We tend to relate to what we see in the media. If it is a film we are watching we instantly find a character that we build a connection with. We get emotional while watching movies because of the strong connections we make. The story that is being told throughout the movie feels somewhat similar to the "story" which is our own lives. How can a diverse population relate to media if there isn't much diversity in media? In "Debra Zimmerman and Women Make Movies" by Judith Redding and Victoria A. Brownworth they discuss "A major problem, even today, is convincing men that films by and about women are important." They go on to tell a story about a screening of a film where a man in the audience asks how come the focus of the film was about women? Zimmerman explains that this is precisely the issue. Men are the ones at the top and are the ones "who decide whether the film (shows for) two nights or three nights or a week."
For this assignment, conveying an understanding of women and minorities in the media industry, I decided to focus on a friend of mine who is a woman and a minority. Woo Lovinger is a Korean filmmaker, writer and director. Woo attended UCSB,The University of California, Santa Barbara. Where she studied film and media. When I met Woo in New York, I could already tell this girl is first of all, extremely intelligent and second of all one of the biggest hustlers I know. She did what every college graduate does, make moves towards what you want to do for a living.
After gaining a name here in New York and feeling confident in her work ethic, drive and talent, Woo decided to move to Los Angeles to start her own production company, Catstein Pictures, along with two other very talented filmmakers. Until this assignment and even this class, I never looked at Woo as a minority and that the fact that she is a women in media and that making it in this industry is more of a challenge because of her gender. Woo and Catstein Pictures have been together for almost a year and have already won first and second place in two major festivals for their short film "Silent Music."
I found this great interview by The Strip View Live with Pat Lynch at Blog World & New Media Expo 09' who is promoting Women in Broadcasting in hopes of creating a larger voice for women in media.
Citations:
Bell Hooks: Reel to Real
Judith Redding and Victoria A. Brownworth: Debra Zimmerman and Women Make Movies
Catstein Pictures Website: http://www.catsteinpics.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHVr6daK3fE
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