My interview with cinematographer Bonnie Elliot was extremely successful – she is a lovely person and a great speaker. As she talked about her first-hand experiences and expertise, I was able to gain valuable insight into her career, as well as the film industry. With this, I was able to use some of the most engaging moments from the interview and turn them into three different microfilms.
Microfilm 1 (link)
As these microfilms are made in collaboration with Melbourne Women in Film Festival, I wanted to ensure my vision for creating these films were aligned with their purpose and cause in promoting female filmmakers. MWFF is based on a ‘retrospective program… [which is] integral to building a legacy for women filmmakers and making their achievements visible to the next generation’ (Loreck et al. 2020, pp. 163-164). Hence, it was important for me to make sure that my series of microfilms focused on Bonnie’s achievements and wisdom as a renowned cinematographer. This will allow audiences to be able to watch my films and celebrate Bonnie as a notable figure in the film industry.
Microfilm 2 (link)
As a woman, Bonnie has successfully established herself as a key creative decision maker. For microfilm 2, I really wanted to emphasise this fact to showcase her well-earned repute and expertise as a cinematographer. According to the Gender Matters report, ‘only 29 per cent of feature projects and 44 per cent of TV drama projects have at least 50 per cent female representation across key roles’ (Screen Australia 2015, p. 3). Although this is a highly disappointing statistic, Bonnie represents how she has fought against the status quo.
As she explains her story about wanting to shoot a scene in a particular way, it is evident that people respect her ideas and are seeking her creative vision as a skilled cinematographer and valuable member of the team. This particular microfilm aims to inspire female viewers by seeing a leading female cinematographer and a female key creative, which the industry significantly lacks. The fundamental message of this microfilm is “if she can do it, then you can too.” As a female filmmaker, Bonnie has clear power over key creative decisions in the work she produces, which is inspiring to be able to hear.
Microfilm 3 (link)
In this microfilm, Bonnie reveals how she has witnessed the struggles of female filmmakers, recounting the kind of inequity women face in the industry. She mentions how industry decision makers are more likely to choose male creatives than a female creative, which has created a distinct gender imbalance within the industry. French (2015, p. 4) states there is ‘evidence that men as well as women are interested in work environments where one gender or the other does not prevail.’ This links to Bonnie’s desire for such biased preferences to change. Hence, microfilm 3 serves to spread public awareness about the gender imbalance in film – there is a clear desire for change, we just need real action towards change. Through this microfilm, I aim to highlight the gender inequity that remains prevalent in the industry, and potentially inspire greater empathy and a need for change in audiences.
References:
French, L., 2015, ‘Does Gender Matter?’ in Lumina: Australian Journal of Screen Arts and Business, no. 14, pp. 139-153.
Loreck, J., Mitchell, S., Monaghan, W., & Stevens, K., 2020. ‘Looking Back, Moving Forward: Retrospectives at the Melbourne Women in Film Festival’ in Camera Obscura, Duke University Press, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 158-169.
Screen Australia 2015, Gender Matters: Women in the Australian Screen Industry, industry report, Screen Australia, viewed 16 April 2021, <https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/f20beab8-81cc-4499-92e9-02afba18c438/Gender-Matters-Women-in-the-Australian-Screen-Industry.pdf>.