Strong Women

I read Eric Harrison’s article regarding the scarce portrayals of real, strong women in film with great interest (“A Few True Things,” Nov. 29). Having studied the representation of women on screen and behind the scenes in film and television for a number of years, I would concur that strong female characters are indeed rare.

Recently, Women in Film commissioned me to conduct a series of studies on women in the film and television industries. The studies indicate that there are few powerful women on screen because there are few powerful women behind the scenes. A study of the top-rated prime-time television programs in the 1997-98 season found that when women work behind the scenes in powerful roles such as executive producer and writer, not only do programs feature more female characters, they feature more powerful female characters. However, women composed only 21% of all directors, producers, writers, directors of photography, and editors in the programs considered. Fully 80% of the programs employed no female writers.

In a similar study of the top 100 films (by domestic box-office gross) of 1997, we found that women accounted for only 15% of all producers, writers, directors, cinematographers and editors. Not a single female cinematographer could be found working on a top 100 film in any of the years studied. In 1997, women accounted for only 5% of directors in the top 100 films.

Further, our research found that there are no significant differences in the domestic box office grosses of films made by women versus men producers, writers, directors and/or editors. In other words, it just makes good business sense to hire women behind the scenes.

The film and television industries appear to be out of step with reality. Women make up 52% of the population and approximately half of the moviegoing audience. According to a recent Times article, they account “for 70% of consumer spending but only 32% of targeted advertising dollars.”

If, in fact, film and television executives wish to make profitable business decisions, then employing women is one of the most rational decisions they could make.

MARTHA M. LAUZEN

Professor

School of Communication

San Diego State University

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I very much appreciated your article about the way Hollywood depicts women’s lives. “Dangerous Beauty,” a film I saw six times and recommended to every woman I knew, and some I didn’t, is the most realistic view of a woman fully in touch with her heart, spirit and body. Of course, it was a British film, wasn’t it?

We just need more women of age--over 50 at least--to be in decision-making positions. I think it takes that long for a woman to fully realize the potential of her life in all its aspects.

CAROL MARSHALL

Orange

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Allison Anders is quoted as saying, “I very seldom see people that I relate to in the movies--men or women, or children.” That is one of the truest things I’ve read in Calendar in a long time.

Watching movies that exploit the complex adventure of living everyday life as a human being is the most moving, emotionally satisfying experience I have as a moviegoer, and it is far too rare these days. I would love to see more movies like “Living Out Loud” made. Is anybody out there listening?

JANE RUHM

Los Angeles