Open Letter

H

Huy Vu

Veteran
A friend of mine forwarded this to me from her friend. It's an open letter in which the author talks about the challenges of getting a film made when you're a female director. She's currently seeking contribution to help her complete her first feature. I thought it was a well-written and particularly moving read, and even though I'm not in a position to contribute right now, I thought I would share it here.

http://www.thierproductions.com/sit...les/an_open_letter_from_a_female_director.pdf
 
Well she has an interesting idea. I disagree on a few levels personally. Maybe because there is a generation gap. But maybe also because female writers have made moves. Juno, Erin Brockovich and In Her Shoes, When Harry Met Sally, Thelma and Louise, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, (though I stopped watching that one. It was terrible). I personally know three female writers who worked in TV as a staff writers for a long time. And I know a huge amount of females trying to break in. And out of that group there are some with real talent.

I think the industry is slanted, but I don't believe she can't get her scripts made because she is a female. But, that's my view on it.

Best of luck to her though.
 
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She should take a look at what Faith Granger is doing with Deuce of Spades. This is the approach for any aspiring filmmaker to take.

The "poor me" thing just tells me someone is spending to much time listening to that stupid voice in their head. If the husband is so supportive then sell the house. There's your financing. Now go make your movie.

Looking for something or someone else to blame means not taking personal responsibility for your life.

Faith is living powerfully into the future by being a filmmaker. She inspires and motivates others around her, me included.
 
On my present show, our Executive Producer plus four of our Producers are women, along with three of our department heads. Two of the senior people in my own department are women. The last two Production Designers with whom I interviewed are women. I know and work with women as Network Execs, Production and Development Execs, Directors, Producers, Writers and in every production department.

On the other hand, I also know a good many aspiring and successful screenwriters, any one of whom at one point or another could have (or will) write a more-or-less identical letter to the one linked - and the people I'm thinking of are all men.

There is nothing unusual about I do this great work which everyone praises and raves over and yet I haven't made the sales or received the recognition that suggests I should receive. That's a matter of one's choice of career field, not a matter of one's gender.

If a major studio exec had a screenplay on his or her desk that all agreed was going to turn in a blockbuster performance and make careers, do we believe that it would get red-lit because a woman's name was on the by-line? I don't really think so.

Does anyone else?
 
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craigbowman said:
She should take a look at what Faith Granger is doing with Deuce of Spades. This is the approach for any aspiring filmmaker to take.

The "poor me" thing just tells me someone is spending to much time listening to that stupid voice in their head. If the husband is so supportive then sell the house. There's your financing. Now go make your movie.

Looking for something or someone else to blame means not taking personal responsibility for your life.

Faith is living powerfully into the future by being a filmmaker. She inspires and motivates others around her, me included.
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Absoutely, Craig. I had the privilege of briefly helping Faith out with her 35mm Adapter Setup (like five minutes! I feel special!). She rocks so very very hard for what she's doing.
 
craigbowman said:
Faith is living powerfully into the future by being a filmmaker. She inspires and motivates others around her, me included.
Click to expand...

Not to start anything, but I believe that is what this person is doing by trying to get financing together for her film.
 
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