Brie Larson shared a colourful image captioned with a special message to aspiring filmmakers in an effort to ignite the masses: “You don't need a fancy camera to tell your story."
Larson, who recently made her directing debut at the Toronto International Film Festival with her film Unicorn Store, asked her followers on Instagram and Twitter to share inexpensive resources that potential female and female-identifying filmmakers can use to make a film. She also had some words of wisdom: “Get your friends, use a camera phone if you have it, and mess around. We need you. We can't change this industry without you."
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Larson than suggested everyone "compile a list of free or cheap resources so you can make a film for as little $$$ as possible.” No surprise, her followers heeded the call and shared their tips to making movies on the cheap.
Surely Larson’s post is a response to the ongoing discussion about the lack of women running the show in Hollywood. In August, the Venice Film Festival was widely criticised for boasting one female-directed project out of 21 films. “The more that we, as women, can make films that speak to everyone, we can be regarded as filmmakers,” Annette Bening, the jury president of the festival, said during a press conference.
In May, actress Jessica Chastain called out a similar problem after reviewing several films during the Cannes Film Festival. “I do believe that if you have female storytelling you also have more authentic female characters,” she said in a video snippet that went viral after director Ava DuVernay shared in solidarity.
The lack of women behind the lens and in positions of power is staggering. In 2016 women made up only 7 percent of all directors on the top 250 films, according to San Diego State's Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. It’s clear Larson wants to do something about it and accessibility is certainly a great start.
Here's hoping those helpful replies are eventually stockpiled into a public document or website for all to see.