Bay Area Women in Film & Media Blog

Proposition C: Mayor still sole decider for Film Body

Ondine Kilker — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:13:08 GMT

By: Joshua Sabatini  Examiner Staff Writer June 8, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — The makeup and powers of the Film Commission will remain as is after voters rejected Proposition C.
Introduced by Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, the City Charter amendment aimed to change how the 11 members of the Film Commission are appointed. All are appointed by the mayor, but passage would have split the appointing power so five members would be chosen by the Board of Supervisors and six by the mayor.
It also would have granted more power to the commission when it comes to its executive director. Currently, the mayor appoints that position. Under Prop. C, the commission would have been able to appointe or remove the executive director.
The measure was supported by the Board of Supervisors and opposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Proposition-C-Mayor-still-sole-decider-for-film-body-95931794.html#ixzz0qNB15C00

C - Film commission
590 of 590 precincts reporting
YES 44,698||| · NO 52,094|||

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/08/MNB81DSA53.DTL#ixzz0qN9mVrse

For a Ballot Analysis:
http://www.spur.org/goodgovernment/ballotanalysis/Jun2010/propc

The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies

Rachel Caplan — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:56:36 GMT

The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies [Youtube video]

S.F. film board exec's firing still a mystery

Ondine Kilker — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:12:03 GMT

Heather Knight, Rachel Gordon, Michael Cabanatuan
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Too bad "The Blind Side" is already taken for a movie title. If the saga over Mayor Gavin Newsom's surprise ouster of Film Commission Executive Director Stefanie Coyote was turned into a movie, the title would have worked just fine.
But it looks like Newsom is getting his happy ending. Coyote has agreed to resign, and her last day will be Jan. 31.
After appointing her in 2004, Newsom asked Coyote to resign from her $132,000 post in November. Speculation was that Newsom was miffed that Coyote's husband, actor Peter Coyote, had supported Attorney General Jerry Brown over Newsom for governor.
The Film Commission was in the dark despite its authority to hire and fire its executive director. At its monthly meeting last week, the 11 members criticized the mayor's decision and demanded a meeting.
Coyote hadn't agreed to resign, and Supervisor Chris Daly called for a city attorney investigation into whether the mayor unlawfully asked her to do so.
But Coyote has agreed to resign. The Film Commission president and vice president met with the mayor's chief of staff, Steve Kawa, on Monday and commission President Lorrae Rominger said she just wants to move on.
"The mayor certainly has authority to ask any of his staff to resign," said Rominger, who herself served in Coyote's position under Mayor Frank Jordan from 1992-96. "And if they agree to resign, there's no need for the commission to be involved."
She still doesn't know the reason for Coyote's dismissal, noting the commission believes Coyote has done a good job. And Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, usually a Newsom ally, said she's in the dark, too. Alioto-Pier has been working with Coyote to craft a charter amendment for June's ballot to give the board the power to appoint five film commissioners and to streamline the permitting process for filming in the city.
Looks like the credits will roll with the mystery unsolved. "We're not going to discuss personnel matters," said Newsom spokesman Joe Arellano.
- Heather Knight
On the small screen: San Francisco is ready for its close-up. The new show "Facing Kate" will film its pilot episode at City Hall today.
The USA drama, about a divorced female lawyer who becomes a mediator, will film scenes in Civic Center Plaza, on the Polk Street steps of City Hall, and in various parts of City Hall itself. The production crew will set up shop in the North Light Court.
The filming is expected to take most of the afternoon and may slow the process of entering City Hall.
- Heather Knight

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/06/BAVL1BE3HE.DTL#ixzz0dmZsPiqN

Explanation demanded in Film Commission firing

Ondine Kilker — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:27:50 GMT

By: Joshua Sabatini Examiner Staff Writer December 29, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor Gavin Newsom’s abrupt dismissal of The City’s film office head was blasted Monday by the commission in charge of overseeing the moviemaking industry in San Francisco.
Newsom’s decision to oust Stefanie Coyote as executive director of the Film Commission was part of a number of staff changes he’s made since abandoning his gubernatorial bid in October.

But the decision to dismiss Coyote drew criticism from the 11-member commission and prompted a call for Newsom to reconsider the move.
In 2004, the mayor attempted to revitalize The City’s fizzling film industry by overhauling the film office, sinking more money into the Film Commission and appointing Coyote as its executive director.
Commissioners said Monday they were surprised by the decision to oust Coyote, which they found out about in November through the media. They said they have yet to be told any reason for it or who will take over, despite reaching out to the mayor.
On Monday, the commission voted unanimously to officially send a letter to Newsom requesting a meeting.
Commissioner William Adams urged Newsom to change his mind. “I would hope that the mayor would really reconsider,” he said.
Adams also said the dismissal “just sounds pretty political to me,” a reference to suggestions that the move was payback. Coyote’s husband, well-known actor and activist Peter Coyote, threw his support behind likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown.
Newsom would not discuss the subject. “We’re not going to comment. It’s a personnel issue,” Newsom spokesman Joe Arellano said.
Commissioners praised Stefanie Coyote for her accomplishments in trying to revive San Francisco’s film industry, which had taken a nose dive. They credited her with recent activity that includes the TV series “Trauma” and hit movie “Milk.”
“Considering where we started and how far we have come over the last few years — as much as I am respectful of the mayor’s decision — I am certainly disappointed and confused by the mayor’s request for Stefanie’s resignation,” said Lorrae Rominger, president of the
Film Commission.
Coyote’s last day was supposed to be Thursday, but with the show of support from commissioners she’ll stay on until Jan. 31, Commissioner Robert Morales said.
“This came as an incredibly large surprise to me — very unexpected — and I do feel that the timing was extremely unfortunate,” Stefanie Coyote said.

More film projects coming to SF

San Francisco will have a front-row seat to filmmaking magic as early as next month.
“Trauma,” an NBC television series, will shoot three more episodes — for a total of 16 in a nine-month period — between Jan. 4 and Feb. 14. It’s unclear if the series will continue after that, but NBC wants to continue filming in San Francisco either with “Trauma” or another production, Film Commission Executive Director Stefanie Coyote said. That could mean another NBC pilot for The City in February.
NBC also is filming a pilot in The City Jan. 6 to 8, with the first day of shooting at City Hall. Called “Facing Kate,” the show is along the lines of “The Closer,” featuring a “quirky” woman who gives up her law practice to become a mediator.
A Clint Eastwood movie is slated to film locally during a couple of weeks in January, with shooting set for an apartment in Nob Hill for five days, at the Hobart Building on Market Street, and at Crissy Field and a nearby sports bar.
And, a portion of Philip Kaufman’s film for HBO about Ernest Hemingway is expected to be shot in San Francisco sometime next year. jsabatini@sfexaminer.com

Ballot measure intoduced by Sup Alioto- Pier would change appointment procedure to SF Film Commission

Ondine Kilker — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:46:14 GMT

What Do Michela Alioto-Pier and Chris Daly Have in Common? They Want the Mayor to Have Less Power By Erin Sherbert in Government, PoliticsWed., Dec. 16 2009 @ 12:45PM It looks like one of Mayor Gavin Newsom's reliable political friends, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, is getting aboard the train to peel away at Mayor Gavin Newsom's political powers. The District 2 Supervisor has proposed a ballot measure that would essentially strip Newsom's omnipotence over appointments to the San Francisco Film Commission. The proposal, which is headed to the June 8 ballot, would, among other things, grant the Board of Supervisors power to appoint five of the 11 members on the Film Commission. While it's not unusual for lefty progressives on the board to attempt to dilute the mayor's power using "split-appointments" on commissions, it is unexpected is for his ally Alioto-Pier to initiate a proposal like this. So then what's up with her Chris Daly impression? "It feels a little out of the blue," says Jim Ross, a San Francisco political consultant. "I don't know what's behind it." What we do know is that Alioto-Pier is an active supporter of the city's Film Commission and worked hard on creating a film rebate program. Myabe she was a little vexed by Newsom's decision to fire Stefanie Coyote, the executive director of the city's Film Commission. Bill Barnes, legislative aide to Alioto-Pier, says the supervisor's plan is just an attempt at creating good policy. So not a big F-you to the mayor?. "That's not the point," Barnes says. "The supervisor and the mayor get along most of the time. It's not to change the relationship between the board and the mayor." Maybe it's not meant to, but it probably will. http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/12/it_looks_like_supervisor_miche.php

S.F. mayor dumps head of Film Commission

Ondine Kilker — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:40:54 GMT

Phillip Matier,Andrew Ross Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Yet another departure at San Francisco City Hall - this time it's the $132,000-a-year executive director of the Film Commission, Stefanie Coyote. But, unlike mayoral press secretary Nathan Ballard and other staffers who have resigned on their own lately, Coyote's exit came as surprise. "She was totally blindsided - I don't think she saw it coming," said a Coyote confidante. We're told Mayor Gavin Newsom asked Coyote, the wife of actor Peter Coyote, for her resignation last week. That was unusual in itself, as Newsom is known for his aversion to firing anyone. The mayor's office declined to comment, calling it a personnel matter. City Hall sources say the mayor felt Coyote could have been doing more to lure filmmakers to the city. They also cite Coyote's less-than-PR-conscious ways - as evidenced by the Fox News flap her office generated a couple of years back when it made the Marines jump through hoops to film a recruiting ad in the city. There may be a bit of personal politics at play here as well. Before Newsom dropped out of the governor's race, Coyote's husband was publicly supporting his longtime friend and Newsom rival, Attorney General Jerry Brown. Film Commission President Lorrae Rominger, who had Coyote's job during Frank Jordan's mayoral administration, said Tuesday she was surprised to hear about her exit. "It's the mayor's decision," Rominger said. "He obviously is making a bunch of changes in his administration, and he certainly has the right to do it." A Film Commission rep said Coyote was off for the Thanksgiving holiday and unavailable for comment. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/24/BA5M1APVE8.DTL

Women in the Seats but Not Behind the Camera

Rachel Caplan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:01:56 GMT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/movies/13dargis.html?_r=1

The Celluloid Ceiling: Thoughts From Five Women Who Broke Through

Rachel Caplan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:38:41 GMT

http://www.indiewire.com/article/the_celluloid_ceiling_thoughts_from_five_women_who_broke_through/

Last night at the London Film Festival, to an audience of possibly 90% women, a lively and at times quite provocative discussion went down about a topic that’s come up quite a bit this year - women and filmmaking. 2009 has been seen by many as landmark film for female-directed, written or produced cinema, which certainly finds evidence London’s programming. To name but a few: Lone Scherfig’s “An Education,” Claire Denis’ “White Material,” Xiaolu Guo’s “She, A Chinese,” Jane Campion’s “Bright Star,” Lindy Heymann’s “Kicks,” Sophie Barthes’ “Cold Souls,” Mia Hansen-Løve’s “Father of My Children,” Catherine Breillat’s “Bluebeard” and Sam Taylor Wood’s “Nowhere Boy.” And in honor of this notable but still stunningly disproportionate trend, the festival put together “Snipping Away at the Celluloid Ceiling,” a panel featuring five women associated with some of those films to discuss whether or not there’s a “sea change” in female-associated filmmaking, and what exactly that characterization means in the first place.

Continued at http://www.indiewire.com/article/the_celluloid_ceiling_thoughts_from_five_women_who_broke_through/

BAWIFM 'seen' on SF360.org

Rachel Caplan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:01:11 GMT

http://www.sf360.org/seen/women-on-men

Go see the doc SHOOTING WOMEN at the Roxie's WOMEN MAKE MOVIES FESTIVAL!

Simone Nelson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:38:51 GMT

See the film celebrating FEMALE camerawoman from around the world who are changing the world by what they SHOOT!

DATE/TIME: Tues, Sept. 1 at 7:00
LOCATION: Roxie Theater, San Francisco

SHOOTING WOMEN

A film by Alexis Krasilovsky

Featuring more than 50 camerawomen from around the world, and shot over a period of six years, Shooting Women, by pioneering filmmaker and cinema studies professor Alexis Krasilovsky, celebrates the amazing talent and unflinching spirit of image-making women from the sets of Hollywood and Bollywood to the war zones of Afghanistan.
This internationally-acclaimed documentary, based on Krasilovsky’s book “Women Behind the Camera,” broaches the persistent issues of the glass ceiling, sexual harassment, and childcare for professional camerawomen around the globe working from environments where raising such issues is seen as unprofessional.

With wide-ranging access and rich diversity, Shooting Women offers insight from top directors of photography like Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and Sandi Sissel (Salaam Bombay!), while giving voice to stories of groundbreaking women like African-American Jessie Maple Patton, who sued the American union and networks for the right to work. From historic footage of Mao’s travels from China’s first camerawoman, to the secretly filmed beatings of women in Afghanistan, viewers are offered a glimpse of how women behind the camera are changing the world. 2008, 54 minutes, subject Jo Carsen in person!!

BAWIFM EVENT PRESENTER TO APPEAR ON VIEW FROM THE BAY ON JULY 16th!

Simone Nelson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:00:22 GMT

HEADS UP TO BAWIFM MEMBERS:

BAWIFM's Special Co-Presented event "Entrepreneurship & Creativity meets Inspiration & Innovation: An Evening with Tina Seelig" is tomorrow (Thursday night - for info below).

BUT CHECK IT OUT:
Our presenter, Tina Seelig, will be appearing tomorrow (Thursday, Jully 16th) late afternoon at approx. 3:30 pm on the Bay Area talk/news/chat show: VIEW FROM THE BAY (ABC Affiliate station).

Link to VIEW FROM THE BAY:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/channel?section=view_from_the_bay&id=5755208

If you are attending this event or cannot - take a moment and check out Tina and what a bit of what you will be getting first hand and/or what you are missing...though of course you can still get her book on Amazon if interested. You can always DVR the show for future viewing. VIEW FROM THE BAY is from 3-4 pm on weekdays on your ABC Affiliate.

Also, Tina will be headlining a Commonwealth Club of San Francisco Event this month on July 20th if you can't make this BAWIFM/Girls in Tech event tomorrow. Link for more info or to buy tix to that event: http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=2&shcode=1246

Hope to see some of you tomorrow evening.

-The Board of Directors,Bay Area Women in Film and Media
www.bawifm.org

ABOUT THE EVENT ON THURS. JULY 16th

EVENT MAY BE SOLD OUT AT THIS JUNCTURE - YOU MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED TO ATTEND AND CAN ONLY REGISTER
via this LINK TO INVITATION & REGISTRATION:
http://tinaseeligchat.eventbrite.com/

NO WALK UPS ACCEPTED TO THIS EVENT!

"Entrepreneurship & Creativity meets Inspiration & Innovation: An Evening with Tina Seelig"

Bay Area Women in Film and Media* and Girls in Tech are proud to bring Tina Seelig, Executive Director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and acclaimed author for this "one night only" special event.

Women working in the world of start-ups and film/media making have a commonality: both are all about where entrepreneurship meets creativity!

This co-presented event will feature a lively discussion of Tina Seelig's latest book: "What I Wish I Knew When I Was Twenty: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World"** along with an exploration of innovation that Seelig says "is all about turning problems into opportunities, and entrepreneurship "an extreme sport that's all about getting out there & doing it." The event will also provide attendees with inside access to one of the most sought after business school directors in the country.

Come join us for a this unique opportunity to mix with women leaders, collaborators and colleagues in media, film and hi-tech while Tina offers some provocative lessons gleaned from Seelig's tenure in both the corporate and academic worlds, along with some untraditional advice inspired by leading business figures like Apple creator Steve Jobs.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Wine and snacks will be provided.

A BIG thanks goes out to Adaptive Path for hosting the event.

ADAPTIVE PATH OFFICES
363 Brannan St.
San Francisco, CA
94107-1810

* This special added event is in co-presentation with GIRLS IN TECH and therefore is not included as the regular BAWIFM monthly Membership Event

**Tina's book will be available for purchase at the event.

FROM TRACTION MAGAZINE (available through our web home page)

Simone Nelson — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:51:40 GMT

If you think that perhaps an organization like WIFTI or BAWIFM should not exist - read these stats/information from TRACTION MAGAZINE (an online resource for women in film and media from Women in Film International available on a link through www.bawifm.org's home page!)

THE CELLULOID CEILING IN 2008
The Celluloid Ceiling:
Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women
on the Top 250 Films of 2008

Copyright © 2009 – All rights reserved.
_________________________________

In 2008, women comprised 16% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films. This represents a decline of 3 percentage points from 2001 and an increase of one percentage point from 2007.

Women accounted for 9% of directors in 2008, an increase of three percentage points from 2007. This figure represents no change from the percentage of women directing in 1998.

The following summary provides employment figures for 2008 and compares the most recent statistics with those from the last 10 years.

Findings
• This study analyzed behind-the-scenes employment of 2,706 individuals working on the top 250 domestic grossing films (foreign films omitted) of 2008 with combined domestic box office grosses of approximately $9.4 billion.

• Twenty two percent (22%) of the films released in 2008 employed no women directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, or editors. No films failed to employ a man in at least one of these roles.

• An historical comparison of women’s employment on the top 250 films in 2008 and 1998 reveals that the percentages of women directors and cinematographers have remained stable, whereas the percentages of women writers, executive producers, producers, and editors have declined slightly (see Figure 2).

• Women comprised 9% of all directors working on the top 250 films of 2008. Ninety percent (90%) of the films had no female directors.

• Women accounted for 12% of writers working on the top 250 films of 2008. Eighty two percent (82%) of the films had no female writers.

• Women comprised 16% of all executive producers working on the top 250 films of 2008. Sixty five percent (65%) of the films had no female executive producers.

• Women accounted for 23% of all producers working on the top 250 films of 2008. Forty three percent (43%) of the films had no female producers.

• Women accounted for 17% of all editors working on the top 250 films of 2008. Seventy nine percent (79%) of the films had no female editors.

• Women comprised 4% of all cinematographers working on the top 250 films of 2008. Ninety six percent (96%) of the films had no female cinematographers.