1. Criterion 5: Appendix
Wed 28 September
Karen Ward
My idea for the next assignment is based on investigating the idea of creativity in
secondary education. What is creativity? Can it be defined in an educational context
or is it an ideological construction as suggested by Nelson (2010). If a school is
judged as effective by hitting exam targets, then is learning by exploration and
making and learning from mistakes lost? Is there pressure on teachers to “spoon feed”
answers to students for coursework and exam preparation? Does it matter? Does it
affect our workforce in the UK?
The artefact would be a documentary film and I would aim to interview
specialists/theorists to present both sides of the argument - traditional education vs.
creative approach. I would also hope to use short clips from different observations
(my own) and from previous key speeches/interviews.
I guess I want to do this because I've always wanted to be part of a school that values
creative approaches to learning but the more I look into it, the more it seems to have
been a concept attached to the labour government and therefore no longer on the
agenda. Scary.
Thursday 29 September
Mark Readman
Hi Karen, you know what I think (yes it is!) so I won't bore you again. BUT, this
sounds like a much better unit 3 idea than a unit 2 idea. I suggest you box this one (a
la Tim Clague) and come up with something more practice oriented for this unit.
What do you think?
Pete Fraser
I agree with Mark- this is perfect for the pedagogy unit, but not for this one. But you
can do something creative for this one! (in the sense only of making something being
a creative act, no more than that- I am reading Mark's dissertation at the moment!)
Sunday 09 October
Karen Ward
I'll keep the creativity idea on the back burner then. I have 2 new ideas:
Postfeminism and representation of young women in UK TV drama
Contemporary representations of young women in UK TV drama - do they suggest
that equality has been achieved and feminism is redundant?
Artefact: 5 minute film. Young women discussing their understanding of/experiences
of feminism, reaction to clips from UK TV programme, close analysis of clips.
2. Brandism and Auteurism (after reading an article by Nick James in Sight and
Sound)
The consumer, the medium and the consumed as interacting concepts?
Artefact: New style of film poster? Interactive - imagining touch screen technology in
future film posters.

2. Pete Fraser
initial reactions 1. hard to do all that in 5 mins and how do you get away from the
potentially dull talking heads with clips video 2. are you going to make one? I've seen
these interactive bus stop poster things at the London transport Museum, but not sure
how you'd do it!
Monday 10 October
Karen Ward
Is it a practice related issue in the way women are now represented as powerful if they
are both beautiful and confident in their sexual appeal? Have these representations of
women disguised the real issues? Am I getting this or am I off on the wrong path
again? I've been doing some reading around practice theory and now I've really
confused myself - I keep looking back at a quote from John Postill; "practice theory is
a body of work about the work of the body". I'm probably over thinking it all.
Wednesday 12 October
Renee Wilson
Re: Moms not going back to work -- I think it's also cost of daycare, time spent
commuting, salaries. When you factor all that in, a lot of women end up working to
pay for daycare. It just doesn't make sense for them ... in Canada, anyhow.
Karen Ward
I agree. In Why are there so few female film-makers? in The Guardian (2010), female
directors do cite motherhood as a reason a lot of women don't carry on. Female
directors need to be free to work and travel without restrictions. Other reasons given
were a lack of female role models and mentors, chauvinism, sexism and men
believing women just don't have the stamina to complete a feature film.
Wednesday 19 October
Renee Wilson
This is such an interesting, layered topic. I like the question you pose, Karen, about
whether a feminist can have fake boobs and dyed hair. My hunch is that Gen Y says
yes to that. I think they'd say that they can look however they want, do with and to
their bodies whatever they want, and that's what gives them power. I suppose the
problem is that there aren't many (pop culture) role models of educated, intelligent,
well put together women. I'm not sure who Jordan is, but I'm guessing she's the UK
equivalent to Paris Hilton. Or the Kardashians. Does she have a sex tape, too?
I think you'd love Lisa Bloom's book 'Think'. It's very good.
Thursday 20 October
Karen Ward
That's it isn't it? There are a lack of role models in pop culture, or at least being
represented. I did have a look at Lisa's site and read some of her advice. Some of the
things are really interesting like how to speak to girls and young women instead of
always commenting on how they look as though that's the most important thing about
them. Hadn't thought of that.

3. Friday 21 October
Richard Berger
Perhaps that is your way in Karen? Maybe your film could be about role models, and
then you could link that to feminism?
Tuesday 25 October
Karen Ward
Hello! On the trail at last - thank you for your contributions. I'm now focusing on the
lack of female directors as role models - why this is the case and (possibly) the impact
this underrepresentation might have.
Sunday 30 October
Karen Ward
This is my revised concept to scale it down:
The theoretical concept here is authorship and female identity. My chosen area of
contemporary media practice is the gender gap in the film industry at the level of film
directors and why this gap isn’t closing. I will look at the gender gap as an issue
arising from the construction of the ‘author’ as male through auteur theory and it’s
gender-biased use of language. This gives the project a single focus rather than
getting pulled into any sort of textual analysis of the films
Tuesday 01 Nov
Karen Ward
Just did my first bit of filming at women in film and television - it's tough doing it on
your own. It's really limiting in terms of style because you have to set the camera up
and kind of leave it there. You're halfway through the interview and the light changes
or something but you're stuck on the chair, nodding away. Got lots of great sound
bites though so feel relieved that I've made a start. Found this great ted talk too:
http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.h
tml
Sheryl is talking more generally about women in business but her points about the
difference between males and females in putting themselves forward and confidence
is very relevant.
Wednesday 02 November
Richard Berger
That sounds good Karen! Don't worry about the technical prowess of your piece.
We're not going to mark that - unless it hinders in anyway the general argument
you're making.
Monday 21 November
Helen Bell

4. I like your corridor image. Run girls, don't let them beat you, use elbows if you need
to! The way that you've constructed your piece will be an inspiring challenge to your
female students. I have two points on first watch: Can the pics of Directors be slower?
I don't have time to see who's in the pictures. And do you explain '...by setting
standards for greatness only achievable by men’ somewhere else? Because I can't get
that from the information here, and I want to know more. Good stuff.
Karen Ward
Cheers Helen - I agree, i feel slightly sick because they go too fast.... I'll also think
about how to make 'standards' more prominent.
Ken McGill
Very inspirational, just the right register for this subject I think. Will look again on
Wed when you have your captions up. Make sure you dip your music under your VO
and consider adding a de-interlace filter to your video clips if you haven't already, this
should cure any jitters. If you need any help doing this give me a shout. Well done.
Leanne Canham
I really liked the hook at the start and it's a topical issue. In terms of audience how are
you going to tackle it not possibly excluding boys? I'm not sure if it does but just a
thought.
Karen Ward
Hi Leanne! The 16-18 yr old girls are my core target audience. The lads will be
watching too and I'll be interested to hear their comments, but on this occasion my
main mission is to deliver a message to the girls.
Tuesday 22 November
Renee Wilson
I love the direct-approach of your film. You have written and delivered such a concise
script. Your speaking voice is lovely, too. Like so many of the artefacts posted so far,
I can also see yours as a teaching tool used by your colleagues to inspire young girls
to rise up. I agree with Helen about the cool visual at the beginning -- girls and boys
walking down the corridor. This is the kind of stuff I (try to) teach my journalism
students = SHOW, don't tell. Awesome job ... probably done with kids at your ankles
Karen Ward
Just realised I've posted all my mistakes as well in the unfinished part of the piece!
Big mistake with what Lillian Gish said - should be 'directing is no job for a lady'. I'll
have to re-record the script tonight. Back to the attic...... I think it'll be a late one.
Wednesday 23 November
Ken McGill
I loved this film, even the colour bars at the end were beautifully judged! Well shot,
especially the interview, great structure and genuinely shocking content, and a rousing
call to arms at the end. Still not sure why there is such a horrendous disparity though.
I can send you my export workflow from FCP 7 to Vimeo if you want. Well done.

5. Richard Berger
Great! I hope it gets a good discussion going. I think you link nicely to the auteur
theory too, which is a lot harder to do than it looks - hope you get some good
feedback.
Renee Wilson
What I love about your film, Karen, is that it serves as a great conversation starter.
You've tapped into a controversial issue. I would suspect that every viewer will be left
wondering why in the world more women aren't directing films. I assume that your
essay will dive deeper into the "why" of it all. Some may wish that you had touched
on that a bit in this artefact, but I actually like that you didn't. I like that you put it out
there for other people to ponder and digest. The only part that I stumbled over was the
bit where Bigelow (who is AWESOME) gets her Oscar. Around that time, you say
that there were "lots to choose from" -- or something like that -- which made me
wonder if you meant that there were lots of female-directed films to choose from. For
me, different phrasing would help there. Other than that, I think this is really great.
You have a beautiful radio voice. – Renee
Karen Ward
Thanks Renee. Lots of positives here. I see your point about "lots to choose from". It
seems to contradict my argument! I need to revisit that to see what I was going on
about.... Again like I was just asking in my post to Ken, is it clear enough that I was
looking to auteur theory as a possible explanation for the gap? I was hoping to
highlight important female directors in the history of film to show they were around,
and at the same time show they were excluded from important writings in the
development of film theory. Much appreciated Renee!
Renee Wilson
Yes, Karen, I do think that we can deduct that one possible reason for the lack of
women as directors in film can be attributed to auteur theory. It's sort of a fancy way
of saying that it's an old boys club. You suggest that Bigelow has done so well
because she doesn't make "girly" movies, she doesn't get up on her feminist haunches.
(my words, not yours). <side thought: It's funny that Woody Allen's movies fly. I
wonder how he squeezed in to the boys club.> It's a catch 22: if women aren't given
the opportunity, they will never be able to develop an auteur fingerprint. And perhaps
they aren't given the opportunity because there's a fear/resistance to what that
fingerprint might be. Along comes Bigelow, who directs The Hurt Locker and the
boys realize that she can speak their language, too. I guess what gets really interesting
is to pull out the subtleties of her movie vs. other similar movies. Is there a female
touch on it? Does she look through the lens with a uniquely feminine perspective? I
guess that's yet to be seen. Without a larger collection of work, how can we know for
sure? And so goes the circular dilemma.
Saturday 26 November
Claire Pollard
Hi Karen, Just had a good re-read of your thread and the blog. And of course i have
watched the film through a couple of times. I'm afraid i only have positive feedback.
I think you get the argument across very clearly - all elements of the film complement
each other - the interview introduces the topic in a general way then you back it up so

6. well with your "potted history of women in film" accompanied by the shocking
revelation that the majority of film criticism ignores women directors. It's especially
interesting for me having read my way across a load of authorship and you're
absolutely right. The Sarris anthology stuff - one shot and oddities and clowns is
PROPER shocking. What a dick. It highlights a feeling towards women that certainly
still exists but because of political correctness will never be admitted (except for the
culturally acceptable 'joke' areas of women and driving and women and directions). It
chimes with what Helen said earlier in your thread about women having to either play
the men at their own game or act the victim. It was really powerful to have the
Bigelow footage directly following the Sarris stuff because it made me feel really
proud and a bit emotional - then to cut back to the eyes of your student ... i imagine it
will be quite powerful for students to watch and really inspiring. I'd have loved this if
someone had shown me it in the sixth form. I probably would have become a film
director just to make a point. Which is why I am also an excellent driver and map
reader. Not really sure what else I can say - there isn't much about the artefact that
needs to be improved. Perhaps I would have liked a little more exploration of other
women filmmakers producing successful stuff nowadays. I just got back from
watching Wuthering Heights which was brilliant - there are so many fantastic non-
mainstream female directors. An oscar isn't everything. It might be fairly simple to do
with just a few well chosen clips from some well-directed ladyfilms. There's also that
Bird's Eye film festival which might be worth a mention. This might harness the
inspiration that young women might feel in response to this film and channel it into
something they can start accessing immediately or at the very least make them seek
out female directors they hadn't heard of before.
Great film - well-structured, well shot, expertly edited and the lady from women in
film and tv is wearing such a lovely blouse!
Monday 28 November
Hey Karen
Had another watch- new version and loved your directing style haha! I concur with
Claire's point that Sarris comes across as a bit of a dick in his 'categories' but i'm not
sure you'll be able to include this in your feedback. Maybe I'm feeling strongly about
it because I'm female. I was wondering whether your topic is the general feel for ALL
(worldwide) or whether it just stems from Hollywood (40s and 50s)? Interesting that
when you look at film actors (male gendered term but here meaning women and men)
there is also still a divide in how much money a lead A list actress makes in
comparison to a lead A list actor. As Renee says, your artifact is a great motivating
booster for girls keen to get in the industry and with regards to my previous question
about boys it's good to get them to watch it and I think their feedback will provide
some useful insight. Maybe you should get a careers adviser to have a look at it.
Tuesday 29 November
Donal Beecher
No so sure about that blouse! but joking aside KarenI watched it earlier on today.
I think you've done a great job. Shit hot. Very slick and informative with a good focus
of who your audience is. Do you know what ever happened to Jane Campion, I'm
sure she's still around?