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| Women Make Movies! By: Emily Long The Celluloid Ceiling Study. Sounds funny, right? Dr. Martha Lauzen, professor at San Diego State University, authored this study in 2005 to show that women represent only 17% of all executive producers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, and editors in the film industry, and no significant gains in female participation have been made. Enter Women Make Movies. Founded in 1972, this non-profit media arts organization seeks to inspire and assist women to make films and is now the world’s largest distributor of films by and about women. The organization began with small-scale training programs, distribution assistance, and exhibitions of women’s films. As demand for high-quality, female-driven films grew, Women Make Movies (WMM) expanded their opportunities to include the Production Assistance Program, which puts on media workshops and provides sponsorships to aspiring female filmmakers, and the Distribution Service, which partners with organizations like museums, universities, and hospitals to disseminate women’s films. While some of WMM’s filmmakers are well established and very knowledgeable about the industry, the organization’s resources are valuable for the newbie as well. A series of workshops takes place every fall and spring, and topics range from Proposal Writing to Film Festivals to Tax and Legal Issues. Participants in the program have opportunities to screen “rough cuts” of their work in front of the WMM community and receive valuable feedback. In addition to the utilizing program alumni and local affiliated groups, WMM has also worked with dozens of women's organizations in Asia, Latin America and in the Middle East to support new International Women's Film Festivals. And, just to show how powerful WMM’s influence and support is, films and projects supported by the organization have been shown at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as worldwide exhibitions, and have won Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Peabody Awards, to name a few. WMM’s online film catalogue demonstrates the wide range of topics supported artists have chosen to pursue. For example, Carol Ciancutti- Leyva’s Absolutely Safe takes an honest look at the controversy and safety of breast implants, and Holly Morris examines the lives of women scientists and engineers in the documentary Adventure Divas: Science. Not only does WMM encourage female participation in film and bring quality media to the general public, but they also educate viewers about issues that are important to women worldwide. The WMM staff hails from incredibly diverse backgrounds, but all are committed to gender issues and feminist art and media. As a result, all works supported by WMM must be either directed or co-directed by a woman and must relate in content to women’s issues. Like AMG, Women Make Movies is changing the way that women interact with art and media. Interested? WMM offers internships for students who want to learn about independent film distribution. Interns can work in many departments, from marketing to design to distribution. In addition to hands-on learning, interns have access to WMM’s film archives and the potential to attend screenings and film-related events. See www.wmm.com for more details. |
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