In Annenberg’s words, “despite all of the activism and press attention this issue ” garners, Hollywood has a very long way to go. When the creative choices in every area of filmmaking can influence the value of what we’re watching in the end, this is a huge issue. Yet, there is an obvious lack of consistency in these perspectives, given that the pattern isn’t replicated in the case of separating black directors by gender, let alone considering other minority groups in similar positions. That’s also how Annenberg can note in their report that black directors have become more visible over the last decade. More mainstream facets of the industry are embracing the politics of storytelling.
Without a doubt, the landscape at the movies has become far more inviting. If there’s one thing that this industry has taught us over the last few years, it’s that accountability matters but it can take a while to gain momentum. Of course, this show of solidarity and undeniably fantastic development among the ranks of Hollywood stems from bitter facts: nothing in the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s findings is particularly surprising. Systemic change starts with the individual.
???? you already KNOW I’m here for the #4percentChallenge. Who’s with me in working w women directors this year? I accept #4percentChallenge as a director, producer & alumna of HALF Initiative. Social media posts of support will likely keep spreading as word of mouth grows, as well, seeing as various proponents of the challenge have been actively tagging fellow co-workers to join in. Abrams ( Star Wars), and Jordan Peele ( Get Out) have since pledged to take part in the initiative. The likes of Kerry Washington ( Scandal), Brie Larson ( Room), J. Annenberg Inclusion Initiative January 26, 2019 She is moving the needle again! #soproudofyou!!! announces committing to 4% female director challenge. In particular, Tessa Thompson ( Thor: Ragnarok) was one of the earliest supporters of the 4% Challenge. It then picked up steam as many of Hollywood’s most popular filmmakers lent their names to the cause.
The 4% Challenge was initially accepted by directors Angela Robinson ( Professor Marston and the Wonder Women) and Paul Feig ( Bridesmaids), actress Amy Schumer ( Trainwreck), producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, and The Black List founder Franklin Leonard. The mission statement of the campaign is ostensibly simple: commit to working with a female director, especially a director of color, within the next 18 months. At Sundance, Smith also unveiled the 4% Challenge, which was created in partnership with the Time’s Up movement. In both above- and below-the-line jobs, the driving forces behind filmmaking as a whole have been largely “male and pale,” per Annenberg.ĭespite these disheartening results, Annenberg isn’t simply rehashing an ever-prevalent problem with no inkling of a solution.
#Savehollywood directory movies movie#
One of the biggest takeaways from the study is that women across the board - especially women of color - continue to be grossly sidelined in the movie industry. The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative analyzed 1200 of Hollywood’s biggest movies from 2007 to 2018 to collate the distribution of gender, race, and age among the top-grossing filmmakers of the last 12 years. However, there is no way to sugarcoat the statistics found in their January 2019 report, which was announced at the Sundance Film Festival’s “Making the (In)visible: Radical Transparency in the Data-Driven Age” panel by Dr. Yes, their research into the industry we love so dearly can be deeply unsettling. The Inclusion Initiative at USC Annenberg is, quite frankly, doing film buffs a huge favor.