Why are there still so few women film directors and DoPs?

[Josefine]

Hi everybody!

I just read on the UK Film Council Statistics that in 2009 only 17% of UK films were directed by a woman. While that's not a lot it's still up from just 6% in 2007! Now that looks like a pretty good improvement over just two years but maybe 2009 was simply an odd year out?

What do you guys think?
Is the situation really improving? Or does the glass ceiling still exist?

And why do YOU think there still so few women film directors and cinematographers in the UK?

Is it because of sexism?

Or are women in general more interested in costume design as opposed to the technical camera department?

Does motherhood have a part to play?

And what do you think about the fact that Kathryn Bigelow has finally become the first woman to win an Oscar for Directing - but for an incredibly masculine film?
British director Susanna White was only able to make her first feature film after she directed some of the episodes of Generation Kill - an American Mini-TV series set in the Iraq war in 2003...

It would be great to hear your opinions!

Many thanks and Happy New Year!

Josefine

[Moor Larkin]

Is it because of sexism?

Or are women in general more interested in costume design

That's a cracker.......

Being a director must be a little bit on the geeky side? Obsessed with details and such..... Most geeks seem to be male don't they?

[Josefine]

Well I'm not saying costume design is what most women are interested in - it's just a question! Which arose from the fact that around 80% of costume designers in the UK are women... I just wonder if the percentages are partly down to the fact that not as many women as men want to become film directors or DoPs...

So when you say geeky - are you referring to the technical side of the job? And are you suggesting women aren't passionate about details?

Thanks for your reply!

Josy

[Moor Larkin]

So when you say geeky - are you referring to the technical side of the job?

I think so, but I don't really know what I'm talking about...

And are you suggesting women aren't passionate about details?

I suppose I was thinking women might just get bored with making all these people do what she wanted them to do and think her time could be better spent being more creative. Men tend to be more assertive and more determined to make people obey (as a generality - and in a large group dynamic) and I would *guess* those are two essential attributes for a director. Society is changing of course but many young women and men I meet seem to still show these differing tendencies - but I am not in the film business. There are others in here who actually have experience of all this. I just have an opinion from *normal* life.

[Kitty Whiskers]

Because the film industry is still by and large a Boys Club.