Changing Hollywood

One of the major injustices in the media world today is the disparity of women behind the camera. According to Fandor, women only consist of 5% of directors, which is actually down from 9% in 1998. In the 85 year history of the Academy Awards, only four women have been nominated for best director. In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow was the first, and only women to ever win an Oscar for Best Director. And although women comprise a decent percentage of independent directors (from 2002-2012 women made up 23.9% of the directors at Sundance), but only make up 4.4% of the directors of the top 100 box office films.

One organization working to change this alarming trend is Grassroots Feminism. 

Grassroots Feminism: Building a transnational community towards participatory culture and civic engagementThe preconception of youth, and in particular of girls and young women, as culturally unproductive and as passive consumers of mass culture and media is still very much ingrained today. However, girls and young women are capable cultural producers who create a wide variety of their own films, music, media, and festivals. To gain insight into and to document the cultural spaces girls and young women create and the meaning they have, it is vital to look closely at their own cultural spaces - and not only at media produced for them (which is done more frequently).

One of the topics discussed in class was Hollywood's idea of women's role in media. It is clear that the powers in Hollywood see women as media consumers and nothing more. As the trends show, women are not respected nor given opportunities to succeed. Organizations like Grassroots Feminism give young female film makers a platform to prove them wrong.

Not only film makers, Grassroots Feminism, is helping young female media makers, no matter what platform it is. From documentary's to blogs and music to photography, this Austria based organization has been helping media makers since 2008. However, with just over 1300 registered users worldwide, and organization like this can only do so much. Founded by 4 Austrian scholars, this organization doesn't have the impact it should. Unless organizations like this garner the support of the worldwide feminist community, Hollywood will not change.

You can learn more about Grassroots Feminism and Donate here:

http://www.grassrootsfeminism.net/

Sources:

http://www.grassrootsfeminism.net/cms/category/10/96

http://www.fandor.com/press/infographics/where-are-the-women-directors.pdf

Hooks, Bell. "Making Movie Magic." Introduction. Reel to Real. London: Routledge, 1997. 1-5. Print.