In an era of exorbitantly big-budget<\/strong>, flash-and-bam action films<\/strong> that can be painfully predictable, it\u2019s easy to be weary of handing over\u00a0your cash to\u00a0yet another Hollywood superhero flick. Though comic book franchises have given us some solid entertainment over the years, more recently, these films have failed to deliver at the box office<\/strong> and on the screen.<\/span><\/p>\n But\u00a0DC<\/a>\u2019s latest Wonder Woman<\/a><\/em>\u00a0brings something new and refreshing to the table. With a 93% rating<\/strong> on\u00a0Rotten Tomatoes<\/a>\u00a0and the best box office holdings for a superhero film<\/strong> in fifteen years<\/a>, Wonder Woman<\/em> is not only solid\u00a0entertainment, it is also a bit of a unicorn! It is the first female superhero lead film to grace the silver screen in twelve years (since the disgraceful days<\/a> of Catwoman<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and Elektra<\/a><\/em>). It’s also the first female superhero<\/strong>\u00a0in both the D.C. and Marvel universes<\/a>. Even more rare is that it is a big-budget action film not only about<\/em> a woman but also directed by<\/em> a woman,\u00a0Patty Jenkins<\/a>. This is\u00a0rare because Jenkins is, to date, one of only\u00a0three women<\/a>\u00a0to have ever received\u00a0a budget of 100 million dollars<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n This is important to note because the issues of gender inequity in film<\/strong> are so severe that even the ACLU has taken interest. In 2015, the EEOC and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs began investigating and pursuing lawsuits against discriminatory practices<\/a> within major studios and talent agencies<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And this level of action should not be surprising, as the statistics that sparked the investigation are staggering. Each year, the Geena Davis Institute<\/a>\u00a0and the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film<\/a> release their annual \u201cCelluloid Ceiling Report<\/a>\u201d that documents the percentage of women in key roles on film sets<\/strong> in the top 100, 250, and 500 grossing films that year.<\/span><\/p>\n In their 2016 report, the Geena Davis Institute found that<\/a> \u201conly 7% of directors, 13% of writers, and 20% of producers are female<\/strong>.\u201d \u00a0Moreover, the \u201cCelluloid Ceiling Report\u201d studies showed that \u201c[i]n 2016, women comprised 17% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents a decline of 2 percentage points from last year<\/strong> and is even<\/em> with the percentage achieved in 1998.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to\u00a0be grateful for all the rights women have achieved since the suffragette movement and the subsequent feminist movements of the ’60s and ’70s. But these statistics show that, despite a rapidly changing world, gender diversity and equality in the film industry<\/strong> have barely progressed in the last twenty years. <\/span><\/p>\n And it\u2019s important not just to the industry but to society as a whole to get more women both behind and in front of the camera<\/strong>. Studies show<\/a> that women get more screen time when a woman is in the director\u2019s chair: \u201cin films with at least one woman director and\/or writer, females comprised 57% of protagonists \u2026 [yet in] films with exclusively male directors and\/or writers, females accounted for 18% of protagonists.\u201d \u00a0<\/b>Not only that, but male characters received two times the amount of screen time and<\/i> spoke twice as frequently as their female counterparts in 2015, according to Google\u2019s automated \u201cGD-IQ\u201d software<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is even more baffling about these numbers is that very same study also reveals\u00a0that \u201cfilms led by women grossed 15.8% more<\/strong> on average than films led by men.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0And another study<\/a>\u00a0shows that 66% of women said that they are likely to turn off the TV if there are not enough relatable female characters\u00a0on screen. By not making a greater effort to put more women behind the camera<\/strong> (who will in turn put more women in front of it), the film industry is missing out on capitalizing earnings, views, and buzz from\u00a0more than\u00a050 percent of the population. Creating more authentic female voices is profitable<\/strong> and good for society as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n But\u00a0when 50 percent of the top grad programs<\/a>‘\u00a0film school graduates are women, the water gets even murkier. Despite NYU’s, AFI’s, and USC’s programs having fairly equal gender representation<\/strong>, even on the\u00a0independent film level<\/a>, women do\u00a0not get the same number of opportunities. What is the cause of this disparity\u00a0between female filmmaking graduates\u00a0<\/strong>and the dismal number\u00a0of films they get to make each year?<\/span><\/p>\n The research reveals\u00a0that the numbers debunk the misconceptions about the marketability of female-centric films and the false idea that there is no female talent pool<\/strong> to pull from within the industry. Fortunately, as the word spreads, we are seeing a direct response that is\u00a0more inclusive to women and minorities alike<\/strong>. However, there is still plenty more to do.\u00a0The good news is that the first step in\u00a0taking action is as easy as kicking back at the theater or on your couch. Tell the box office you care to hear female voices. Go check out films directed by badass women<\/strong>\u00a0in theaters now.<\/span><\/p>\n But even more so, lean into actively opening yourself up to the idea of consciously (yes, this will take a conscious effort!) diversifying. Fill out your\u00a0talented crew and cast with more women and minorities<\/strong>. There are tons of resources and organizations online that can help you to do just that.<\/p>\n Try reaching out to\u00a0female film collectives<\/strong> in your area for recommendations (like SLMBR PRTY<\/a>, Sorta Kinda Maybe Yeah<\/a>, or\u00a0The L.A. Women’s Film Collective<\/a>, to name a few). There are also plenty of databases online, like The Director’s List<\/a>, New York Women in Film<\/a>, Free the Bid<\/a> (if you’re in the Ad world), and \u00a0CinematograpHERS XX<\/a>. And when in doubt, just keep your eyes peeled for us at your local networking events<\/strong>, on Film and TV Facebook groups, or ask others for recommendations outside of your normal circle of creators.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re a woman behind the camera, keep doing your thing. The road may feel uphill at times, but there are grants and organizations<\/strong> out there committed to supporting you. The Sundance Institute<\/a> has launched a “Resource Map for Female Filmmakers<\/a>” that has consolidated many of these.<\/p>\n Lastly, and simply, spread the word<\/strong>. Awareness is key<\/i> to change for any issue of inequality. Share this blog. Bring up the stats in pre-production for your next project. Follow the litigations, lobbying, and tax credit pushes<\/strong> happening that are working to systematically create a more inclusive industry<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/embed-590783c367c10.jpg\" "\\"Wonder")
\nImage via Warner Bros<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-14-at-2.11.20-PM.png\" "\\"Wonder")
\nImage via\u00a0Celluloid Ceiling Report<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-06-10-at-5.40.54-PM.png\" "\\"Wonder")
\nImage via Geena Davis Institute<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Paul_Sarkis_2.jpg\" "\\"Wonder")
\nImage via Beast Grip<\/a>\u00a0of director and cinematographer Reed Morano<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/1e7c207c-2aca-42f3-861c-920c289f80d2.jpg\" "\\"Wonder")
\nImage via Warner Bros<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n