Inspired by the article, “Girls Gone Anti-Feminist,” by Susan J. Douglas, I beg to ask the question if I need to be sexy, smart, or bitchy to be successful in my aspiring career as a film director. The answer that I wish to find will enlighten me on whether being a female in the industry is detrimental or favorable. I mean, when you think of famous film directors, your top ten most likely will not include a single female. Even as a film student, I am sitting here having issues with generating a single name let alone a top ten. Well perhaps in 10 to 15 years my name, Samantha Young, will be popping in all of your heads at at least number 8, but where the hell do I start.
Honestly, this seems like it will be a discouraging trek to the top. I suppose I would have to break down what I need to do to even get started in the business. The first step is to be educated, so being smart is essential for that aspect of my journey. I am beginning year 4 of 4 so I am almost done here at college. Now what? Well I have been thinking of that for the last month and I could go into many directions as far as my next step.
So, let’s say I am graduated from college, and I don’t want to move home but want to be courageous and move out to Los Angeles. I won’t be able to live rent free so I need a job, but if I am looking to start off in the industry at that age, with very little experience, I will have to wow my interviewee. Seems like if it is a woman, my feminine charms won’t be as successful, and being a bitch to her won’t help either so I will have to rely on the good ol’ brain to get the gig. Now let’s switch up that situation and make my interviewee a man. Well now, I think I just gained an advantage. Not to brag or anything, but I think my long eye lashes could be slightly useful in this situation. If I could play my cards right, I might up my chances of getting that job. Let’s not be ignorant and think that most men don’t like having pretty girls around the office.
Okay, so in my…6 years at that production company, I used my sexiness to make a ton of connections through many men in the film business and I get my first opportunity to be behind the scenes of a film. Once I finally get my chance to be with the people in charge, I will have to resort to my bitchiness to gain respect around the set. If I let the guys intimidate me and try and take charge, then I will lose my battle with the other sex, and they will bully me out of my top spot. Now, this is assuming that all men are power hungry and will be that way in 6 years but I am just simply being realistic. If I remain as that sexy naive school girl who relies on the male erection to get what I want, then my goal will never be truly achieved. I want to be respected for my creativity and ability to create a film that will be bone chilling and connect to the human soul based off of the world’s universal truths. I highly doubt that the girl who needs to rely on short skirts or low cut tops will be granted the director positioned. It has to be earned, and being sexy can only get you so far. I am not saying that I want to be a hardcore feminist from the 70’s who has no emotional lee way when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex, but the new form of anti feminism which is fun and useful as a young gopher at a production company won’t get me what I really want in my career. There is definitely a way to balance out my female attributes, and as useful as my sexiness and bitchiness was to getting me certain positions in the industry, the truth is my mind is what will be respected by the audience who views my films. That will be the reason that you remember my name when you think of the top ten greatest directors in 10-15 years.
So I believe I have come to my answer. Smarts will get me the farthest in life because what is your life worth if you rely on looks and attitude to get what you want? Well you might think it is what you want, but it is hollow and shallow because people don’t get to see who you are as a person to the core, and maybe we shouldn’t only think about what our sex is, but rather what our mind has to offer the world.