Looking for Representation: Crowdfunding Picks
As women, we know that we exist in multitudes, yet the representations that we see of ourselves in the media barely scratch the surface of our lived experiences. For so long, narratives about people have been shaped and controlled by men, across every medium — throughout history, literature, film, and more — offering sparse and narrow portrayals of female figures. As we finally begin to interrogate the narratives we have learned, and reconsider the canon within each creative discipline, more and more women are stepping up to facilitate change for the better, and ensure our voices are heard.
These crowdfunding picks come from female filmmakers who aim to challenge preconceived ideas about women, offer much needed representation for the marginalized, and unpack the history — or herstory — of female contributions to society that have gone ignored or underappreciated. Two of the picks document the effects of representation in film: docuseries “Looking for Leia” explores the culture of female fandom surrounding “Star Wars,” while “Dykes, Camera, Action!” analyzes queer cinema, and how it has inspired the queer, female filmmakers who have contributed to its annals.
Lastly, web series “Drunk HerStory” gives everyday women a platform to share their stories, and raise awareness about the issues that they face, many of which are shared widely amongst women but are missing from the larger conversations held within society and the media.
Here’s our latest round of women-created and women-centric crowdfunding picks.
“Looking for Leia” (Docuseries) — Created and Directed by Annalise Ophelian
Female fans of the sci-fi genre have always existed, yet often their enjoyment, contributions to fandom, and critiques of the material they love go unnoticed in popular discussion. Filmmaker Annalise Ophelian plans to counter that with this six-part series documenting the vast female fandom surrounding the “Star Wars” franchise. Furthermore, Ophelian notes that when women’s fandom stories are — on the rare occasion — recorded, they tend to focus on white, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied women, flattening the richness of experiences that exist beyond those identities. The importance of “Looking for Leia” lies in “critically shifting the perspective of what we casually, normatively define as ‘women,’ and this commitment to representation is reflected both on and behind the camera.”
With its scope extending far beyond the legacy of the late Carrie Fisher’s iconic Princess Leia, the series explores the history of the franchise’s female fandom, features interviews with women in STEM whose career choices were directly inspired by the films, and examines the culture of cosplay, among many more subjects. In recognition of the impact of media, and how it shapes our lives — or how we shape our lives around it — one episode is focused specifically on the importance of representation on and behind the camera, and the utility of the wider sci-fi/fantasy genre for women, and other marginalized communities, to explore their identities.
Help “Looking for Leia” achieve its funding goal by visiting the series’ Seed&Spark campaign page.
“Dykes, Camera, Action!” (Documentary) — Directed by Caroline Berler
This feature documentary, boasting interviews with the likes of Desiree Akhavan, Rose Troche, Cheryl Dunye, Barbara Hammer, and critic B. Ruby Rich, charts the contributions of women directors to the queer cinema canon, and how the genre has inspired those filmmakers in turn. Currently seeking funds for post-production, the film explores the rich history of queer cinema, and the role that queer media representations play in shaping the lives of queer folk, making it an invaluable resource for those wishing to find themselves on-screen.
Director Caroline Berler explains that, when growing up in the late ‘90s, not knowing any openly gay adults in her community led her to search for role models in the movies. Still today this is a common experience for young, queer people looking for community and acceptance, and the project’s inclusion statement notes that the film “underscores the power that film has to shape our perceptions of one another.” Queer films made by women rarely receive the coverage and fanfare that their counterparts made by male directors do, and often get consigned to niche status, so it’s exciting to see the stories behind some of the queer canon’s most lasting films come to light in this project.
You can help support “Dykes, Camera, Action!” by contributing to its Seed&Spark campaign.
“Drunk HerStory” (Web Series) — Created and Directed by Bre Vergess
While creator/director Bre Vergess acknowledges the importance of conversations surrounding sexual harassment, and the burgeoning #MeToo movement, she knows that this is just one facet of the daily struggles that women face. Explaining how she was inspired to create the series, she refers to the “whole world of issues that happen just in our daily lives that don’t knock us down as women, but that we’re forced to ignore or repress or shake off, and I think it’s important to … talk about [those].” To that end, she has assembled a 12-strong group of HerStorytellers from a range of backgrounds to share their experiences — while they imbibe.
Clearly inspired by the format of Comedy Central’s “Drunk History,” the series aims to break down barriers, and make the stories accessible by sharing them in a fun, casual manner that is facilitated by the addition of bottles of wine. But instead of a reliance on a historical record shaped by men, it’s the focus on women having the space to share their own narratives — while they are still being shaped — that sets this series apart.
Visit “Drunk HerStory’s” Indiegogo campaign page to learn more about how to back the series.
To be considered for Women and Hollywood’s biweekly crowdfunding feature, please write to womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com. All formats (features, shorts, web series, etc.) welcome. Projects must be by and/or about women.
