Women of Cinematic Arts Manifesto
To Whom It May Concern:
It is no longer a secret that men control the entertainment industry. The statistics speak: there is a 5 to 1 ratio of men to women in the film industry and only 30.8% of speaking roles are women; the producers, directors, and writers of our favorite films and television shows, and by extension, the characters they create, are mostly male (New York Film Academy, 2013).
However, we cannot allow the statistics to stand on their own; the women of SCA must speak as well, as it is the new wave of filmmakers that will provide the catalyst for change.
The issue we would like to address is best demonstrated by a quote from Tina Fey’s hilarious memoir, Bossypants. Upon facing sexism in the workplace, she tells women to ask themselves: “‘Is this person in between me and what I want to do?’ If the answer is no, ignore it, and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work and outpacing people that way.” This advice may seem valid, not only because Fey is a prime example of its success, but also because women have become accustomed to fending for themselves. Yet, if each woman navigates the structure of the industry on their own, there will never be a collective strong enough to overcome its oppression.
The women of SCA have noticed a lack of a network and support system for female filmmakers, not only due to the divide between men and women, but also due to the divide between women themselves.
As the best film school in the world, SCA provides many amenities that build the SCA Network, with everything from the Office of Student-Industry Relations to inspiring professors who help students generate professional contacts. In addition, the collaborative nature of the programs themselves encourage students to create relationships with their peers within their majors. The women of SCA are not denying this strength.
However, not enough is being done to create an accepting environment for female filmmakers. Yes, the Women of Cinematic Arts is an organization that exists, but over the years it has become little more than a title. So, we are asking for our school’s administrative and financial support, and our peers foundational support, to help create and strengthen a visible network and support system for female filmmakers. This group would discuss inequality within the school and the film industry and how to rectify it, promote accurate representation of minorities in film, and create a network and support system for female filmmakers who are looking to collaborate rather than compete.
In order to create such a group, we are proposing a WCA sponsored SCA-wide film competition to kick off the fall 2014 semester. This competition will only have one main rule: all films will be required to pass the Bechdel test. This will promote realistic representation and equal exposure of female characters. In addition, as one of the first film competitions of the year, it will attract incoming freshman to the group. This will not only help reinstate WCA as an active and populous organization, but it will also allow the women of SCA to foster relationships with freshmen at the onset of their college careers. The hope is that this series of relationships will grow into a network and support system as the years go by. Of course, WCA will continually cultivate these relationships with meetings, discussions, and other events throughout the semesters.
The women of SCA believe that if such a group is created and strengthened, it can become a force for good, not only on the individual level, but on the collective level, not only within the school, but also within the industry. Please stand with us to make this vision a reality.
Respectfully,
The women of SCA
