There are 75 broadcast pilots in various stages of production right now in American TV – and 24 of them are directed by 19 women.
This is a marked gain for women and especially women of color in the entertainment industry where men still account for the majority of the top seats on television sets. Last year, only six out of 70 pilots were directed by women, and all of them were white. In this year’s group of 19 female directors, three are black and three are Latina.
To compare, between 2013 and 2016, 42 out of 348 total pilots were directed by women – all of whom were white, save three.
For nine of the 19 women directing a pilot this year, like Regina King, Kate Dennis and Lake Bell, it will be their first time.
“Obviously, those numbers show that there is a change,” King, who is directing a drama for ABC called “The Finest,” said to Vulture, “I think the most important thing at this point is to not allow it to be an anomaly… the beginning and an actual change are two totally different things.
Source: nydailynews.com
