DGA publishes first diversity study report on film directors

The Directors Guild of America has released its first report after a 2-year study showing a significant under-representation of women and minority film directors in the workforce.

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Only 6.4% of all film directors in the last two years were women, with that number falling to 1.3% for minority females. The report highlighted how out of 376 feature films produced between 2013 and 2014 overall just 12.5% were directed by minorities.

The figures were calculated by looking at features produced that are signatories to the DGA’s own colllective bargaining agreement and don’t include foreign films or documentaries.

Warner Bros and Disney hired no female directors at all during the same period despite collectively releasing 53 films in total.

Lionsgate and Summit had the highest ratio of female directors at 9% each, but those figures still reflect how far the film industry has to go before there will be employment equality for males and females. The figures also show that only 3 studios hired minority female film directors. Those were 20th Century Fox, Paramount and Lionsgate.

The DGA is seeking to shed light on the diversity problem and hopes to encourage the studios to look at increasing opportunities for film directors across ethnic groups as well as for women.

Recently Directors UK shared their report on diversity in the UK TV industry showing shocking figures that revealed how many major dramas and live shows had no ethnic minority directors.

This year several studios have begun creating diversity roles in the workforce to increase opportunities but there is much more work to do.

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