Study finds 16 percent of female filmmakers in Hollywood worked on top box office hits in 2020

A new study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University found that 16 percent of directors who worked on the top 100 box office hits this year were women. Variety writes that the studios are now promoting female filmmakers due to demand for increased representation. In 2019, there were 12 percent women behind the camera, and a mere 4 percent in 2018. This year saw the release of films like the Nomadland ( Chloe Zhao ), which could be headed to this year’s Oscars, as well as Wonder Woman 1984 (Patty Jenkins) and Birds of Prey (Cathy Yan). Zhao has also helmed Marvel’s The Eternals , which has been postponed alongside Cate Shortland’s Black Widow . The study has been issued for two decades and for the first time also charted women’s employment on films included on Digital Entertainment Group’s “Watched at Home Top 20 Chart” from March through December 2020. Of all the directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers that worked on these films, 19 percent were women. This was slightly lower than the 21 percent found on top grossing films. Only 10 percent of female filmmakers worked on home films, compared to the 16 percent on highest grossing theatrical releases. While there has been a marked increase in female directors working with big studios, the same cannot be said for women working other technical jobs. In the 100 highest grossing movies, 28 percent producer jobs and 21 percent executive producer jobs were held by women. 18 percent of editors, 12 percent of writers, and 3 percent were cinematographers. While the number of female cinematographers increased by a percentage point, writers and editors fell by eight and five points, respectively. In addition to this, the study noted that films with at least one female director were likely to have more women in their crew.