The world is not an equal place. Especially for women.
I came across the Writers Guild of America’s list of 101 best screenplays of all time. It was done in 2005, and it is a very interesting list. (Entire list can be found at here on the WGA site.)
According to the US Census Bureau, 50.8% of the US population is female (2010 statistic). That’s to be expected, since we all know pretty much half of the population is female, and usually has been.
Yet of the 101 screenplays deemed “best” by the WGA, only 6 of them were written, or co-written, by women.
It’s a Wonderful Life: Co-written by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett & Frank Capra.
Wizard of Oz: Co-written by Noel Langley and Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf.
Singin’ in the Rain: Co-written by Betty Comden & Adolph Green.
Thelma & Louise: Written by Callie Khouri
Thelma & Louise: Written by Callie Khouri
When Harry Met Sally: Written by Nora Ephron
E.T.: Written by Melissa Mathison
§ It made me wonder. I know there are a lot of fabulous female writers, so why are they not evident in the entertainment business? And could that explain why there seemed to be a lot more good male roles available than there are female ones?
I did further research and came across a 2011 article titled “Female Filmmakers Need Not Apply: USC Study Reveals Staggering Hollywood Gender Gap — Response by Screenwriter Cheryl McKay Price.“
You should read the article. It talks about a study done in 2008 that found that men outnumbered women 5 to 1 among the 5,000 most influential roles. It goes on to say that only “8% of directors, 13.6% of writers, and 19.1% of producers are female.”
Yet, women make up more than half of the population. It makes you think, doesn’t it?