The place was The Grind and Gallery Coffee Bar in Vancouver, BC. Held on the third Tuesday of every month, no pre-registration is necessary. Hosted by Deb Sears, Actor at Vancouver Talent Management, it is organized by Women in Film and Television (WIFTV).
After 20 years in the media, Katherine Monk speaks her mind. Not that she never did before, but her recent participation at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) highlighted a fact that is music to her ears: In this male dominated industry, women in film are trending again.
Monk sees it as a third, and perhaps a fourth, wave of women calling the shots. Yet, concern lurks as women need to survive the crash through the infamous glass ceiling to keep narrowing the gap in gender parity in the media industry. So, what would a veteran say to a mixed audience of women seeking not only networking but mentoring?
The facts:
- In film industry circles, being a male filmmaker is not a questionable status, whereas it is for a woman.
- Women seem to make tactical errors leading to elusive careers.
- Success is all about optics: What you are projecting.
- Women need to own the entitlement of being as creative as men.
- TIFF saw a three-fold increase of female participants this year.
- Unlike previous years at TIFF, women entered more narratives than documentaries.
How to Dispel and Debunk the Fiction
On one side, gender inequity drags women filmmaking down and a film categorized as a “woman’s story” gets a lesser profit margin. Yet, on the other side, the majority of the theatre-going audience consists of women between 35-45 years of age. So, women should produce films for their own audience. Since women love stories about women, “Make Oprah stories!” Monk says, because “Success in visibility means nothing.” What Monk means is, do what you like because you will find a niche market. She reflects on the success of Precious, a dark story for women that has struck a chord at the box office.
Furthermore, after women make their first movie, they face a roadblock to the second one. Female filmmakers think they have to appeal to the same audience and try to make a similar type of film. If women engage in the story of their film, whatever the subject, their passion will come through and the community will follow.
Women have notoriously had trouble getting financing, an excuse that Monk now throws out. “Find capital yourself,” she says. Capitalize on new times, since technology allows films to be made on a small budget. Besides, on a technical angle, "even an eight-year old could cut a movie today."
The Female Ego in the Way of Creation
Insecurity seems to be innate to women. They ask for outside validation whereas their work should be about creating their own world. Instead of thinking about what might be expected of them, they should focus on a film-project that will stir their passion. Born to procreate, women should trust their creative instincts.
Monk gives the example of a lawyer disillusioned by her profession as she handles class-action lawsuits. She decides to use her voice and make a film exposing the scandalous nature of such cases. It became an independent film success because her, cathartic, passion came through.
A topic that had been discussed in a forum of Women in View was the competitive nature of women and their lack of mutual support. Monk echoes the issue once more by pointing out that another woman’s success is not a threat to yours and should, instead, be supported as a stepping stone.
Crisis in the Media and the Power of Networking
According to Monk, there was a major problem with Canadian media at TIFF this year because the industry is changing.
A journalist herself, Monk says that there is no future in journalism anymore. As a result, filmmakers have to cover all aspect of their work because “there is no waiting for someone to make a profile of you.”
On a personal and opportunistic note, the fact is that print publications only served the elite. Conversely, today, internet writers have the opportunity to give exposure to any deserving filmmaker. Whereas their medium is often being Google purged, professionally, it is for the best. In the meantime, writers for online magazines must be dedicated to a platform that features their skills.
Marie-Claude Arnott is multilingual, holds a B.A. in International Studies, and learned freelance and feature writing with the London School of Journalism. When she does not write internet content, she writes short stories, does translations French/English for the movie industry, and will write a book, soon... Networking is motivating!
Sources:
- Katherine Monk: Film critic and author
- Women in Film and Television Vancouver (WIFTV)
Marie-Claude Arnott - Marie-Claude Arnott writes about topics that interest her, from experience and with passion.
