Camerawomen in Today’s Filmmaking Landscape
Filmmaking and television are grounded in bringing a perspective to an audience on a story level. But the way those stories are told is through visuals and framing.
What happens when you add more diversity to your camera department?
Now, more than ever, women are getting behind the camera and shaking up the way we’re used to seeing people on screen. This new perspective widens the lens with which we can tell a story.
Learn more about the Camerawoman in today’s filmmaking landscape below.
Camera Operating With A New Perspective
This isn’t your first video shoot by any means. You’ve been around the block more times than you care to count and yet you still find ways to keep your work fresh and exciting.
You know what you want and when you want it. Your Public Relations Company has put a lot of faith in you and you do what it takes to justify it.
You’re looking for a fresh look for your productions. The best way to find these new looks is by turning things around and moving away from the well-traveled path.
New eyes bring new thoughts and ideas.
A new perspective is what you want.
That’s why equality and diversity are so important when it comes to hiring a crew.
The freshest looks come from directions opposite your own.
Introducing the camerawoman! A perspective from the eyes of a seasoned woman that offers a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Of the top two hundred and fifty features, less than five percent are shot by women. That means that more than ninety-five percent of the time, productions are seen along the same old lines.
Even though the number of camerawomen has quadrupled in Hollywood in the last fifteen years, the fresh, new approach of the woman’s perspective has still not taken off.
What does that mean for you?
The Operator Matters
The camerawoman sees things differently. Colors, emotions, all part of the very strong aesthetic visions they bring will give the work that extra push beyond the ordinary you find yourself looking for.
Their eye for detail is different, allowing them to capture what you want even before you know you want it. Backgrounds associated with the quieter side of life such as the visual arts can be deceiving though.
Today’s camerawoman is more than able to handle the camera’s weight, is proficient at loading film properly quickly and is quite capable of technical challenges like pulling focus.
They can bring the brawn you expect and temper it nicely with their delicacies as they approach the many tasks of camera work.
So stop underestimating people based on their gender.
Cinema Is Demanding
Your productions happen daily in different cities around the world. You need crews that can pack and go in a moment’s notice, and sometimes those places are not very nice.
Today’s camerawoman is no stranger to that lifestyle.
CNN Director of Coverage for International News, Cynde Strand will tell you how she and four other women pioneered the Eighties and found themselves on the front lines of disasters, revolutions, and war.
They not only brought back the stories, but all the nuances that brought the good side out no matter how dark it was.
Women like Cynde Strand took on the challenge and the demands of cinema and won. They paved the way for the modern camerawoman to find her spot in today’s most challenging arenas. They will help your production show every side of its message.
Hard-hitting news, entertainment, public relations — all of it fits their scope of work and it all benefits from a fresh perspective.
When it comes to Hollywood, look no further than director and cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who is defining her own look and feel in movies like Creed and Black Panther.
From Steadicam To Sticks
You’ll find women behind the lens at almost every event these days. Following a running back along the sidelines, bringing a world event from the White House or just highlighting a company and their goals for a late-night commercial, women are bringing their own unique perspective to their projects.
Summing up the Camerawoman in Filmmaking
Hiring a diverse crew goes way beyond Hollywood and extends itself to every aspect of filmmaking.
It’s weird to have to publish a post basically advertising that you should be open to working with women, but it also seems necessary in society today.
There’s a lot of discrimination out there. So let’s make this clear, no one is saying one gender is better than another. But we are saying it’s time we look at both equally.
Evaluate the work, open yourself to new perspectives, and take the time to hire the underserved until equality can be reached.
Maybe it’s time for your projects to reach out and grab a piece of these new perspectives as well.
When you choose your next crew, choose a camerawoman and see for yourself.
Happy shooting!
