This is the first book to critically examine the recruitment and working practices of screenwriters. Drawing on interviews with screenwriters and those that employ them, Natalie Wreyford provides a deep and detailed understanding of entrenched gender inequality in the UK film industry and answers the question: what is preventing women from working as screenwriters? She considers how socialised recruitment and gendered taste result in exclusion, and uncovers subtle forms of sexism that cause women’s stories and voices to be discounted. __Gender Inequality in Screenwriting Work__ also reveals the hidden labour market of the UK film industry, built on personal connections, homophily and the myth of meritocracy. It is essential reading for students and scholars of gender, creative industries, film and cultural studies, as well as anyone who wants to understand why women remain excluded from many key roles in filmmaking. "This is the first book to critically examine the recruitment and working practices of screenwriters. Drawing on interviews with screenwriters and those that employ them, Natalie Wreyford provides a deep and detailed understanding of entrenched gender inequality in the UK film industry and answers the question: what is preventing women from working as screenwriters? She considers how socialised recruitment and gendered taste result in exclusion, and uncovers subtle forms of sexism that cause women's stories and voices to be discounted. Gender Inequality in Screenwriting Work also reveals the hidden labour market of the UK film industry, built on personal connections, homophily and the myth of meritocracy. It is essential reading for students and scholars of gender, creative industries, film and cultural studies, as well as anyone who wants to understand why women remain excluded from many key roles in filmmaking"--Back cover Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction: The Extent of Gender Inequality in Film Screenwriting Work (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 1-16 Gendering the Screenwriter (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 17-52 Gender, Capital, and Getting In (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 53-85 The Gendered Dynamics of the Recruitment of Screenwriters (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 87-109 The Impact of Motherhood on Screenwriters (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 111-146 Being Outnumbered (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 147-167 Gendering Taste (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 169-191 Conclusion: Moving Beyond Numbers to Make Change Happen (Natalie Wreyford)....Pages 193-209 Back Matter ....Pages 211-216
