Indie Women: Behind- producers, editors, and cinematographers were male. the-Scenes Employment of Women in Independent •In other roles, findings were mixed. While the percentages of women Film, 2019-2020 working as directors, writers, producers, and executive producers by Martha M. Lauzen, Ph.D. increased, the percentage of women working as editors declined slightly, Copyright © 2020– All rights reserved. and the percentage of women working ______as cinematographers remained the same. Conducted since 2008, Indie Women is the most comprehensive study of women’s behind-the- scenes employment on independent films Figure 1. available. In 2019-2020, all of the festivals included in this study posted their film selections Historical Comparison of Percentages of online, regardless of whether they held their Independent Films with Women festivals in person or virtually, canceled or Directors postponed their events. ______Women Directors Key Findings 40 30 •In 2019-2020, the percentages of 38 20 33 women working as directors and 29 28 29 29 10 22 23 Women writers on independently and 0 Directors domestically produced films continued to climb, reaching recent historic 2008-09 2011-12 2013-14 2016-17 2018-19 2019-20 highs. Women comprised 38% of 2015-16 2017-18 directors, up from 33% in 2018-19, and 29% in 2017-18 (see Figure 1). Women Figure 2. accounted for 35% of writers, up from 32% in 2018-19 and 26% in 2017-18 Historical Comparison of Percentages of (see Figure 2). Independent Films with Women Writers
•Overall, the percentage of women working in key behind-the-scenes Women Writers roles (directors, writers, producers, 40 executive producers, editors, 30 cinematographers) increased last year, 20 32 35 24 26 26 growing from 32% in 2018-19 to 34% 10 19 22 23 Women in 2019-2020. Despite these gains, it is 0 Writers important to note that independent films employed almost twice as many men in 2008-09 2011-12 2013-14 2016-17 2018-19 2019-20 these roles. 66% of those working as 2015-16 2017-18 directors, writers, executive producers,
Indie Women 2019-2020 1
•In 2019-2020, high-profile festivals in Figure 3. the U.S. selected and/or screened twice Average No. of Narrative Features as many narrative features directed by Directed by At Least One Woman vs. men as by women. The festivals Average No. of Films Directed considered selected and/or screened an Exclusively by Men average of 12 narrative films directed by Selected/Screening at High-Profile U.S. men, compared to an average of 6 films Festivals directed by at least one woman (see Figure 3). •In 2019-2020, fests selected and/or Narrative Features screened almost equal numbers of documentaries directed by women as by men. Festivals selected and/or 6 Male screened an average of 11 Directors documentaries directed by men versus Female 12 an average of 10 documentaries Directors directed by at least one woman (see Figure 4).
•Women continue to enjoy higher employment on documentaries than on narrative features. Women Figure 4. accounted for 40% of those working in Average No. of Documentaries Directed key behind-the-scenes roles on by At Least One Woman vs. Average No. documentaries versus 29% of those of Films Directed Exclusively by Men working on narrative features. Selected/Screening at High-Profile U.S. Festivals •Films with at least one woman director had substantially higher percentages of women writers, editors, and cinematographers. On films with Documentaries at least one female director, women comprised 73% of writers versus 12% on films directed exclusively by men. Male On films with at least one female Directors 10 director, women accounted for 43% of 11 editors versus 18% on films directed Female Directors exclusively by men. On films with at least one female director, women comprised 27% of cinematographers versus 8% on films directed exclusively by men.
Indie Women 2019-2020 2
Method Overall Findings for Documentaries and Narrative Features Selected and/or This study provides employment figures Screening at Festivals for domestically and independently produced feature-length documentaries •Overall, high-profile festivals in the and narrative films selected and/or U.S. selected and/or screened an average screening from July 2019 through June of 16 films (narrative features and 2020 at the following 22 festivals: AFI documentaries) directed by at least one Fest; Ashland Independent Film woman versus an average of 22 films Festival; Atlanta Film Festival; Austin directed exclusively by men. Film Festival; Chicago International Film Festival; Cinequest Film Festival; •High-profile festivals in the U.S. Cleveland International Film Festival; selected and/or screened twice as many Florida Film Festival; Hamptons narrative features directed by men as by International Film Festival; Nantucket women. The festivals selected and/or Film Festival; New Directors/New screened an average of 6 narrative Films; New York Film Festival; Palm features directed by at least one woman Springs International Film Festival; versus an average of 12 narrative Rhode Island International Film Festival; features directed exclusively by men St. Louis International Film Festival; (see Figure 3). San Francisco International Film Festival; Santa Barbara International •High-profile festivals selected and/or Film Festival; Slamdance Film Festival; screened almost equal numbers of Sundance Film Festival; SXSW Film documentaries directed by men as by Festival; Telluride Film Festival; Tribeca women. The festivals selected and/or Film Festival. In total, Indie Women screened an average of 10 feature-length considers over 8,000 credits on more documentaries directed by at least one than 800 films in 2019-2020, and over woman versus an average of 11 directed 88,000 credits on almost 9,000 films exclusively by men (see Figure 4). over the period of 2008 to 2020. •34% of the independent films The findings of this study are divided considered employed 0 or 1 woman, into four major sections. The first 43% employed 2 to 5 women, 17% section reports the overall figures for employed 6 to 9 women, and 5% women working on independently and employed 10 or more women. In domestically produced films. The contrast, 12% of the films employed 0 or second section provides the numbers for 1 man, 33% employed 2 to 5 men, 29% women working on documentaries only, employed 6 to 9 men, and 26% and the third section reports the figures employed 10 or more men. for women working on narrative features only. The fourth section discusses •Women comprised 34% of directors, important relationships between women writers, executive producers, producers, directors and the sex of those working in editors, and cinematographers working other key behind-the-scenes roles. on independent films in 2019-2020. This represents an increase of 2
Indie Women 2019-2020 3
percentage points from 32% in 2018-19, Figure 5. and a recent historic high (see Figure 5). Historical Comparison of Percentages of Behind-the-Scenes Women Working on •Women fared best as producers (40%), Independent Films followed by directors (38%), writers (35%), executive producers (33%), editors (28%), and 34 cinematographers (16%) (see Figure 6). 2019-20 66 32 •In 2019-2020, women comprised 38% 2018-19 68 of directors. This figure represents an 29 increase of 5 percentage points from 2017-18 71 33% in 2018-19, and a recent historic 28 high. 2016-17 72
•Women accounted for 35% of writers in 2015-16 25 Women 2019-2020. This figure represents an 75 Men increase of 3 percentage points from 2014-15 26 32% in 2018-19, and a recent historic 74 high. 26 2013-14 74 •Women comprised 33% of executive 26 producers in 2019-2020. This figure 2011-12 74 represents an increase of 1 percentage 24 point from 32% in 2018-19, and a recent 2008-09 76 historic high. 0 20 40 60 80 •Women accounted for 40% of producers in 2019-2020. This figure represents an increase of 3 percentage points from 37% in 2018-19, and a recent historic high.
•Women comprised 28% of editors in
2019-2020, down 1 percentage point from 29% in 2018-19.
•Women accounted for 16% of cinematographers in 2019-2020, even with the percentage achieved in 2018-19.
Indie Women 2019-2020 4
Figure 6. Figure 7. Historical Comparison of Percentages of Historical Comparison of Percentages of Women Working on Independent Films Women Working on Documentaries (Documentaries and Narrative Features) by Role by Role
42 35 38 34 33 Director 33 29 Director 29 35 28 28 23 28 22 42 35 35 32 25 26 Writer 32 Writer 26 31 23 23 22 28 19 44 2019-20 33 2019-20 40 32 Exec. 35 Exec. 26 36 2018-19 29 2018-19 Producer 27 Producer 21 31 27 27 2017-18 22 2017-18 47 2016-17 40 2016-17 43 37 44 2015-16 36 2015-16 Producer 36 Producer 32 35 31 39 2013-14 33 2013-14 39 33 2008-09 2008-09 28 32 29 31 27 28 Editor 22 Editor 24 21 22 20 20 23 19 16 19 16 16 17 17 Cinematog. 11 Cinematog. 11 11 15 10 12 9 11
0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60
Findings for Documentaries Only •The percentages of women working in every behind-the-scenes role on •Women comprised 40% of all directors, documentaries increased in 2019-2020. writers, producers, executive producers, Women fared best as producers (47%), editors, and cinematographers working followed by executive producers (44%), on documentaries in 2019-2020. This directors (42%), writers (42%), editors represents an increase of 5 percentage (32%), and cinematographers (19%) (see points from 35% in 2018-19. Figure 7).
Indie Women 2019-2020 5
•Women comprised 42% of directors followed by directors (33%), writers working on documentaries in 2019- (32%), executive producers (25%), 2020, up 7 percentage points from 35% editors (24%), and in 2018-19. This also represents a cinematographers (12%) (see Figure 8). recent historic high. •Women accounted for 33% of directors •Women accounted for 42% of writers working on narrative features in 2019- working on documentaries in 2019- 2020. This represents an increase of 3 2020, up 7 percentage points from 35% percentage points from 30% in 2018-19, in 2018-19. This represents a recent and a recent historic high. historic high.
•Women comprised 44% of executive producers working on documentaries in Figure 8. 2019-2020, up 4 percentage points from Historical Comparison of Percentages of 40% in 2018-19. This represents a Women Working on Narrative Features recent historic high. by Role
•Women accounted for 47% of producers working on documentaries in 33 30 2019-2020, up 4 percentage points from 23 Director 25 43% in 2018-2019. This represents a 19 18 recent historic high. 15
32 •Women comprised 32% of editors 30 26 working on documentaries in 2019- Writer 23 19 2020, up 1 percentage point from 31% in 21 15 2018-19. This represents a recent 25 2019-20 historic high. 27 Exec. 23 26 2018-19 •Women accounted for 19% of Producer 20 26 2017-18 cinematographers working on 19 documentaries in 2019-2020, up 3 35 2016-17 32 percentage points from 16% in 2018-19. 32 Producer 30 2015-16 This represents a recent historic high. 30 30 2013-14 28 24 2008-09 27 Findings for Narrative Features Only 26 Editor 22 21 •Overall, women comprised 29% of 19 19 individuals working in the behind-the- 12 scenes roles considered on narrative 14 17 features in 2019-2020. This represents Cinematog. 10 9 no change from 2018-19. 7 6 •Women fared best as producers (35%), 0 20 40
Indie Women 2019-2020 6
•Women comprised 32% of writers editors. On films with exclusively male working on narrative features in 2019- directors, women accounted for 18% of 2020. This represents an increase of 2 editors. percentage points from 30% in 2018-19, and a recent historic high. •On films with at least one woman director, women comprised 27% of •Women accounted for 25% of executive cinematographers. On films with producers working on narrative features exclusively male directors, women in 2019-2020. This represents a decline accounted for 8% of cinematographers. of 2 percentage points from 27% in 2018-19. Figure 9. •Women comprised 35% of producers Comparison of Employment of Behind- working on narrative features in 2019- the-Scenes Women on Films with At 2020, up 3 percentage points from 32% Least One Woman Director vs. Films in 2018-19. This represents a recent with Exclusively Male Directors historic high.
•Women accounted for 24% of editors working on narrative features in 2019- 73 2020, down 3 percentage points from Writer 27% in 2018-19. 12
•Women comprised 12% of cinematographers working on narrative 43 Female features in 2019-2020, down 2 Editor Director 18 percentage points from 14% in 2018-19. Male Director
Important Relationships 27 Cinematog. •Films with at least one woman director 8 had substantially higher percentages of women working as writers, editors, and cinematographers than films with 0 50 100 exclusively male directors (see Figure 9).
•On films with at least one woman director, women comprised 73% of writers. On films with exclusively male directors, women accounted for 12% of writers.
•On films with at least one woman director, women comprised 43% of
Indie Women 2019-2020 7