Fusion Film Festival

Celebrating women in TV, Film & New Media

women in film

Dreams of Frances: A love letter to Greta Gerwig and her portrayal of the female identity

Dreams of Frances: A love letter to Greta Gerwig and her portrayal of the female identity

Camila Grimaldi, Editorial Staff Writer

The world is starved for complex female characters. We have been treated to countless supporting roles: love interests, sex icons, and sidekicks. Rarely do we see a female protagonist who is strong-willed and proactive, or someone who channels our insecurities and flaws onto the big screen. I believed there was little hope for female representation in film, until I met Frances.

I first watched Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha in high school and burned with anxiety throughout its short run time. This black-and-white film was an unconventional presentation of a, for lack of a better word, quirky protagonist with a knack for failure and disappointment.

At the time, Frances was a physical manifestation of my worst nightmare. I had just been accepted into university, a fact that had officially set me down an unconventional career path and forced me to accept my sink-or-swim destiny. Frances was, at 27, still trying to swim and barely keeping her head above the surface. I was mortified.

Only a senior in high school, 27 seemed centuries away, but I knew that by that age I wanted everything Frances could not seem to get her hands on: a successful career, a relationship, and a living space. And I found her insufferable; she was too self-assured in her enjoyment of a world that seemed to have no room for her.

Two years into college, I was forced to watch Frances Ha again for a writing class. However, this time, I felt like I was watching a different film. Every negative sentiment I had about Frances dissolved until only quiet reflection remained.

Watching it a second time, the film became a meditative experience for me. My new perception of the film anchored itself in everything Greta Gerwig. Her nuanced writing and poignant interpretation of a protagonist could have so easily teetered towards annoying, as it had done when I first watched it as a narcissistic adolescent. Now, she was nothing if not endearing.

Here was a female character I had to work to understand, who was challenging me by dragging me along for a ride I would have never imagined going along, and whose emotions became tied to my own. I cared, I cringed, and then I cared more. Her victories were mine, her disillusionments bitter, familiar, and a little comforting.

It took seeing Frances Ha again for me to realize the true strength of Lady Bird, a film that has earned Greta Gerwig two Oscar nominations for screenwriting and directing. Lady Bird is Frances Ha’s more ambitious prequel, a story of a teenage girl (Saoirse Ronan) navigating the turbulence of senior year.

Lady Bird radiates Gerwig, even though she states that “nothing in the movie literally happened in my life… it has a core of truth that resonates with what I know” (Indiewire, 2017). It is that desire to achieve truth that makes Gerwig’s writing so intimate. Her screenplays sprout from the most abstract of human experiences. She draws from emotions, memories, and dreams before delving into meticulously curated scenes and conversations. It is in the transition from abstraction to specificity that Gerwig manages to achieve a level of heightened universality. By the end of the film, we have all become part of the story we are watching, because each character is rooted in something more profound than their immediate environment.

At least, that was my experience. I have heard complaints that Lady Bird and Frances are unrelatable. But with these people, I am patient. The film industry has not provided audiences with many female characters, let alone any as flawed, ambitious and feisty as Lady Bird. It may take time before people are willing to forgive female characters’ flaws in the way they may dismiss those of male protagonists. I argue that part of Lady Bird’s relatability is her temperament; Gerwig allows us to see how Lady Bird grapples to control the parts of herself that she does not like. Giving us insight into her struggle for identity is essential: What was adolescence if not a constant battle between insecurity and unwavering egoism?

The lower moments of Lady Bird’s narrative makes the smaller moments even more powerful. The created contrast, when Lady Bird blows out her birthday candle or names stars with her first love, makes us root for her. As the audience, we become more willing to forgive her for the mistakes we have seen so many people make in their adolescence. Looking back, we are propelled forward by the mistakes we make and the failures that shape us. We, at some time or another, will undergo the change that Lady Bird and Frances go through on screen.

Greta Gerwig has created two of the most interesting female characters seen in the last decade, and I can not wait to see who she will write next. I know we have miles to go in terms of diversity and representation when it comes to female characters. At the very least, Gerwig is opening a small window into the complexity of the female experience. Her success with Frances Ha and now Lady Bird are sparking interest in the film industry and proving time and time again that female-driven narratives work. The world cares.

Rachel Morrison: Oscars-Bound for Mudbound

Rachel Morrison: Oscars-Bound for Mudbound

Emma Levine, Editorial Staff Writer

For the first time in the Oscars’ 90 years, a female cinematographer’s work behind the camera is in the spotlight. In an awards season focused on equality and fair treatment in the entertainment industry, Rachel Morrison’s Oscar nomination for her work on director Dee Rees’s Mudbound stands out: she is the first woman ever nominated for Best Cinematography.

In the context of historical gender inequality in the field of cinematography, Morrison’s nomination is even more commendable. In 2016, women made up only five percent of cinematographers in the top 250 domestic-grossing films. The President of the American Society of Cinematographers, Kees Van Oostrum, has recognized the fact that “There was a built-in idea historically and culturally that women were not cinematographers. That was a man’s job.”

In contrast to this male-centric standard, Morrison has identified an ideal future of gender inclusivity in cinematography. “Part of the problem is that we’re always categorized as female DPs. It would be so nice to get to a point where when you say ‘DP’ it’s like ‘doctor’ or ‘teacher’ and you think of either gender. But because we are an anomaly there’s a tendency to create a sub-category.”

Morrison’s work on films such as Mudbound, Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, and Dope actively pushes against the idea that female cinematography should only be a sub-category or that cinematography is a male sphere. As the cinematographer for Mudbound, Morrison faced and overcame a wide variety of challenges, such as a short shooting schedule and difficulties related to weather and location, not to mention combating large amounts of mud.

The quality and impressive scope of her work on Mudbound prepared her for the challenges of being the cinematographer on the Marvel blockbuster Black Panther (her second collaboration with Ryan Coogler after working with him on Fruitvale Station in 2013). Drawing upon research and her own experiences, Morrison advocated for crisp, vibrantly colored shots to amplify the story.

As a Film and TV graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Morrison had few female cinematographers to look up to when she was in school. “For the better part of fifteen years, there were no new women in the field.”

Yet she is also encouraged by an increase in the numbers for the next generation of filmmakers – and she thinks it’s about time. Only through representation and increased visibility will aspiring female filmmakers feel hopeful about succeeding in their future careers.

For Morrison, her nomination for Mudbound was a dream come true, both for her own professional goals and for the careers of other female cinematographers. “I really hope that it opens the door for more women to believe that they can do it and follow their dreams and become cinematographers. I think that once you see 50% of us [in the industry], you’ll see a lot more nominations this time of year.”

Morrison’s success and newfound visibility embodies the motto of the Geena Davis Institute of Gender in Media: “If she can see it, she can be it.” Morrison and other female cinematographers are paving the way for aspiring female filmmakers to share their unique perspectives with the world.

Docs-in-the-Works dazzles and educates next generation of documentary filmmakers

By Jenny Levine.

Considered by many to be the most exciting part of the festival, this year’s Docs-in-the-Works competition was undoubtedly thrilling for those who attended. Trailers cut by undergraduate Film and TV major Thelma Boyiri and graduate students Caitlin Stickles and Giuliana Monteiro Pinheiro were pitched and presented in front of five captains of the documentary world representing HBO, Vice, and Chicken & Egg, with the promise of grant money and invaluable one-on-ones.

What went into each pitch? Tisch professor Sam Pollard workshopped with the three finalists to capture the heart of the film in a short 4-7 minute trailer. For some, their film was nearly complete, while others had ways to go. Each finalist was met with a unique challenge that brought them professional experience. Where Giuliana had previous experience pitching to a room full of 100 professionals, Caitlin was admittedly nervous but told the judges the advice that Sam had told her, “You got to be suave.”

After each screening and pitch, the judges went down in a line and gave their feedback –  a mixture of advice and questions about the direction each director wanted to take her film. After each judge’s feedback, the director tried to answer questions and accept the helpful feedback.

17191019_10154583366289353_6676275457129857121_n

Each filmmaker had strong subject matter: Thelma’s Sanctity of Sound explored live jazz performance in New York and Berlin, Caitlin investigated capital punishment through the trial and execution of Lisa Ann Coleman in Capital, and Giuliana’s Bento brought viewers to the small town in Brazil that was the site of one of the worst mining disasters in modern history.

While the judges deliberated, spectators were able to ask the finalists’ advice about how to construct a strong trailer and pitch as well as their plans for the future. “This is my future,” Caitlin said. The finalists admitted that the judges commentary was tough but constructive, as they were asked questions about the focus of the film or the marketability of the final product.

When the judges returned, vice-president of Documentary Films HBO Jackie Glover announced the winner: Bento by Giuliana Monteiro. The judges voiced their admiration for the creativity of the angle and the visual poetry Giuliana brought to her pitch.

Without a doubt, the crowd in Docs-in-the-Works wanted to learn. Many were taking notes during the judge’s commentary so they could prepare for when they pitch in the future. Maybe next year we’ll be watching them share their stories.

17191247_10154583366274353_2832633503758462152_n

Iyabo Boyd: From Here To There

By Juliana Botelho, Fusion Alumni Relations.

Iyabo Boyd (TSOA ‘2006) is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. A founding member of Fusion Film Festival and Co-Director of the organization for two years, Boyd is an accomplished film producer, director, writer, and founder of the consulting company, Feedback Loop. On November 17th, 2016, Fusion welcomed the Tisch alumna to its “Coffee With Series” where she shared her path from here to there.

After graduating with a BA in Film and Television in 2006, Boyd held positions at distinguished institutions such as the Independent Feature Project (IFP), Tribeca Film Institute, and Chicken & Egg Pictures. Iyabo’s keen eye for talent qualified her to serve on juries for the SXSW’s Women Director Award, DOC NYC, Cinema Eye Honors, and Brooklyn Film Festival’s Pitching Exchange. When it comes to her creative endeavors, Iyabo Boyd possesses a prolific career. She produced the feature Sun Belt Express, which premiered in 2014 at the Champs-Elysée Film Festival, and the short film “Forever, Ally,” based on the poems by Ronaldo V, that she also wrote and directed. Boyd is currently producing the coming-of-age documentary For Ahkeem, set for a 2017 release, with Emmy-winning directors Jeremy Levine and Landon Van Soest.

In 2015, Boyd created Brown Girls Doc Mafia, a collective for women filmmakers of color in documentary, and in 2016, Boyd founded Feedback Loop. Feedback Loop is an organization that provides consulting services for independent documentary filmmakers in the areas of funding, editing, festivals, distribution, marketing, and impact. It was Boyd’s work as a Program Manager for Chicken & Egg Pictures, which supports and awards grants to non-fiction women filmmakers, that paved the way for her own firm Feedback Loop and her collective Brown Girls Doc Mafia. As a Program Manager, she held a leadership position in selecting projects for grants and mentorship opportunities. Despite her ample experience with grant applications, Boyd noted that selecting projects is always a difficult process for there are many talented filmmakers and not enough funds to bring all of their creations to life.

To add to her outstanding résumé, Iyabo Boyd received in 2016 the Impact Partners Creative Producers Fellowship, awarded to the most prominent independent documentary producers, and was selected for the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab, which provides emerging documentary-feature producers with mentorship from accomplished industry professionals.

During Fusion’s “Coffee With” event, Boyd expressed how much the experience at Sundance impacted her perception of the entertainment business and enabled her to grow as an artist. For the filmmaker, the key is to aim for longevity and to always think about future projects and creative endeavors. Also, know your audience and their demands. The Fusion alumna advised the emerging artists in the room to stay up-to-date with press releases about current projects being developed because funders are looking for new material and ideas. When asked what she would have done differently as a student at NYU, Boyd confessed that she wished she had established more connections with professors because they open doors into the entertainment industry. Nonetheless, since her days as an aspiring filmmaker at the Tisch School of The Arts, Iyabo Boyd has come a long way.

15logo SQUARE.jpg

Hannah Weddle: From Here To There

By Priya Khanolkar, Fusion Alumni Relations.

Hannah Weddle (TSOA, 2010) was part of a revolutionary time for Fusion. In 2009, when social media and cell phones were gaining traction, Hannah became the Director of Technology for the Fusion Film Festival. Since this was the first year the department was instilled, Weddle was Fusion’s first webmaster. Today, she is a Production Format Specialist and works with front end web development, formatting content for websites and E-readers. This past December, she spoke with Fusion about her journey from here to there.

When Hannah was a sophomore at Tisch, she thought she wanted to be a director. Once she began her Sight and Sound classes, that idea pivoted. She found that she really enjoyed the technical side of film: the lights, camera, and sound. Hannah was fascinated by the science behind it all and why everything worked the way it did. She remembered very clearly how, at this time, she was one of the only girls interested in the technical side of filmmaking. Because of this division, Hannah found that many people would try to pigeonhole her into other categories of the film department, but she stuck with what she loved. Because of her passion for technology, she became a Digital Teaching Assistant on the eighth floor of Tisch where the photography studios are housed. Her work there, along with work she had performed in Fusion, led her to her current career path.

Directly after graduating from NYU, Hannah did freelance film work, but she wasn’t extremely satisfied with the pace of the work. She went to grad school a year after graduation with a concentration in technology. Her first job after grad school was at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library where she was in charge of digitizing the collection and re-recording phone calls made by John F. Kennedy for a documentary.

Hannah was in college during the digital revolution where cell phones became a regular item to have, television shows began streaming on the internet, and social media began taking off. This was a very critical time for her because she was trying to understand how technology in film would change. How would the industry be impacted by the use of iPods and laptops? She knew from then on that she needed to go in the direction of technology and help answer these questions. She needed to be working directly with tech, and Fusion gave her that opportunity.

Hannah knows the importance of technology as a force that’s driving the industry and she acknowledges how it is changing all the time. This is why she loves working in the fast-paced world of technology. From pioneering as one of the only women to attend a camera class to working solely in tech, Hannah has certainly come a long way from her time at Tisch.

15logo SQUARE.jpg

Erika Houle: From Here To There

(Header Image a Still of Gloria Steinem in “Equal Means Equal”)

By Priya Khanolkar, Fusion Alumni Relations.

Erika Houle (Grad Film/TSOA, 2011) works not only in the field but also in the classroom. In college, Erika had many different internships with world-renowned directors such as Terrence Malick, and after graduating she was able to work on many projects. She recently completed her master’s degree in Art, Education, & Community Practice while teaching Camera I at Tisch. Erika knew she always had a passion for teaching as well as an interest in film, so being a part of the 2016 Fusion Film Festival as a faculty judge was perfect. Erika recently answered a few questions, highlighting how she got from here to there.

When Erika first began her undergraduate years at the Tisch School of the Arts, she believed that she wanted to be a music video director. However, her passion quickly pivoted to documentary filmmaking. Documentaries allow Erika to grow close to people all over the world and learn from them. During her time at Tisch, Erika interned on Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life, where she had the opportunity to work on  a professional set for the first time. She noted how everyone on set treated each other with respect but also prepared her for enduring the emotional turmoil and logistical chaos of many low budget shoots. Erika also interned at Partizan, a world renowned production company, which was perfect for her due to her interest in Michel Gondry. She learned most of her skills from working on many student film sets. By the time she graduated, she had made contacts with many people because she had worked on their student sets when she was an underclassman. This is how she found many of her jobs post graduation.

Connected.png

Still from Erika Houle’s Undergraduate Thesis Film “Last Texas Cowboy”

One of those jobs was as a DP for a documentary starring social political activist and feminist organizer Gloria Steinem. The documentary’s director, Kamala Lopez, was looking for a NYC-based DP to shoot the interview. Erika was put in contact with Kamala through a mutual friend whom Erika had met while working on student film sets at NYU. Erika commented that Gloria Steinem is a wealth of wisdom and experience, and one comment from Gloria that stuck with her was that, “Upon reflection it was naive of her [Gloria Steinem] to believe that simply presenting facts to people would change minds. As a budding activist, that bit of wisdom saved me years of learning the hard way.”

Erika did make a note that as a freelance filmmaker, you face many hard decisions. To do the interview with Gloria Steinem, she had to turn down a well paying commercial, but she is glad that she did. Erika said that, “Sometimes the projects we work on affect more than our IMDb page. They touch our souls.”

Erika is now a member of Local 600 and is currently working on segments for Saturday Night Live and a documentary titled “Equal Means Equal”, all while teaching Camera I: Practices & Principles of Cinematography. When she is not working on her multiple projects, Erika is watching Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes in between the new season of BBC’s Sherlock. When asked, “If you could go back in time and give your college self any advice, what would it be?”, she replied, “I would ask myself the question I now ask my students: ‘What is your burning question?’” Erika wants students to not be caught up in worrying about a career before they have graduated and take the time in college to experiment and find their voices. “Figuring out your essential question, which can change over time, and answering it helps you find your purpose in your work.”

15logo SQUARE.jpg