This studio has been an invaluable experience for me, revealing the prejudice and greater institutional barriers women must face than their male counterparts in the Australian film industry. While it is no surprise that women are provided less opportunities to succeed in the industry, my anger and desire to combat such gender inequity has strengthened. According to the Gender Matters report, ‘women comprised 36 per cent of people employed in the film and video production sector and 29 per cent in the post-production sector’ (Screen Australia 2015, p. 4). This statistic is both alarming and discouraging to acknowledge, particularly as a young, female creative who is eager to work in film in the future. The report also reveals a lack of women in key creative roles, authoritative roles, as well as an under-representation of women-led feature films (Screen Australia 2015). The clear bias and gender imbalance prevalent in the Australian film industry is detrimental, not only for women working in film, but also for audiences who are being withheld from women’s films that promote female experiences, perspectives and ideas. As a multicultural nation, I believe Australian films should embrace diverse stories from a diverse range of people, including those from all backgrounds, sexualities and identities. The dominance of the male (and white) gaze on Australian screens fails to represent the true diversity of the community.
In my interview with award-winning cinematographer Bonnie Elliott, she points out how women are given less opportunities. She has witnessed the struggles of other female filmmakers, particularly how inexperienced male creatives are more likely to be chosen for a project than a female creative. While such discrimination is something she has not personally experienced in abundance herself, it is something she has frequently seen happen to others. Bonnie also emphasises that the statistics regarding women working in camera are poorer than other sectors in film – a crucial aspect to note as a female cinematographer. In an attempt to implement changes in her own line of work, Bonnie ensures an equal split of workers in her team, as well as works alongside the Gender Matters taskforce and The Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) to inspire change. Bonnie is an excellent role model for young creatives like me – she represents a successful woman who has fought against the status quo and has established herself as a renowned cinematographer, while continuing to fight for change as an authority figure and key decision maker.
It’s crucial that we encourage women to enter into the film industry, in spite of the statistics. It’s crucial that women are not discouraged to stop pursuing their passion in film solely as a result of their gender. It’s crucial that we prevent discrimination and gender bias that lead women to fail or have less opportunities to grow as a successful filmmaker. It’s essential to support, promote and celebrate female representations on and off screen. Women deserve to have their stories exhibited on screen, and we also deserve to watch unique perspectives from other women. The female gaze is vital in delivering female stories and perspectives that diverge from the male gaze. However, it’s also important that what distinguishes the male gaze from the female gaze is not seen as competition, rather they are equally important for representing diverse stories. As the Gender Matters report contends, ‘Australian screen stories should reflect the diversity of experiences and perspectives in contemporary Australian society’ (Screen Australia 2015, p. 3). How can we identify as a multicultural country without embracing diverse stories and equal representations on screen? While the statistics are disheartening, women are encouraged to contribute their creative visions and talents, allowing the industry to thrive and progress in a better direction.
In order to support women filmmakers, the Gender Matters report aims to address the barriers women face in the screen sector to create greater opportunities (Screen Australia 2015). However, I believe the disintegration of gender inequity in the Australian film industry also requires the need to acknowledge the talent and diverse work of female creatives. Female voices need to be seen, heard and celebrated. The overexposed narrative of women struggling in the industry (as well as any other industry) is superfluous and can be deterring the involvement of women in film even further. Thus, it’s important that we exhibit the diverse talent and triumphs of women filmmakers. We must acknowledge the obstacles that women are forced to endure, but we must also celebrate the achievements of several successful women. The Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) epitomises the importance of celebrating and supporting the work of women. The festival was established with the ‘desire to increase the visibility of both professional and nonprofessional women filmmakers and their work’ (Loreck et al. 2020, p. 159). It’s great to see MWFF using their platform to promote the talent of women filmmakers, ‘advocating for women’s authorship’ (Loreck et al. 2020, p. 161). Spreading public awareness of the female gaze, female stories and female talent is a fundamental part in breaking down gender discrimination. It opens up greater opportunities for women, while also revealing the capacity for women to succeed in the industry. MWFF is a source of inspiration for all. Mediums, such as MWFF, are integral in precipitating change in the film industry.
Producing Bonnie Elliott: Creating Alchemy in Film was a way for me to promote awareness of the talent and expertise of women filmmakers. My aim was to highlight Bonnie’s unique perspective of film and the unique vision that drives her work, earning her well-deserved awards and high repute. I felt it was important to accentuate Bonnie’s achievements and development into a key creative decision maker, a story that’s often unheard of for many female creatives. While she talked briefly in the interview about gender inequity and the disappointing statistics of the Australian screen industry, I chose not to include it in my short film. Instead, I hoped to inspire audiences with Bonnie’s passion for film as she speaks about her experiences entering the workforce over 20 years ago, instances where her voice and creative ideas are being valued by others, and the need for women to support each other in the industry. Women should feel driven to work in film because it’s what they’re passionate about, and not choose another career path out of fear because it’s a male-dominated field. Women are well-aware of the challenges we must face in every industry, but the success of women are not equally advertised. Hence, my intention for creating Bonnie Elliott: Creating Alchemy in Film was to emphasise Bonnie’s achievements and what that can mean for aspiring female filmmakers. My overall message is: if she can do it, then I can too. Bonnie is represented as a clearly skilled cinematographer with a unique approach to filmmaking, but she’s also an inspiring woman and role model.
In terms of my stylistic choices, I decided to edit the film into one long montage sequence. This approach allowed me to focus on Bonnie’s talents and her ability to produce emotionally evocative work. Pearlman’s (2009, p. 155) definition of a montage inspired my work, referring to it as ‘a particular kind of editing… to bring together images and sounds that are unrelated in time or space to create an impression, an idea, or an effect.’ She explains how a series of separate images are assembled to imply significance and meaning, creating a ‘very powerful experience of making associations’ (Pearlman 2009, p. 156). Layered with Bonnie’s voiceover about subjective cinema and the alchemical effect of film, the montage reveals what that process and method of filmmaking looks like. The montage of Bonnie’s filmography and creative visions is a homage to her talent and skill as a renowned cinematographer. Audiences are encouraged to admire the work of a woman filmmaker, perhaps even alluding to the female gaze. Bonnie’s talent consistently expresses itself in a poetic and emotionally evocative aesthetic. My short film aims to portray the female gaze, through Bonnie’s cinematography, as visually poetic, intimate and emotionally resonant.
If I were to improve my short film, I would probably ask further questions about Bonnie’s creative and technical approaches to filmmaking and how she embodies emotion through camera. While she talks about the unpredictable element of filmmaking for real, empathetic storytelling, it would be interesting to understand her processes in trying to achieve that intentionally.
Overall, I am happy with the end result of my short film. I believe I have created a film that can inspire audiences by showcasing the talent and voice of a distinguished cinematographer, particularly one who is female. I also believe my film aligns with MWFF’s intentions, which is ‘building a legacy for women filmmakers and making their achievements visible to the next generation’ (Loreck et al. 2020, pp. 163-164). I hope to contribute to the belief that women filmmakers are talented, capable and worthy of celebration, negating stigma that women are inexperienced. The Australian film industry is severely missing out on the talent they are perpetually denying, and I hope my short film helps reveal the potential of female talent.
References:
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.
Pearlman, K., 2009. Cutting Rhythms: Shaping the Film Edit, Kidlington, Routledge, ProQuest Ebook Central database.
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>.