Do you think female directors are penalized by the Hollywood system?

Question

The question above is my title for my A2 piece of course for Media Studies this year (2008).

It is basically asking whether female directors get the same chance as male directors to directed big budget mainstream Hollywood films because I have noticed that most famous women directed films are low budget and artistic, and if women don't get the same chance and therefore are penalized by the Hollywood system then why?

Thanks in advance for your answers. Tom.

Answer 1

Great question Tom.

If you said to any cinema goer - 'Name a female director', I bet they would have trouble naming one. Perhaps a survey like that might be a good starting point?

I think that this definitely an issue, which goes hand-in-hand with the point that very few Hollywood blockbusters feature a female lead.

I hope your paper goes well.