The Grim Reality for Women in Film (And Why I’m Coming Back Anyway)
After a weekend with the Alliance of Women Directors, I left with 80 pages of notes, zero gatekeeping, and proof that collaboration over competition is vital.
Dear friend,
Want to hear a shocking statistic that I absolutely hate?
In 2025, women held just 16% of directing roles and 7% of cinematographer roles.
Those numbers haven’t changed much in decades. Hollywood is structurally frozen when it comes to women.
But after spending a weekend at a conference for the Alliance of Women Directors, I am seeing how women are taking things into their own hands, especially in the indie world.
This weekend, I saw that the studios might not be progressing, but women absolutely are absolutely changing the game and thriving as filmmakers.
A Girl Like You Can’t Make it In Hollywood
In 2001, I entered film school. I left four years later completely and totally convinced that I could never make it in this industry. It was just too misogynistic, homophobic, and fat phobic for someone like me.
I spent years thinking I wasn’t brave enough for Hollywood. You can read all about that here.
After I put out my novel Because Fat Girl, all about a woman trying to make her directing dreams com true, and I thought “if my characters can do this, why can’t I?”
But I hadn’t seen women making it. I had two women professors in all of film school, and neither of them were directing movies. The Oscars are notorious for excluding women from the Best Director category, and it’s hard to even find women directed movies streaming.
I had no idea how to make it in this industry as a woman.
So, one of the first things I did when I decided to make a movie was seek other women as proof that it could be done.
The Alliance of Women Directors
You know that stereotype where women are pitted against each other — we see each other as competition, we’re mean, we’re catty, we’re bitchy?
I saw that a lot twenty years ago when I entered the industry. Every woman seemed like the other one’s competition. All the marginalized, minority, and historically underrepresented communities were seen as each other’s competition.
But I saw none of that at the Alliance of Women Directors Back to Set conference.
It was one of the most diverse rooms of creatives I’ve ever been in. Everybody looked amazing. The fashion was so on point. There was a ton of diversity of size, racial identity, ethnic identity, and sexual orientation. And the best thing of all, everybody was super friendly.
As a 43-year-old reentering the industry, I thought for sure I would feel so behind, that if I talked to people about my history I would get this “oh, well, who are you, and you’re starting too late.” I had so many ideas of the rejection I would get.
But every single person I told my story to said one of two things:
One, they agreed with me and completely validated that this fear of the misogyny and the homophobia and the fatphobia and the horrific way they treat women, and the hurdles we have to overcome in this industry, is absolutely correct.
Throughout the weekend, again and again, I heard stories about how hard it is for women to make it as directors and cinematographers in this industry. That is not just in my head. I am not just making it up. It is real.
And two, they welcomed me with open arms back into the fold.
Every single woman I talked to was completely supportive of my dreams. It was the epitome of collaboration over competition. We cheered each other on, we helped each other with resources, and we followed up with each other to see how we could continue to support each other past this weekend.
I will never forget sitting around the table the first day at lunch and talking to women about what has changed in the industry, and everybody at that table agreeing that the misogyny hasn’t gotten any better — but now women aren’t putting up with it.
We are banding together, having groups like this, and we are saying we’re going forward regardless of what men say. We are going to protect each other from the predators in the industry. We are going to mentor each other and lift each other up and open doors for each other. We cannot keep waiting for the industry to change.
We are changing it ourselves.
And that was absolutely beautiful.
No Gatekeeping
What shocked me the most – in a good way – was the open sharing of information.
Every single person who got up and spoke shared everything they knew about the craft. Because we understand that hiding how you do it is not going to keep us going forward as a group.
Misogyny is enough of a gatekeeper already.
So if we can share our knowledge with each other, share our structures and our processes with each other, mentor each other — we can create more jobs and more opportunities for each other.
Because again, we are not each other’s competition.
My Promise to You
I left this event with 80 pages of notes to make me a better director and a better human.
And I left it even more dedicated to sharing my journey with you and sharing all the information I learn along the way with you.
Because if my process can help you with my knowledge in any way possible — if it can encourage you to see that it’s possible, get the skills you need, and go out and try it yourself — I’m going to share as much information as I can.
That includes:
My process of living a creative life through my Creative Life Blueprint
My process of putting myself out there and asking for what I want through 33 Asks®
My process of writing a book in Write Your Friggin’ Book Already®
My process of making money in my Writer’s Career Guide
My process of learning to come back to film that I’m sharing here on Substack, Instagram, and YouTube
If any of it can help you live a boldly creative life in any way at all, that’s what I’m here for.
I am all about collaboration over competition, and this weekend just showed how that can not only change your life, but make a ripple effect in the world.
The more people are out there using their voice, the more powerful we are to shape the narrative to be more inclusive of voices like our own.
And this matters so much right now. It is one of the biggest pieces of activism that I can do as a creative, and you can do as a creative.
So follow along if you want to learn as I learn. And go out there knowing that I’m here cheering you on.
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.
With love,
Lauren
P.S. We’re launching the crowdfunding campaign for my short film very soon. There are some GREAT incentives included, and ways to help at any level. So keep an eye out for that!
Excellent! Can't wait to see what those 80 pages of notes yield!