Female Film Directors

[Supersmithy]

Hi, Like alot of people seem to be on this forum, im an A-level student currently in the process of carrying out a 'research study'. For this I have chosen to investigate Female Directors in British Film and am going to look into how popular female directors are today compared to in the early 1900's.



My chosen Hypothethis is: TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE RECENT SUCCESS OF FEMALE FILM MAKERS AN INDEX OF INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN BRITISH FILM?



I have looked into the ‘Celluloid Ceiling’ study, carried out by Martha M. Lauzen at San Diego State University, which compares the figures of women’s employment on the top 100 films of 1987 with those of 2001, and it can be seen that there has been only a 1% increase.



Does anyone know of any resources I may find helpful? anyone got any views on the matter they would like to share? anyone know of any female film directors that have made big impacts?



Thanks in advance for any contribution to my investigation.

[penfold]

There weren't that many women directors in Britain in the early 1900's... but sometimes you have to read between the lines; a lot of very influential women were around the studios then - but they tended to be married to the boss !! For instance; Laura Bayley, aka Mrs George Albert Smith, a very talented comedienne (Try and find a copy of Mary Jane's Mishap) but she also directed in the days of The Hove School, in the Edwardian era. Likewise Cecil Hepworth is one of the most famous figures of that era - but to what extent was he helped by Mrs Hepworth - who not only acted in but wrote some of his early work - is hard to tell at this range. In the 'Cottage industry' days, pioneer film companies really were family businesses - the whole family tended to help out; and as likely as not would remain uncredited.

The best work on this era is probably Rachel Low's multi-volume History of British Film...available from a library near you...

[plasticjock]

(Supersmithy @ Nov 22 2005, 05:00 PM)

Hi, Like alot of people seem to be on this forum, im an A-level student currently in the process of carrying out a 'research study'. For this I have chosen to investigate Female Directors in British Film and am going to look into how popular female directors are today compared to in the early 1900's.



My chosen Hypothethis is: TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE RECENT SUCCESS OF FEMALE FILM MAKERS AN INDEX OF INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN BRITISH FILM?



I have looked into the ‘Celluloid Ceiling’ study, carried out by Martha M. Lauzen at San Diego State University, which compares the figures of women’s employment on the top 100 films of 1987 with those of 2001, and it can be seen that there has been only a 1% increase.



Does anyone know of any resources I may find helpful? anyone got any views on the matter they would like to share? anyone know of any female film directors that have made big impacts?



Thanks in advance for any contribution to my investigation

A good place to start for students and researchers is The British Film Institute's excellent web site.

Here is a link you may find useful:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/filmtvinfo/gateway/c...meninfilmandtv/

[JamesM]

There are more female directors working in tv these days (as opposed to ten years ago).

[A Pemberton]

General question,Could the Grierson sisters in the GPO unit be considered as early film directors?

[samkydd]

(A Pemberton @ Nov 22 2005, 11:27 PM)

General question,Could the Grierson sisters in the GPO unit be considered as early film directors?

There are two sisters in our local GPO sorting office, but they're just re-directors!

[A Pemberton]

@samkydd

you will find the GPO no longer exists, its the royal mail now. I remember hearing about it on the news on my new redifusion wireless after listening to Family Favourites.



For all you who dont know Ruby and I think sister Marion Grierson directed films for the GPO film unit and its like in the 1930s .I believe it was the type like "Night Train"



screenonline: Documentary

[Jack Gurney]

Try investigating the work of Wendy Toye, who directed several works of note between 1952 and 1961- among them THE STRANGER LEFT NO CARD and the first sequence of THREE CASES OF MURDER. And would you adam'n'believe it, the old dear's still alive (aged 88) so if you're lucky you might even be able to contact her.

[Rob Compton]

Piece of useless info: the very first film I ever recorded from TV on my brand new Ferguson "piano key" VHS VCR in 1979 was Wendy Toye's "The Teckman Mystery", a pretty good Francis Durbridge thriller starring John Justin and Margaret Leighton. Still got it somewhere, must dig it out and see if its still playable!



rgds

Rob

[JamesM]

As well as Wendy Toye, you could contact Kay Mander who directed wartime documentaries but would later become a script supervisor working for the likes of Alex Cox.

[DB7]

Add Betty E Box (and Muriel) who must have been one of the most powerful during the '50's.