As they prepare for careers as directors, writers and cinematographers in an industry that鈥檚 dominated by men, female filmmakers at 5X社区 empower and support one another through the
Assistant Professor Dana White, an award-winning independent filmmaker, created the student group because throughout her career, she has seen the importance of creating female-driven content and leadership opportunities in film. White teaches digital media production (DMP) in Kent State鈥檚 School of Media and Journalism.
鈥淎s someone who has spent my whole life in the (film) profession, I鈥檝e observed that women don鈥檛 always help each other,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 the right way to do it. I think women have to band together. That鈥檚 how change happens.鈥
Statistics show that there鈥檚 a long way to go toward gender equality in film and television:
- Women comprised just 21 percent of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020. ()
- Among children鈥檚 television shows in 2019, male characters outnumbered female characters in STEM professions 2:1. ()
- The percentage of female protagonists in U.S. top grossing films has been consistently below 40 percent and declined from 2019 to 2020. ()
Yet the cohort of 10 female digital media production students who make up FFI are beginning to make their mark in the industry through producing the short film, 鈥淚 Am,鈥 which premiered April 30, 2021 in a virtual event.
鈥淚 Am鈥 is the ideal film for this moment and for this group, as it covers body positivity 鈥 something women of all ages struggle with. And for many, the struggles have been compounded amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淚t was kind of the perfect film to produce,鈥 says DMP senior Ailene Joven, the film鈥檚 director of photography. 鈥淲ith COVID, a lot of us feel trapped in our thoughts, looking in the mirror every day. ... It鈥檚 important for us to stick together in hard times.鈥
鈥淚 Am鈥 is a mini documentary, with an entirely female cast, crew and creative team. It鈥檚 centered on founding FFI member and Kent State alumna Tierra Tramble, 鈥20. In the film, Tramble talks about her self-discovery and her body in a positive and poetic way.
Filming took place in September, amid many pandemic precautions, and Joven says, 鈥渋t was challenging to create documentary as good as we wanted it to be during these times.鈥
Yet they persevered and created something they are excited to show off to the filmmaking and greater community 鈥 in Kent, Northeast Ohio and beyond. "I Am" has been accepted to the . FFI was awarded a grant from the University Research Council to submit 鈥淚 Am鈥 to film festivals, and they hope this will help their work will gain even more exposure this summer and fall.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a subject that鈥檚 just so important. I鈥檓 so proud of them for taking it on,鈥 White says. 鈥淥ne of the things it says to me about young women, one of the things that makes them all uniquely special, is that they鈥檙e such giving people and giving artists. They chose something to do good in the world. They have a sense of trying to contribute to the world in a positive way.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the Female Filmmaker's Initiative is about. It鈥檚 not just about giving opportunities to one another and other women; it鈥檚 about lifting women up in particular ways.鈥
Senior Juliana Butchko, who served as producer of 鈥淚 Am鈥 says she has felt uplifted as a female filmmaker through her involvement with FFI.
鈥淎t the start, I wasn鈥檛 really sure what my passions were, but Miss Dana saw a light in me and my talents, and I thought that was amazing,鈥 she says. 鈥淎t the beginning, I was very unsure about myself, and I can see that I have grown. This organization has really put a foot in the door for all of us. It鈥檚 such an important thing right now because it鈥檚 a male dominated field.鈥
鈥淚 Am鈥 premiered alongside two other documentary projects FFI has taken on 鈥 one about female artists and the other about Black female business owners. A selection of female digital media production students鈥 senior projects was also showcased.