Taking Back the Industry: Understanding and Changing the Lack of Women’s Representation in Film

Taking Back the Industry: Understanding and Changing the Lack of Women’s Representation in Film

Film is one of the most popular art forms as it combines both visual and audio elements and tells a wide range of stories. From date nights to spending time with family and friends, people around the world are frequently consuming film in theaters and at home, and naturally attempt to relate or see themselves in characters and in the stories. Unfortunately, although there have been many attempts to inspire change, the film industry severely lacks representation and inclusivity in both on-screen and behind-the-scenes roles. This is a major issue, as diverse characters and stories bring a sense of belonging to audiences and help people to feel less alone about their identity and experiences. For my research, I try to get to the root of this problem and find answers as to why representation is still extremely low in behind-the-scenes roles in film, which directly affects the level of representation in on-screen aspects of film. I will use previous studies and industry history for the first half of my research, and then interview women in the industry for the second half in hopes of inspiring the start of lasting change.