Women of Cinematic Arts aims to combat film gender gap

After winning the 2018 Academy Award for Best Actress, Frances McDormand’s speech aimed to shed light on the film industry’s lack of diversity. She urged all other female nominees to stand up and reminded the audience that every woman standing had stories to tell and projects that needed funding.

Her words resonated with those whose work reminds them every day of the need for fair representation in Hollywood, including USC Women of Cinematic Arts President Tara Shivkumar.

“It’s really nice to finally see that there has been a moment in time where women are actually being taken seriously,” Shivkumar said. “We are using that time to make as much change as we can.”

Founded in 2005 by students, faculty and alumni, the Women of Cinematic Arts aims to combat the gender gap in the film industry by tackling it first at the academic level.

By hosting events on campus such as networking workshops and panels featuring industry experts to provide a platform for female voices, WCA hopes to build a diverse, creative community within the classroom and beyond. WCA invites guests and panelist to provide their diverse perspectives, including but not exclusive to women-specific issues in the film industry.

“This is a community of women, and all we want to do is lift each other up, and give each other power and respect each other as artists,” WCA Vice President Lauren Foley said. “When you create that space, people will empower one another.”

The organization is open to students of all backgrounds, not just women or cinematic arts majors. For example, Foley is a narrative studies major and a cinematic arts minor. Students of all majors have a chance to build rapports and take advantage of professional opportunities as a part of WCA.

To increase female representation at the student level, WCA hosts an annual Feminist Media Festival, an opportunity for students to submit films to be screened by industry professionals. Last year’s inaugural FMF featured panelists from companies including International Creative Management Partners, Miramax, Legendary and Sundance.

According to the event’s website, FMF is open to all USC students, regardless of gender or program. All submissions must have at least a 50 percent female production crew, and pass tests that concern the portrayal of women characters. The closing ceremony is scheduled for this Sunday in the Ray Stark Theater from 1 to 3 p.m.

In previous semesters, WCA has invited high profile guests including Haifaa al-Mansour, the first female Saudi filmmaker; Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming at TNT; and Maria Jacquemetton, executive producer of AMC’s Mad Men.

Shivkumar said the most rewarding part of FMF is the platform it provides participants for future employment. Last year, one student creator was offered an entry-level position in the industry for ICM Partners after a judge viewed her film at the screening.

“If I put certain people in a room together at the right moment in time, that kind of magic can happen,” Shivkumar said.

According to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, only one percent of films in 2017 employed 10 or more women in production jobs, in contrast to 70 percent of films employing 10 or more men.

“I think the issue is really systemic,” Foley said. “People might be tired of the conversation, but there is a reason it’s still happening.”

Both the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements have been monumental in bringing attention to the systemic issues of sexual harassment and workplace inequality. Foley believes this year’s film award shows were somewhat of a catalyst in sparking a defining movement in women’s representation in Hollywood.

“The Golden Globes were a huge moment for me because it feels like there’s change,” Foley said. “Anytime it feels like there’s someone standing up for something that you feel so inherently, that you’ve been taught to deescalate and ignore, is amazing.”

Names like Harvey Weinstein,  Kevin Spacey and countless others in media, entertainment and the government are now part of a growing list of men in power accused of sexual harassment.

“Raising the awareness and consciousness of men needs to be the priority because that’s the only way we’re going to figure out and fix all of this,” Shivkumar said.

Even as media attention around the #MeToo movement dwindles, the Women of Cinematic Arts will continue to march on and advocate for equality in their industry, hoping to inspire those in other fields of work to rise up and do the same.

“It’s not about putting men down or separating us into categories and identities,” Shivkumar said. “It’s about basic human empathy and understanding that we have to adjust the world to meet everybody’s needs.”