These descriptions of female roles in film scripts are pretty WOEFUL
One Hollywood film producer has noticed a disheartening trend in the numerous scripts he has to sift through a day.
And that trend is that the descriptions of female characters generally tend to be horrendous and focus almost entirely on looks (basically they are infuriatingly sexist).
Ross, who changed all the character names to 'Jane', has posted his discovery in a rather sarcastic and yet truly illuminating Twitter rampage.
JANE, 28, athletic but sexy. A natural beauty. Most days she wears jeans, and she makes them look good.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE, with lengthy blonde hair, enters. Attractive in an effortless way, she carries an alluring and yet forward charm behind a bold smile.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 11, 2016
JANE, a 19 year old Bunny girl – honey-blonde farmland beauty queen.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE pours her gorgeous figure into a tight dress, slips into her stiletto-heeled fuck-me shoes, and checks herself in the dresser mirror.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
Though drop-dead beautiful, JANE (40) has the appearance of someone whose confidence has been shaken. She is a raw, sexual force, impeded.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE (late 20s) sits hunched over a microscope. She’s attractive, but too much of a professional to care about her appearance.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
His wife JANE is making dinner and watching CNN on a small TV. She was model pretty once, but living an actual life has taken its toll.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
A gorgeous woman, JANE, 23, is a little tipsy, dancing naked on her big bed, as adorable as she is sexy. *BONUS PTS FOR BEING THE 1ST LINE
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE stands next to it (30's) dressed in a paramedic's uniform – blonde, fit, smokin' hot.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
Yeah, no wonder there is still gender equality issues in Hollywood…
Speaking to Jezebel, Ross outlined why he felt he couldn't keep these descriptions to himself.
"For every confused ‘you're' and ‘your,' there's just as much latent misogyny and sexism in the scripts I read. Women are first and foremost described as ‘beautiful,' ‘attractive,' or—my personal blow-my-brains-out-favorite- ‘stunning.'
"I found myself posting to Facebook far too often ‘here comes another script with our 45 year-old male lead dating a 25 year-old woman,' and decided I was going to keep track of the female character introductions in scripts I read for a few weeks.
"I went back and combed through past scripts too, and the patterns were pretty disconcerting.
"I plan on posting every one that I read, and there are plenty that aren't offensive, but honestly, most of them have some element—subtle or overt—that plays into latent objectification."
You go, Ross.
