Gender equality initiative Primetime has launched ‘Primetime Pledges’, which is aiming to tackle gender imbalance behind the camera.
The initiative was launched at the BSC Expo by Primetime, which is a global visibility platform for working above and below the line behind the camera.
Their first focus in a series of upcoming ‘pledges’ across the industry is to focus on women who work in camera departments. Associations who have signed up have pledged to work with a Primetime member in the next 12-18 months. CEO and Founder of Primetime, Victoria Emslie said: “With BSC Expo’s event attracting decision makers from around the globe it is a perfect platform to launch our new initiative.” Director of Photography, Olan Collardy added: “there [is] a need to focus on diversity in the industry at this time”.
The programme will work in partnership with BECTU’s camera brank to deliver 1-2-1s with renowned cinematographers and camera operators, Primetime has organised 300 meetings for both Primetime and BAME members of BECTU’s camera department.
Gender inequality remains a visible obstacle for the cinematography industry. Out of the top live-action films of 2016-2018, 97% had no female DoP, 99.1% had no female Camera Operators across A, B and C Cam (not one female A, B, or C camera operator worked across the top-grossing live action films of 2018) and 100% had no female Gaffers.*
“I’ve got a young daughter who is constantly asking me, ‘What can I do when I grow up?’ and I keep telling her that she can do anything,” says David Mackie, Director of Photography. He adds, “But she can only do anything if things change, so I think it is high time that these initiatives are coming about and I am pleased to be a part of it.”
* Smith, Dr. Stacy L., Choueiti, M., Choi, A. And Pieper, Dr. Katherine. (2019) Inclusion in the Director’s Chair: Gender, Race, & Age of Directors Across 1,200 Top Films from 2016-2018. Annenberg Foundation and USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, p. 28.
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