First-Time Directors Report
Given that studio feature films usually have the largest production and marketing budgets, both of which are highly correlated to box office success, directing a studio movie is one of the chief pathways to commercial success. And commercial success is a frequent prerequisite for ongoing future opportunities. In other words, becoming a first-time studio feature director is a critical step to securing the next feature job. Thus we asked the question: are these currently limited opportunities (i.e. directing your first major studio film) equitably afforded to women and people of color?
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Main Findings
Our findings confirm that opportunities are limited for both experienced and first-time underrepresented directors. While women make up roughly 50% of the US population, and people of color 42.7%, these proportions are drastically lower across directors in the entertainment industry.
Good Work and Resources
This report from the UCLA College of Social Sciences examines the the top 200 theatrical film releases, ranked by global box office, and the top 100 English-language streaming films, ranked by total U.S. household ratings, in 2022, to determine the degree to which women and people of color are present in front of and behind the camera
This report from the SDSU Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film examines how many women appeared behind the scenes in the top 100 and 250 domestic grossing films in 2022.