In the world of film, and media in general, it can be hard to be seen — there are so many talented people and stories to be told. One group of people is often the last to receive representation and accolades in the entertainment industry, and that is Black women.
The Oscars have been around for 98 years, and in that time, only one Black woman has won a Best Actress Award. Ten have won for supporting actress, one for costumes, one for makeup and hairstyling, two for original song and one for production design. That’s all. With 22 award categories, it begs the question, why do Black women in film go so unnoticed?
According to UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report, two and a half out of 10 leads in film are people of color, and even less are Black women. Two out of 10 directors are people of color, and only one and a half out of 10 directors are women. With a lack of representation behind and in front of the camera, the task of having your story heard seems insurmountable.
One of the newest clubs on campus, the Black Women in Film and Media club, is forming a home for students to grow and thrive as filmmakers and creatives. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the club had its first meeting, introduced itself to the world and started creating movie ideas.
Abigail Anderson is a sophomore mass communication major and was one of the attendees at the meeting. She said the thing that stood out the most to her was the friendship that blossomed between all of the women there.
“It was like we had been collaborators for so long, and we all just kind of locked in on the same wavelength,” Anderson said.
Instead of having occasional meetings and maybe doing an event or two a semester like the average club, the Black Women in Film and Media club has a larger vision: helping women to grow in their understanding and talents, and giving them access to the resources needed to become great filmmakers.
“I find that many of the student filmmakers’ biases guide them, in their casting decisions at least,” said Anderson. “They’ve only seen a certain kind of aesthetic portrayed in the media, and so they kind of go with what’s comfortable instead of maybe taking a risk.”
Though it’s sometimes challenging to be a person of color in the film world, Anderson has also found her home with other film students of color at LSU.
“I’m glad that we’re now getting a space for Black women to learn these things without being ridiculed or faulted or undermined or felt belittled because they didn’t know something,” said Anderson.
Jada Jinnel, a junior screen arts and psychology major, is the founder and president of the Black Women in Film and Media club. She had been thinking about starting a club like this for a while, but this winter was when Jinnel knew she had to make it a reality.
Part of the reason why creating a club like this is so important for her is because it is filling a space and a need for many students. At the moment, the club is in what Jinnel calls the learning stage — teaching members about acting, screenwriting, directing and producing.
As the Black Women in Film and Media club grows, Jinnel hopes that it becomes a space where these women can reach out, ask for help and create with one another.
When talking about Black filmmakers and artists Jinnel, she talked about director Ryan Coogler and his most recent movie, “Sinners.”
“That movie was phenomenal, and I started reading the screenplay and I’m like, “how do you think of this? How do you literally think of that?” Jinnel said. “[‘Sinners’] stuck out to me because it’s an original film and it’s just incredible.”
Jinnel mentioned the difference between the LSU film and television program and the screen arts program; not just that one is with the College of Music & Dramatic Arts and the other is with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, but that the screen arts degree offers less hands-on opportunities.
“My concentration is production, but it is more like, ‘you’ve gotta go out and do it,’” Jinnel said. “You have to be very self-motivated.”
Jinnel hopes that the club will expand to reach more students who resonate with the group’s mission of creating a space for Black women in film.
Currently, the Black Women in Film and Media Club is planning out more meetings and workshops for the future. To find more information and announcements, check out the club’s Instagram.
