The Celluloid Ceiling: 250 grossing films (foreign films and

reissues omitted). In 2015, the study

Behind-the-Scenes
Employment of Women on
the Top 100, 250, and 500
Films of 2017
by Martha M. Lauzen, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2018 – All rights reserved.
_________________________________
The Celluloid Ceiling has tracked women’s
employment on top grossing films for the last 20
years. It is the longest-running and most
comprehensive study of women’s behind-the-
scenes employment in film available. This annual
study is sponsored by the Center for the Study of
Women in Television and Film, San Diego State
University, San Diego, CA 92182,
http://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu,
lauzen@mail.sdsu.edu
In 2017, women comprised 18% of all
directors, writers, producers, executive
producers, editors, and cinematographers
working on the top 250 domestic
grossing films. This represents an
increase of 1 percentage point from 17%
in 2016 and is virtually unchanged from
the percentage achieved in 1998 (see
Figure 1).
added analyses of females working on
the top 100 and 500 films. The results
are divided into three major sections.
The first section reports the findings for
the top 250 films, offering comparisons
of percentages from 2017 with figures
dating from 1998. The second section
provides the numbers for the top 100
films, comparing this year’s figures with
those from 1980, 1990, 2010, and 2016.
The third section includes employment
figures for the top 500 films, and offers
analyses of important relationships
between women directors and those
working in other key behind-the-scenes
roles, such as writers and editors.
Figure 1.
Historical Comparison of Percentages of
Behind-the-Scenes Women on Top 250
Films
18
2017
82
17
2016
83

Last year, only 1% of films employed 10

17 Women
or more women in the above roles. In 2005
contrast, 70% of films employed 10 or 83
Men
more men.
19
Women accounted for 11% of directors 2001
81
working on the top 250 films in 2017, up
4 percentage points from 7% in 2016
and even with the percentage achieved in 17
1998
2000. 83

For the last 20 years, this study has 0 50 100

tracked women’s employment on the top

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 1

Findings / Top 250 Films Figure 2.
Historical Comparison of Percentages of
•This section analyzes the behind-the- Women Employed Behind the Scenes on
scenes employment of 3,011 individuals Top 250 Films by Role
working on the top 250 domestic
grossing films of 2017.
11
•Women fared best as producers (25%), 7
Director 7
followed by executive producers (19%), 11
editors (16%), writers (11%), directors 9
(11%), and cinematographers (4%).
11
13
•In 2017, slightly less than one-third or Writer 10
14
30% of films employed 0 or 1 woman in 13
the roles considered. 59% of films
employed 2 to 5 women, 10% employed 19
6 to 9 women, and 1% employed 10 or 17
Exec. Producer 16 2017
more women. In contrast, 0% of films 16
employed 0 or 1 man in the roles 18 2016
considered, 8% employed 2 to 5 men, 2006
22% employed 6 to 9 men, and the 25
24 2000
remaining majority (70%) employed 10 Producer 20
or more men. 24 1998
24
•A historical comparison of women’s 16
employment in the top 250 films in 2017 17
and 1998 reveals that the percentages of Editor 21
19
directors, executive producers, and 20
producers have increased. The
percentages of writers and editors have 4
declined, and the percentage of women 5
Cinematog. 2
cinematographers has remained the same 2
(see Figure 2). 4

•A comparison of women’s employment
on the top 250 films in 2017 and 2016
reveals that the percentages of women
directors, producers, and executive
producers increased, while the
percentages of women working as
writers, editors, and cinematographers
declined.
0 10 20 30
This represents an increase of 4
percentage points from 2016, and is even
with the percentage achieved in 2000.
Eighty eight percent (88%) of the films
had no female directors (see Figure 3).

•Women comprised 11% of all directors

working on the top 250 films of 2017.

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 2

 Figure 3.
Percentages of Top 250 Films with No •Women accounted for 4% of all
Women in Roles Considered cinematographers working on the top
250 films of 2017. This represents a
decline of 1 percentage point from 2016
88% had no women directors and is even with the percentage achieved
83% had no women writers in 1998. Ninety six percent (96%) of the
45% had no women exec. producers films had no female cinematographers.
28% had no women producers
80% had no women editors
96% had no women cinematographers
Composers, Supervising Sound Editors,
Slightly less than one-third or 30% of and Sound Designers
films had no or 1 woman in the above
roles •This section reports employment
_______________________________ figures for 517 individuals working as
composers, supervising sound editors,
•Women accounted for 11% of writers and sound designers on the top 250
working on the top 250 films of 2017. domestic grossing films of 2017.
This represents a decline of 2 percentage
points from 2016 and from the figure •Women comprised 3% of composers
achieved in 1998. Eighty three percent working on the top 250 grossing films of
(83%) of the films had no female 2017. This represents no change from
writers. 2016 (see Figure 4). Ninety eight
percent (98%) of films had no female
•Women comprised 19% of all executive composers in 2017.
producers working on the top 250 films
of 2017. This represents an increase of 2 •Women accounted for 8% of
percentage points from 2016 and an supervising sound editors working on
increase of 1 percentage point from the top 250 films of 2017. This
1998. Forty five percent (45%) of the represents no change from 2016. Ninety
films had no female executive producers. two percent (92%) of films had no
female supervising sound editors.
•Women accounted for 25% of all
producers working on the top 250 films •Women comprised 5% of sound
of 2017. This represents an increase of 1 designers working on the top 250
percentage point from 2016 and an grossing films of 2017. This represents
increase of 1 percentage point from an increase of 1 percentage point from
1998. Twenty eight percent (28%) of 2015. Ninety six percent (96%) of films
the films had no female producers. had no female sound designers.

•Women comprised 16% of all editors

working on the top 250 films of 2017.
This represents a decline of 1 percentage
point from 2016 and a decrease of 4
percentage points from 1998. Eighty
percent (80%) of the films had no female
editors.

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 3

 Figure 4. editors (14%), writers (10%), directors
Recent Historical Representation of (8%), and cinematographers (2%).
Women and Men as Composers
•Figure 5 provides a historical
comparison of the 2017 figures with
those from 1980, 1990, 2010, and 2016.
3
2017 When comparing the most recent figures
97
for 2017 with 2016, the percentages of
women directors, producers, and
3 executive producers have increased,
2016
97 while the percentages of women writers
and cinematographers declined. The
percentage of women editors remained
2 Women the same.
2015
98
Men

1 Figure 5.
2014 Historical Comparison of Percentages of
99
Women Employed Behind the Scenes on
Top 100 Films by Role*
2
2013
98
8
4
0 50 100 150 Director 2
2
1
10
11
Writer 10
Findings / Top 100 Films 7
10
15
•This section considers the behind-the- Exec. 13 2017
14
scenes employment of 1,564 individuals Producer 11
4 2016
working on the top 100 domestic
grossing films (foreign films and 24 2010
19
reissues omitted) of 2017. Producer 20 1990
19
9
1980
•Overall, women accounted for 16% of 14
14
all directors, writers, executive Editor 20
15
producers, producers, editors, and 8
cinematographers working on the top 2
100 films. This represents an increase of 3
Cinematog. 0
2 percentage points from 14% in 2016, 0
1
and is even with the percentage achieved
in 2015. 0 10 20 30
*Note that relatively minor fluctuations in the
•Women fared best as producers (24%), numbers affect this sample to a greater extent
followed by executive producers (15%), than the other samples included in this report
due to its smaller size.

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 4

•Women comprised 8% of directors Figure 6.
working on the top 100 films of 2017. Comparison of Percentages of Women
This represents an increase of 4 Employed Behind the Scenes in Top 500
percentage points from 4% in 2016. Films by Role

•Women accounted for 10% of writers

working on the top 100 films of 2017.
18
This represents a slight decline from Director 11
11% in 2016. 12

•Women comprised 15% of executive

producers working on the top 100 films 16
of 2017. This represents an increase of 2 Writer 14
15
percentage points from 13% in 2016.

•Women accounted for 24% of 21

producers working on the top 100 films Exec. Producer 19
of 2017. This represents an increase of 5 23
2017
percentage points from 19% in 2016.
2016
28
•Women comprised 14% of editors 2015
Producer 25
working on the top 100 films of 2017. 26
This represents no change from 2016.
18
•Women accounted for 2% of
Editor 20
cinematographers working on the top 21
100 films of 2017. This represents a
decline of 1 percentage point from 3% in
2016. 6
Cinematog. 7
10

Findings / Top 500 Films

•This section analyzes the behind-the-
scenes employment of 4,633
individuals working on the top 500
domestic grossing films (foreign films
and reissues omitted) of 2017.
•Overall, women accounted for 21% of
all directors, writers, executive
producers, producers, editors, and
cinematographers working on the top
500 films. This represents an increase
of 2 percentage points from 2016, but
0 10 20 30
is even with the percentage achieved
in 2015.
•By genre, the largest percentage of
women, relative to men, worked in
documentaries (30%), followed by
comedies (23%), dramas (22%), sci-fi
features (20%), animated features
(19%), horror features (18%), and
action features (13%).

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 5

•Women fared best as producers Top 500 Films/Comparison of Films
(28%), followed by executive with at Least One Female Director vs.
producers (21%), directors (18%), Films with Exclusively Male Directors
editors (18%), writers (16%), and
cinematographers (6%). •Films with at least one female
director employed greater
•Women comprised 18% of directors percentages of women working as
working on the top 500 films of 2017. writers, editors, cinematographers,
This represents an increase of 7 and composers than films with
percentage points from 11% in 2016, exclusively male directors (see
and 6 points from 12% in 2015 (see Figure 7).
Figure 6).
•Women accounted for 16% of writers
working on the top 500 films of 2017. Figure 7.
This represents an increase of 2 Comparison of Percentages of Women
percentage points from 14% in 2016, Working on Films with at Least One
and 1 point from 15% in 2015. Female Director vs. with Exclusively
Male Directors
•Women comprised 21% of executive
producers working on the top 500
films of 2017. This represents an
increase of 2 percentage points from 8
Writer
19% in 2016, but a decline of 2 points 68
from 23% in 2015.
•Women accounted for 28% of
producers working on the top 500 14
Editor
films of 2017. This represents an 32 Exclusively
male
increase of 3 percentage points from
directors
25% in 2016, and an increase of 2
points from 26% in 2015. At least one
3 female
Cinematog.
15 director
•Women comprised 18% of editors
working on the top 500 films of 2017.
This represents a decline of 2
percentage points from 20% in 2016, 2
Composer
and a decline of 3 points from 21% in 12
2015.
•Women accounted for 6% of 0 50 100
cinematographers working on the top
500 films of 2017. This represents a
decrease of 1 percentage point from
7% in 2016, and a decline of 4 points
from 10% in 2015.

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 6

•On films with at least one female
director, women comprised 68% of
writers. On films with exclusively
male directors, women accounted for
8% of writers.

•On films with at least one female

director, women comprised 32% of
editors. On films with exclusively
male directors, women accounted for
14% of editors.
•On films with at least one female
director, women comprised 15% of
cinematographers. On films with
exclusively male directors, women
accounted for 3% of
cinematographers.
•On films with at least one female
director, women comprised 12% of
composers. On films with exclusively
male directors, women accounted for
2% of composers.

2017 Celluloid Ceiling 7