We talked to one of the signatories, Academic Deb Verhoeven, this week. She was among many who were deeply disappointed with the gender mix in recent funding decisions made by Screen Australia. She said:
‘Gender equity is not a one-off program. It should be an assumed and enduring value of any public agency. Screen Australia obscured their data to declare victory in gender parity. It wasn’t gender parity then and it’s certainly not now. We’re simply asking Screen Australia to honour their own policy commitments.’
In less than 48 hours a letter with 200 signatories was organised including some very important names. This is the letter:
1 November, 2019
We write as academics and advocates who research, analyse and support the cultivation of a thriving, inclusive and globally important Australian screen production sector.
We are deeply concerned that Screen Australia is failing to meet its responsibilities to the Australian public. We call on you to ensure the organisation is held to account.
We refer in particular to the most recent funding decisions made by Screen Australia released in September 2019. These decisions show a significant gender bias:
- One hundred percent of the five feature film projects funded by Screen Australia are written and directed by men.
- Forty percent of the feature film projects exclusively employ men in the key creative roles of producer, writer and director.
- The ratio of support for men to women in these key creative roles is 2:1 – across the creative teams for these films, 12 individual men are supported in 16 roles compared to just 7 women.
Decisions released for the Documentary Producer program are only notionally better with all but two writer or director roles going to men across seven funded projects. Almost sixty percent of the documentary producer program projects funded by Screen Australia for 2019-20 have male-only creative teams.
Across both feature film and documentary producer programs men exclusively occupy writer-director roles in all but one of the funded projects.
These decisions are in stark contrast to Screen Australia’s stated commitment to pursue gender equity for the industry. By any measure, they demonstrate Screen Australia’s signal failure to effectively implement organisational policies, programs and strategies to promote an equitable and inclusive screen production industry.
We believe these funding decisions, in particular the conspicuously large number of entirely male creative teams, do not meet the agency’s legal mandate under the Screen Australia Act to “ensure the development of a diverse range of Australian programs.” Indeed, even more worryingly, the recent funding decisions appear to directly contradict Screen Australia’s own policies.
Screen Australia’s 2019-2023 Corporate Plan, signed by the Board and the Minister, states explicitly that:
“we need a vibrant, skilled and creative industry with an appetite for innovation. Screen Australia encourages quality, innovation and cultural value through programs that increase the ambitions, risk tolerance and diversity of Australian storytelling.”
The Corporate Plan commits to a numerical target for gender equity. On page 6, it states that “between 2019/20 and 2022/23, at least 50% of the writing, producing and directing roles in projects that receive Screen Australia development and production funding will be filled by women.” The Corporate Plan further states that Screen Australia will, “through development and production investment, promote a diverse range of stories and storytellers.”
The latest funding decisions manifestly do not meet this target. Indeed, across all funding decisions, Screen Australia is not close to achieving a target of 50% of writing, producing and directing roles for women in production funding. The true figure based on the September announcements (feature film and documentary producer program) is a third of funded individuals with men occupying writer and director roles in all but one project.
Furthermore, Screen Australia has adopted a concerning lack of transparency in its dealings with the screen sector and the Australian public. The underlying data on which Screen Australia’s gender targets are based is not publicly available. Consequently, there is no independent assessment of Screen Australia’s progress towards meeting its gender parity commitments.
It is in the Australian public’s interest that government statutory authorities such as Screen Australia are held to account by strong standards of governance that enable community oversight. At the very least, Screen Australia should seek to meet its own policies and corporate objectives.
We call on the Board to address its legal responsibilities under the Screen Australia Act (2008) to guarantee that Screen Australia is acting to “ensure the development of a diverse range of Australian programs” and that the agency is acting to “promote the efficient, effective and ethical use of public resources.”
We demand that:
- Screen Australia takes immediate steps to meet its own target that at least 50% of the writing, producing and directing roles in projects funded by Screen Australia are filled by women (in all their diversity). This includes an expectation that Screen Australia review its continuing practice of funding exclusively male creative teams.
- Screen Australia release its data describing by gender the writing, directing, producing and protagonist roles in Screen Australia-funded projects. This data should be released in a granular, computable format and not as aggregated data visualizations or percentages. It should be broken down by funding program and include total amounts of project-based financing. Data transparency and accountability are urgently required to support the agency’s claims that “Screen Australia exceeded its long-term Gender Matters KPI”.
Deb Verhoeven
Canada 150 Chair in Gender and Cultural Informatics,
University of Alberta
Sharon McGowan
Associate Professor
Creative Writing and Film Production Programs
University of B.C.
Board of Directors and Co-Chair of Advocacy, Women in Film and Television Vancouver
Bronwyn Coate
Senior Lecturer, School of Economics, Finance and Marketing,
RMIT University
Astrid Ensslin
Director, Media Studies
University of Alberta
Susan Brinton
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI)
Co-Chair, Advocacy, WIFT Vancouver
Michelle Mantsio
Coordinator of Visual Arts,
LCI Melbourne
Radha O’Meara
Lecturer in Screenwriting, School of Culture and Communication,
University of Melbourne
Paul Moore
Associate Professor of Communication & Culture,
Ryerson University, Toronto
Wade Kelly
Senior Coordinator, Research Impact
La Trobe University, Melbourne
Stuart Richards
Lecturer in Screen Studies,
University of South Australia
Mark Nicholls
Head of Screen and Cultural Studies
University of Melbourne
Simone Mugavin
Geelong, Victoria
Dr Marian Evans
#directedbywomen #aotearoa
Wellington, New Zealand
Alexandra Hidalgo
Assistant Professor and Co-Director of The Documentary Laboratory for Creative Non-Fiction Film at Michigan State University and Editor-in-Chief of agnès films: supporting women and feminist filmmakers
Michigan, USA
Maria Giese
Women’s Media Summit
Massachusetts, USA
Nat Hurley
Senior Director, Office of Interdisciplinary Studies and Associate Professor, Dept of English and Film Studies
University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB
Kirsten Stevens
Lecturer, Arts and Cultural Management, University of Melbourne
Deputy Director, Melbourne Women in Film Festival
Colleen Murrell
Associate Professor,
Swinburne University of Technology
Prof Dr Elizabeth Prommer
Director Institute for Media Research,
University of Rostock
Dr Davinia Thornley
Senior Lecturer, Media, Film and Communications Programme,
University of Otago, New Zealand
Vice-President (NZ), Screen Studies Association of Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand https://ssaaanz.org/
Beth Driscoll
Senior Lecturer in Publishing, Communication and Arts Management,
University of Melbourne
Robbie Fordyce
Lecturer in the School of Media, Film, and Journalism
Monash University
Katherine McRae
Director and teacher of Screen Acting and Directing, (at Victoria University, NZ Film Television School, Toi Whakaari and others)
Wellington, New Zealand
Victoria Duckett
Senior Lecturer, Screen and Design,
Deakin University, Melbourne
Sian Mitchell
Senior Lecturer, Film, SAE Creative Media Institute
Festival Director, Melbourne Women in Film Festival
Caron Dann
Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism,
Monash University
Sandra Phillips
Associate Professor, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research,
UTS
Maura Edmond
Lecturer, School of Media, Film & Journalism,
Monash University
Whitney Monaghan
Assistant Lecturer, School of Media, Film & Journalism,
Monash University
Belinda Smaill
A/Prof, Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Claire Perkins
Senior Lecturer in Film & Screen Studies
Monash University
Cesar Albarran-Torres
Senior Lecturer in Media and Communication
Swinburne University of Technology
Tessa Dwyer
Lecturer in Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Caitlin Vincent
Lecturer in Creative Industries
University of Melbourne
Kim Barbour
Senior Lecturer in Media
University of Adelaide
Peter C. Pugsley
Associate Professor in Media
University of Adelaide
Vice-President (Aus), Screen Studies Association of Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand https://ssaaanz.org/
Renee Middlemost
Lecturer in Communication and Media
University of Wollongong
Adrian Danks
Associate Professor, School of Media & Communication, RMIT University
Co-curator of the Melbourne Cinematheque
Casey Zilbert
Writer/Producer/Director, Industry Mentor ( EAT, NZFC, NZWG, Massey University, Victoria University)
Wellington, New Zealand
Sal Humphreys
Senior Lecturer, Department of Media,
University of Adelaide
Melanie Ashe
Sessional Tutor, School of Media & Communication, RMIT
Education Coordinator, Melbourne Women in Film Festival
Kim Yen Howells-Ng
Sessional Tutor in Screen and Cultural Studies, University of Melbourne
Vejune Zemaityte
Research Officer, School of Economics, Finance and Marketing
RMIT University
William Head
Lecturer (Practice), Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Amanda Coles
Lecturer, Arts Management / Employment Relations
Deakin University
Dr Elvis Richardson
Artist and member of www.countess.report
Tara Lomax
Sessional Lecturer in Screen Culture and Aesthetics, Film and TV
VCA, University of Melbourne
Patricia Di Risio
Lecturer, Media Studies & Journalism
Monash College (Monash University)
Aaron Humphrey
Lecturer, Media and Digital Humanities
University of Adelaide
Constantine Verevis
Head, Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Rachel Wilson
Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication
RMIT University.
Miriam Ross
Senior Lecturer
Programme Director of Film
Victoria University of Wellington
Eloise Ross
Academic Tutor, Department of Film and Animation
Swinburne University of Technology
Co-curator of the Melbourne Cinematheque
Stayci Taylor
Lecturer
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University, Melbourne
Therese Davis
Associate Professor, Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Naomi McDougall Jones
Writer/Actress/Producer, Women in Film Activist/Speaker, Author of The Wrong Kind of Women: Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood
Atlanta, GA, USA
Dr Claire Henry
Lecturer in Digital Media Production
Massey University, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Amanda K. Allen
Associate Professor, English Language and Literature
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA
Dr So Mayer
Author, Political Animals: The New Feminist Cinema
London, UK
Dr. Vicki Mayer
Professor, Tulane University
New Orleans, USA
Dr Jordan Beth Vincent
Research Fellow, Deakin Motion.Lab
Deakin University, Australia
Dr Alex Bevan
Lecturer in Communication
University of Queensland, Australia
Peggy Thompson
Professor Emerita
University of British Columbia, Canada
Board and Advocacy Committee Member, Women in Film and Television Vancouver
Carolyn Combs
Executive Director
Women in Film and Television Vancouver
Belinda Glynn
PhD Candidate
School of Media, Film and Journalism
Monash University
Dr Fincina Hopgood
Lecturer in Screen Studies
University of New England, Australia
Dr Daniel Binns
Lecturer, Media
RMIT University, Australia
Laura La Rosa
Student (cultural/screen studies) and Writer
Marija Antic
PhD Candidate
School of Media, Film and Journalism
Monash University
Polly Stupples
Lecturer in Human Geography
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Dr Cherie Lacey
Lecturer, Media Studies
Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Diane Charleson
Senior Lecturer , Media and Film
Australian catholic University
Jackie Wolf (fka Farkas)
Director of Photography
Cinematography Tutor
AFTRS
Polly Stanton
Lecturer – Masters of Media program
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University, Melbourne
Mark Gibson
Associate Professor – Communications and Media Studies
School of Media, Film and Journalism
Monash University
Julie Rak
Henry Marshall Tory Chair
Department of English and Film Studies
University of Alberta
Sean Redmond
Professor of Screen and Design
School of Communication and Creative Arts
Deakin University
Djoymi Baker
Lecturer in Screen Studies
University of Melbourne
Jared Orth
Teaching Associate
School of Culture and Communication
University of Melbourne
Dr Smiljana Glisovic
Lecturer, Cinema and Media
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University
Anthea Taylor
Senior Lecturer
Department of Gender and Cultural Studies
University of Sydney
Barbara Ann O’Leary
Catalyst, #DirectedbyWomen
Dr Marilyn Tofler
Lecturer, Film and Television
Department of Film and Animation
Swinburne University of Technology
Dr. Bettina Frankham
Lecturer, Media Arts and Production,
School of Communication, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
University of Technology Sydney
Liz Baulch
Lecturer, Screen and Design
Deakin University
Nonie May
Research Associate and Screen Studies Tutor
The University of Melbourne
Olivia Khoo
Associate Professor, Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Dr Mike Jones
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of History
Australian National University
John Cumming
Senior Lecture, Screen & Design (Film, Television & Animation)
Deakin University
Selina Joe
Co-founder
Pan-Asian Screen Collective
New Zealand
Dr Mary Wiles
Senior Lecturer, Cinema Studies Programme
University of Canterbury, Christchurch NZ
Cerise Howard
Sessional Studio Leader, School of Media & Communication, RMIT University
Co-curator of the Melbourne Cinematheque
Alexander Gionfriddo
Librarian
AFI Research Collection, RMIT University
Olympia Barron
Librarian
AFI Research Collection, RMIT University
Sue Hutley
Library Manager
Bond University
Kim Toffoletti
Associate Professor of Sociology
Deakin University
Angela Ndalianis
Professor of Screen and Entertainment Media
Swinburne University of Technology
Michelle Smith
Senior Lecturer in Literary Studies
Monash University
Dr. Donna McRae
Filmmaker
Senior Lecturer in Film and Television
Deakin University
Dr Noel Maloney
Lecturer, Screen Studies,
Creative Arts and English
La Trobe University
Ben Eltham
Lecturer, Cultural and Creative Industries
School of Media and Film and Journalism
Monash University
Wendy Haslem
Senior Lecturer in Screen Studies,
Director of the Bachelor of Arts,
University of Melbourne.
Dr. Patrick Kelly
Lecturer
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University
Dr Tess Van Hemert
Lecturer in Media and Entertainment Industries
School of Communication
Queensland University of Technology
Dr. Jay Daniel Thompson
Lecturer, Media and Communications program,
University of Melbourne
Research supervisor, Victoria University
Dr. Lucian Chaffey
Freelance Intellectual
Adelaide
Rosemary Overell,
Lecturer, Media, Film & Communication
University of Otago
Alexia Kannas
Lecturer, Media & Cinema Studies,
RMIT University
Rebecca Young
Lecturer, Media & Communication,
RMIT University
Ika Willis,
Associate Professor, English Literatures,
University of Wollongong
Joyce Seitzinger
Learning Design Director,
RMIT Online, RMIT University
Diane Burgess
Lecturer, Arts Studies in Research and Writing
University of British Columbia
Jake Wilson
Film Reviewer, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne
Liam Burke
Cinema and Screen Studies Coordinator and Senior Lecturer
Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Craig Batty
School of Communication
University of Technology Sydney
Dr Kath Dooley
Discipline Lead & Senior Lecturer
Discipline of Theatre, Screen & Digital Media
Curtin University
Dr Angie Black
Filmmaker
Senior Lecturer, Film and Television
Victorian College of the Arts
The University of Melbourne
Caitlin Johnston
Student, Film and Screen Studies
Monash University
Katrina Irawati Graham
Filmmaker
Chair & Qld Board Member Women in Film and Television (WIFT) Australia
Dr Phoebe Macrossan
Sessional Academic – Film, Screen and New Media
School of Creative Practice
Queensland University of Technology
Dr Freya Wright-Brough
Sessional Academic – Film, Screen and New Media
School of Creative Practice
Queensland University of Technology
Dr Stephen Gaunson
School of Media & Communication
RMIT University
CJ Welsh
Producer
Production Coordinator – Screen
Victorian College of the Arts
The University of Melbourne
Robert Stephenson
Lecturer in Animation
VCA Film and Television
Faculty of Fine Arts and Music
The University of Melbourne
Jodi Brooks
Senior Lecturer, Film Studies
School of the Arts & Media
University of New South Wales
Dr. Lisa Dethridge
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University, Melbourne
Natalie Warren
Film lover & Feminist
Carlton
Melbourne
Mia Lindgren
Professor and Dean Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
Swinburne University of Technology
Lisa Given
Professor and Dean, Research and Development
Faculty of Health, Arts and Design
Swinburne University of Technology
Sheersha Perera
Filmmaker
Sessional Lecturer
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication,
Nanyang Technological University.
and
School of Communication and Creative Arts,
Deakin University.
Mez Breeze
Independent Artist and Scholar
mezbreezedesign.com
Philippa Burne
Screenwriting Lecturer
VCA School of Film and Television,
University of Melbourne
Dr Doris Ruth Eikhof
CAMEo Research Institute for Cultural and Media Economies
University of Leicester, UK
Dr Brian Morris
Senior Lecturer in Media
RMIT University
Michael Koller,
Executive Programmer,
The Melbourne Cinémathèque
Dr James Meese
Senior Lecturer
School of Communication
University of Technology Sydney
Helene Granqvist
President
Women in Film & Television International
James Verdon
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Film and Animation
Swinburne University of Technology
Jenna Price
Senior lecturer
School of Communication
University of Technology Sydney
Associate Professor Susan Kerrigan
School of Creative Industries
University of Newcastle, Australia
Claire Bridge
Masters of Contemporary Art, VCA-MCM
University of Melbourne
Founder and Editor of Art World Women
Artworldwomen.com
Jack Newsinger
Assistant Professor in Cultural Industries and Media
University of Nottingham, UK
Women in Film and Television (WIFT) Australia
Advocates for women in Australian screen industry
The Board (10 members)
Dr Greg Bowtell
Lecturer in Games and XR
School of Information Technology
Deakin University, Australia
Andrea Buck
Producer,
Teacher of Business in the Creative Industries, Compton School
Board member WIFT-Victoria
Board member WIFT Australia
Belinde Ruth Stieve
Actress & Expert
Berlin / Germany
http://neropa.stieve.com/en/
Velinda Wardell ACS
Cinematographer
Felicity Blake
Documentarian & Impact Producer
Dr Bridget Conor
Senior Lecturer, Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries
King’s College London
Dr Tully Barnett
Senior Lecturer
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Flinders University
Linda Knight
Associate Professor, Early Childhood, Creative Practice and Digital Media
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia
Marsha Berry
Associate Professor, Mobile Media and Creative Practice
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
Alexander Hipwell
Festival Director, Melbourne WebFest
Lecturer, School of Media & Communication
RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
Philip Erbacher
Stills Photographer
Mark Deuze
Professor of Media Studies
Department of Media Studies
University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr Steinar Ellingsen
Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Communication and Media
University of Wollongong
Max Robins
AV Manager, Melbourne WebFest
Post Production Officer, ASSC College
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Briony Kidd
FIlmmaker
Director Stranger With My Face International Film Festival
Secretary and Tasmanian Board Member Women in Film and Television (WIFT) Australia
Maureen Engel
Associate Professor, Digital Humanities
University of Alberta
Honorary Research Senior Fellow, University of Queensland
Julia Erhart
Associate Professor, Screen Critical Studies
Flinders University
Kristen Settinelli
Engagement Manager, Melbourne WebFest
Jennifer O’Meara,
Assistant Professor in Film Studies
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Erika Addis
Head of Cinematography
Senior Lecturer
Griffith Film School, Brisbane, Australia
Liz Grandmaison
Student, Women’s and Gender Studies
Flinders University
Dr Kate Hall
Sessional lecturer – Writing and Literature
Deakin University
Geelong, Australia
Dr Ting Chang
Assistant professor of Art History
Department of Cultural, Media and Visual Studies
University of Nottingham, UK
Laurence D. Dubuc
School of Industrial Relations
University of Montreal
Professor Sue Turnbull
Discipline Leader: Creative Industries
School of the Arts, English and Media
University of Wollongong
Skadi Loist
Professor for Production Cultures in Audiovisual Media Industries,
Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF
Dr Masato Takasaka
Sessional Lecturer, Master of Contemporary Art
Victorian College of the Arts
Faculty of Fine Arts & Music
University of Melbourne
Rina Fraticelli
Founding Director
Women In View
Director
The Socrates Project
McMaster University
Charles Tepperman
Associate Professor and Head, Department of Communication, Media and Film
University of Calgary
Melissa Silverstein
Founder and Publisher
Women and Hollywood
Joanne Jacobs
Co-CEO, Disruptors Co
Industry Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Mark Gallagher
Associate Professor of Film and Television Studies
Dept. of Cultural, Media and Visual Studies
University of Nottingham
Jane Smith AM
former Chief Executive of the NSW Film and Television Office
Amber-Sekowan Daniels
General Manager, Women in View
Co-Author, Women in View On Screen 2019
Megan Riakos
Filmmaker
Founder & NSW Board Member Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Australia
Karen Wong
Filmmaker
Board Director, Women in Film & Television Vancouver
Canada
Dr Gemma Blackwood
Lecturer in Media
School of Creative Arts and Media
University of Tasmania
Ming-Zhu Hii
Filmmaker and Actor
2019 Director in Residence, Malthouse Theatre
Susan McEvoy
Executive Board Member
Women in Film and Television International
Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki
Visual Arts Trainer
Geelong, Australia
Ljudan Michaelis-Thorpe
Sessional Academic Griffith Film School
Producer/Writer Indidi-TELL Pty Ltd
WIFT Australia board director
Dr Jessica Ford
Lecturer in Film, Media and Cultural Studies
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
The University of Newcastle
Dr Claire Konkes
Lecturer in Media
School of Creative Arts and Media
University of Tasmania
Tammy Honey
Festival Director,
Geelong International Film Festival
Dr Alison Bennett
Lecturer in Photography
Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Working Party
School of Art
RMIT University
Joyce Morgan
Former Arts Editor
The Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney
Sophie Mathisen
Executive Director
For Film’s Sake
Sydney
Dr Shaun Wilson
Head, International Sales and Distribution
Bakers Road Entertainment
Melbourne
Maureen Bradley
Chair, Department of Writing
University of Victoria
BC, Canada
Ava Karvonen
President
Women in Film and Television Alberta (Canada)
Diana Sandars
Lecturer in Screen Studies, School of Culture and Communication,
University of Melbourne
Christine Willes
Director, Chair of Women’s Committee
UBCP/ACTRA
British Columbia Canada
Connie Brown
Director of Finance
Union of BC Performers
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dame Changer Board (8 members)
Heather Oxenham, Chair
Australia
Dr Phoebe Hart
Senior Lecturer, Film & Screen
QUT Creative Industries
Dr Sheree Gregory
Lecturer, School of Business
Member, Institute for Culture & Society
Western Sydney University
Leanna Bonamici
Founder & President, Palm Springs Women in Film & Television
Board Member, Women in Film & Television International
Esther Anatolitis
Executive Director
National Association for the Visual Arts
Dr Susan Cake
Lecturer, Film & Screen
QUT Creative Industries
Dr Marion McCutcheon
Research Associate
Digital Media Research Centre, QUT
Dr Kylie Andrews, Media Historian, University of Technology Sydney
