Butterfly’s Jungle Adventure: A Woman Trying to Break Into the Male-dominated Industry
Zhao Ling donned a simple black T-shirt and prayed towards the Buddha statue that stood solemnly in the corner of her hotel room. The incense sticks she held flickered in the darkness, casting a soft glow on her face. It was already 11 p.m. and she had just gotten back from a two-hour drive from the movie set. After finishing her prayers, she sat down at her laptop and began importing her filming footage. Her day was not over yet.
As a still photographer, Zhao’s job was to capture the actors' performances and the look of the sets for movie marketing and publicity.
"Today was a tough day," she muttered to herself as she sifted through and secured the best photos. She recalled the adrenaline rush she felt as she scaled the roof of the studio, three stories high, to capture the actor's face as he hung precariously above. She couldn't help but shudder at the memory of standing frozen on the roof, her fingers tightly gripping the camera's shutter button.
"I had to take on the task because I am smaller and lighter than my male colleagues," she explained. "I wanted to prove that being a woman can be an advantage in this type of situation, and I succeeded," she said with a proud laugh.
Working on a film set can feel like navigating a jungle, with each department staking out its own territory and asserting its power. Unfortunately, one of the unwritten rules of this jungle is that women are not trusted. In the past, many crews in China believed that it was bad luck for a woman to handle camera equipment. Even today, women are often relegated to lighter duties such as scene managers, producers, costume designers, and makeup artists.
Zhao Ling, born in northeast China in 1988, began her photography journey at the age of 22 when she purchased her first camera. Starting from scratch, she made the bold decision to leave her job at an electronics factory and take on the role of a camera assistant at a wedding photography studio. Initially, her job responsibilities were limited to carrying bags and cleaning up, but she persevered and a year later, she became a professional photographer in her own right. Her approach was simple - she observed, asked questions and practiced tirelessly, driven by her passion for the craft.
In 2018, when a friend asked her to take photos for a film, she saw it as an opportunity to take her skills to the next level. Despite facing stiff competition from experienced male photographers, she was undeterred and worked even harder, even if it meant earning less pay.
"As a female photographer, missing out on an opportunity could mean not getting a second chance." Zhao said.
This issue is not exclusive to the Chinese film industry. The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) only has 18 female cinematographers out of 390 members. Rachel Morrison's Oscar nomination for Cinematography marked a historic moment as the first time a woman was recognized in the 88-year history of the awards ceremony.
Even Zhao had reservations about the possibility of a woman securing a cinematography position in the traditional film industry. However, her skepticism was challenged when she witnessed a female Steadicam photographer operating a self-balancing scooter on set. Steadicam is a camera stabilization system that requires the operator to carry a weight ranging from 40 to 130 pounds.
This was the moment when Zhao met Deng Lu, the first female Steadicam photographer in mainland China, who had previously worked as a still photographer like Zhao. Deng Lu even gifted her a rain cover for the camera Zhao had previously used. Deng Lu encouraged Zhao to aim high and to break through any barriers that may exist. “If there is a ceiling, touch it, then break it,” Deng Lu told her.
Zhao now believed that if the rejection of women in this industry was due to the limitations of women's biological conditions, trying to become the best still photographer was her way of removing the label.
"The feminine power Zhao displayed also inspired me to strive for excellence," shared Dai Qiao, who worked with Zhao in 2019 on the film Fengshen Trilogy. Dai Qiao, a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy's Photography Institute, now works as a visual effects director. "As female filmmakers, we are all connected. We not only support each other but also fight for more women's rights in this male-dominated industry," she added.
In recent years, Zhao has noticed an increase in the number of women interested in photography. However, she acknowledges that there is still a significant gender disparity in the field of cinematography. Zhao believes that, similar to the Time's Up campaign in Hollywood, the Chinese film industry should strive to create more inclusive employment opportunities for women.
The 33rd China Film Golden Roster Awards held its first-ever Women's Film Forum on January 10, 2021, where the issues and aspirations of female filmmakers and feminist films were discussed. Zhao views this as a positive step towards progress.
Several ringing sounds rang out from her laptop. After making sure all the photos had been successfully uploaded, she took out the SD card and put it back into the camera. “Now I am ready for tomorrow's adventure,” Zhao said.
