getting the chance to direct. While Disney was the only studio last year to have women direct major tentpoles like “Captain Marvel” and “Frozen II,” this year Disney and Warner Bros. have five big-budget franchise films directed by women: Niki Caro’s “Mulan,” Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” and Chloe Zhao’s “Eternals” for Disney; and Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984” for Warner Bros. “It looks probable that last year’s increases in the percentage of women working as directors may be sustained in 2020,” Martha Lauzen, executive director of...
- 3/5/2020
- by Jeremy Fuster, Brian Welk and Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Change has come to the multiplex.
In 2019, “Captain Marvel,” “Little Women,” “Us,” and “Frozen 2” helped usher in a banner year for female protagonists. Women made unprecedented gains as the stars in the top grossing films with the percentage of female leads rising from 31% to 40%, according to a new study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. That’s a historic high. Forty three percent of films featured male protagonists, and 17% had ensembles. The study defines protagonists as the character whose perspective shapes the story.
Moreover, 45% of female protagonists appeared in studio features and 55% were in independent features. That’s marks a dramatic shift from 2018 when females were more than twice as likely to appear in independent features as studio features. It’s also a sign that the major studios may be responding to public pressure to tell a wider range of stories.
In 2019, “Captain Marvel,” “Little Women,” “Us,” and “Frozen 2” helped usher in a banner year for female protagonists. Women made unprecedented gains as the stars in the top grossing films with the percentage of female leads rising from 31% to 40%, according to a new study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. That’s a historic high. Forty three percent of films featured male protagonists, and 17% had ensembles. The study defines protagonists as the character whose perspective shapes the story.
Moreover, 45% of female protagonists appeared in studio features and 55% were in independent features. That’s marks a dramatic shift from 2018 when females were more than twice as likely to appear in independent features as studio features. It’s also a sign that the major studios may be responding to public pressure to tell a wider range of stories.
- 1/8/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Women made unprecedented gains as protagonists in top grossing films in 2019, according to the latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report released Wednesday by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
The percentage of films featuring female protagonists rose from 31% in 2018 to 40% in 2019, reaching a recent historic high. 43% of films featured male protagonists, and 17% had ensembles. The study defines protagonists as characters from whose perspective the story is told.
In 2019, 45% of female protagonists appeared in studio features and 55% were in independent features. This marks a shift from 2018 when females were more than twice as likely to appear in independent features as studio features (68% vs. 32%). The percentages of females appearing as major characters and speaking characters remained relatively stable. Females comprised 37% of major characters, up just 1 percentage point from 36% in 2018, and 34% of all speaking characters,...
The percentage of films featuring female protagonists rose from 31% in 2018 to 40% in 2019, reaching a recent historic high. 43% of films featured male protagonists, and 17% had ensembles. The study defines protagonists as characters from whose perspective the story is told.
In 2019, 45% of female protagonists appeared in studio features and 55% were in independent features. This marks a shift from 2018 when females were more than twice as likely to appear in independent features as studio features (68% vs. 32%). The percentages of females appearing as major characters and speaking characters remained relatively stable. Females comprised 37% of major characters, up just 1 percentage point from 36% in 2018, and 34% of all speaking characters,...
- 1/8/2020
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Women filmmakers in key roles behind the camera, or “below the line,” saw an increase in employment in 2019, a new study from San Diego State University says.
Twenty percent of directors, writers, producers, editors and cinematographers across the top 100 films of the year were women, said research out of Sdsu’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. That’s up 4% from 2018.
In a survey for the year’s top 250 films, women accounted for 21% of the gender makeup, up slightly from the year before. In a final account of the top 500 films, the percentage of below-the-line women was flat at 23%. Though the gains are encouraging, parity is a long way off, study author Dr. Martha Lauzen cautioned.
“While the numbers moved in a positive direction this year, men continue to outnumber women 4 to 1 in key behind-the-scenes roles. It’s odd to talk about reaching historic highs when...
Twenty percent of directors, writers, producers, editors and cinematographers across the top 100 films of the year were women, said research out of Sdsu’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. That’s up 4% from 2018.
In a survey for the year’s top 250 films, women accounted for 21% of the gender makeup, up slightly from the year before. In a final account of the top 500 films, the percentage of below-the-line women was flat at 23%. Though the gains are encouraging, parity is a long way off, study author Dr. Martha Lauzen cautioned.
“While the numbers moved in a positive direction this year, men continue to outnumber women 4 to 1 in key behind-the-scenes roles. It’s odd to talk about reaching historic highs when...
- 1/3/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
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