The average Brit will watch 22.3 hours of television a week, nearly one full day’s worth of TV. The average Brit will also watch 72 films a year which is, on average, more than one film a week. Between 2001 and 2016 just 18% of those television programmes were written by a woman, lessening to 14% for prime-time TV. In the film industry 79% of the films made had no women involved in the writing at all. It is no secret that screenwriting is a male-dominated industry, highlighted in recent times by speeches like that of Frances McDormand at the Oscars 2018, where she urged all women involved in the nominated films to stand up, raising awareness to the female talent in the room but also the lack of female representation. Why is this such a problem? Should it not just be the best TV made which gets to be aired? Yes, it should. But some of the best TV and films are being made by women and are not being given the chance to be seen. Continue reading Why are female screenwriters still not given the prime opportunities?