Writing Sample #1
For Women and Hollywood
TIME FOR FEMALE DIRECTORS & WRITERS!
WHISPERING TO DOORS OF HOLLYWOOD “OPEN SESAME…”
I am a woman with a MFA degree in film directing from an Art Institute as well as a Fulbright Alumni. I started making short films as early as Steven Spielberg started. Well he was filming his toy train set while I was filming with my Barbie dolls but same thing. I was also writing a story, casting my characters and making little films with my digital camera. I read hundreds of books and watched millions of movies. I went to film school made bunch of short films pursued my career in the U.S. I’ve been working in the industry both in my home country and in America more than 10 years. I worked in Television, movies, commercials, documentaries and music videos. I started my own production company last year. However being as talented maybe even more talented than many male filmmakers I haven’t made much of an income with my career. I wanted to be a film director because I’ve been watching Academy Awards since I was a little girl and dreamed of getting an Oscar someday. I was about to pursue acting however I changed my mind being a beautiful actress to do that. I decided to be a writer, director instead. In history of Academy Awards, I know only one female director so far who won an Oscar that is Kathryn Bigelow when she directed “Hurt Locker” The day she won was 8th of March International Women’s Day. I thought back then it was given that day somewhat to be “politically correct”. The film’s genre was a ‘war movie’ even though she made more outstanding films in the past in my personal opinion “Strange Days” should have been the Oscar winner. And when she won the Oscar, you know what people were talking about? Her ex husband James Cameron. [1] “I think I appropriated from those artists a sense of art, if you will, as playing a social role. I began to exercise a lot of cinematic muscle with the precepts I had learned in the New York art world. Film was intriguing. I began to think of art as elitist, whereas film was not. So I got into film and the Holy Grail was making a spectacle with a conscience — something I wouldn’t have been able to do without that background.” — Kathryn Bigelow
Now let’s take a look at female screenwriters, I remember Sophia Copolla winning the best screenplay original screenplay award for “Lost in Translation” You know what people were talking about more than her own success? Of course she was the daughter of Francis Ford Copolla. That makes me wonder…will I ever make it? I am not married to one of the best male director, producers in the world and I am not a daughter of a super successful filmmaker. Can a woman make it without the support of a husband or a daddy? Ok let’s look at another example Diablo Cody won the Best Original Screenplay with three other Oscar nominations with “Juno” which was about teen pregnancy and adoption. Remember what people were talking about afterwards? How she used to be a stripper…Now this year a Turkish female filmmaker is nominated for best foreign picture category with “Mustang” if she wins we’ll see what they’ll say about that.
What I am getting at is that being a female director is hard. Industry doesn’t open their doors and welcomes female directors. You are more than welcome if you’d like to do hair and make up. If you’d like to be an assistant, work like a secretary come on in. Costume and art department also filled with many ladies because beauty industry accepts women and they know by having women they will make money. However do they really want to see women lead? Whenever I directed films I had to deal with male egos. When I was working in a production company in Los Angeles and doing my job, I was criticized for “bossing around” no, I was doing my job.
Sometimes men act like little boys rebelling to their moms. But you know what? A woman can have amazing opinions, know how to tell a story, have the skills to make films and reach to the world. I agree with Ava because I tried behind the closed doors method. [2] “It was Gina Bythewood who told me, ‘If someone is just a pig to you on set, don’t deal with it behind closed doors, because you have to show the whole crew that you will deal with it and you will not have it.’ ” Ava DuVernay, Director (“Selma”)
Personally I came to a stage in my life, I am tired of seeing violence. I can say I do watch any genre of movies but there is one genre I can’t stand to watch anymore. This is a result of lots of testosterone and misconception of men’s belief power has something to do with violence. People on screen killing each other, according to me they are killing their own brothers and sisters as long as they are all human beings. That’s what I call “war” genre. I see most “war” movies as sort of propaganda. Coming from a female perspective, as we used to hear from the beauty pageants all the time and thought it was something cute when they said, “I want world peace.” This has a different meaning for me now. If I would be given a chance to direct movies someday, I would bring a new genre to life, which would be called “peace” movies. I believe the world needs more than anything some peace and quiet. Life is not about people killing each other but caring and sharing one another.
Against all the odds can I make it? On top of being a female director, I belong to other minority groups as being an immigrant and Jewish. If I can make it then it would give hope and power to other women to raise their voices and show their talents. Women can do way much more than looking pretty and sexy as pushed on them by the society. Once upon a time women used to be housewives and then we started working. A lot of women have successful careers now and they are more independent that is a wonderful thing. However film industry definitely needs more female writers and directors. Hollywood needs more diversity and women are part of that group. I believe we need to take part in the change of the world. [3] As Stacey Snider said “I — and I bet all the panelists here — truly believe that movies really can change the world.”
In conclusion, I believe women can be successful regardless of a man behind their back. My gut feeling telling me if only women believe in themselves and go for it they can shake the world. In the world there are a lot of men right now crying like big babies and women know how to calm down and quiet the babies with affection. Not saying all women should have babies and be mothers, definitely not. I believe that is a choice. However I think we do have that maternal instinct in us that gives us the power to soothe, calm down, and give love and affection. We’ve been sex objects for hundreds of years because yes we are beautiful and women have been muse to so many art pieces. It’s time for us not to stand in front of the artist or filmmaker and take directions but get on the other side, behind the camera or canvas and start painting pictures, telling stories and directing actors. I’ll continue on my path, writing and directing no matter how hard it is and if you’d like to follow me and join me you’re more than welcome. [4] World needs new women’s movement, show the world how talented and smart we are and naturally demand to be given same career opportunities and get paid equally already. That is the end of my feminist article asking for more equality for women in the arts and films industry. Open sesame…
[1] http://theweek.com/articles/462416/girls-film-insights-from-historys-greatest-female-filmmakers
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/movies/ava-duvernay-barbra-streisand-and-others-talk-about-directing.html?_r=0
[3] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/women-in-focus-panel-stacey-snider-nina-jacobsen-317572
[4] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/women-in-focus-panel-stacey-snider-nina-jacobsen-317572