Advocacy - Women's Employment in Film 2004

Executive Summary

The Celluloid Ceiling:

Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women
in the Top 250 Films of 2004 

Martha M. Lauzen, Ph.D.,
School of Communication, San Diego State University,
San Diego, CA  92182
Phone: 619.594.6301
 Copyright © 2005 -- All rights reserved.

Over the last four years, the percentage of women working as directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors on the top 250 domestic grossing films has declined from 19% in 2001 to 16% in 2004.

Women comprised only 5% of directors in 2004.  This represents a decline of 6 percentage points since 2000 when women accounted for 11% of all directors.  In other words, in 2004 the percentage of women directors was slightly less than half the percentage in 2000.

The following summary provides employment figures for behind-the-scenes women working on the top 250 domestic grossing films of 2004.  It also provides a historical perspective on the employment of behind-the-scenes women, comparing 2004 figures with those from the last 7 years.

Findings

• This study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of 2,305 individuals working on the top 250 domestic grossing films (foreign films omitted) of 2004 with combined domestic box office grosses of approximately $8.4 billion.

• Women comprised 16% of all executive producers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 grossing films of 2004.  This represents a slight decline from 17% in 2003 (see Figure 1).

• Twenty one percent (21%) of the films released in 2004 employed no women directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, or editors.  Not a single film failed to employ a man in at least one of these roles.

• A historical comparison of women’s employment on the top 250 films in 2004 and 1998 reveals that the percentage of women directors has declined dramatically, whereas the percentage of women editors has experienced a moderate decline.  The percentages of women writers and cinematographers have declined slightly.  The percentage of women executive producers has increased slightly whereas the percentage of women producers has remained stable (see Figure 2).

• Women comprised 19% of all executive producers working on the top 250 films of 2004.   Sixty three percent (63%) of the films had no female executive producers. 

• Women accounted for 24% of all producers working on the top 250 films of 2004.  Thirty nine percent (39%) of the films had no female producers.

• Women comprised 5% of all directors working on the top 250 films of 2004. Ninety five percent (95%) of the films had no female directors.

• Women accounted for 12% of writers working on the top 250 films of 2004. Eighty two percent (82%) of the films had no female writers.

• Women accounted for 16% of all editors working on the top 250 films of 2004.  Eighty percent (80%) of the films had no female editors. Women comprised 3% of all cinematographers working on the top 250 films of 2004. Ninety seven percent (97%) of the films had no female cinematographers. 

• By genre, women were most likely to work on romantic comedies and romantic dramas and least likely to work on horror and action adventure features.  Women comprised 31% of individuals working on romantic dramas, followed by 30% on romantic comedies, 22% of documentaries, 17% on dramas, 16% on comedy/dramas and 16% on sci-fi features, 15% on animated features, 14% on comedies, 9% on action adventure features, and 4% on horror features.

Figure 1.  Historical Comparison of Percentages of Women Working in Key Behind-the-Scenes Roles* 

 *The above graph includes directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers      

Figure 2.  Historical Comparison of Percentage of Women Employed Behind the Scenes on Top 250 Films by Role