With the occasional rare exception, every film begins with a script. As collaborative a process as filmmaking can be, it always starts with a person (or several people) by themselves at a computer. Or a typewriter. Or maybe even holding a pen and paper. Point is, the genesis of everything we see on screen first occurs inside a writer’s mind, and it is their incredibly difficult job to convey what they see using only words.
Historically, female writers have made a large and indelible impact on pop culture and entertainment. After all, we wouldn’t have Frankenstein without Mary Shelley or many of our favorite weekly detective shows without the works of Agatha Christie. But prolific as they've been, women faced intense hurdles when trying to break into the male-dominated film and television industries. Happily, those times are rapidly changing.
Hollywood is getting the picture: every writer’s unique perspective has the potential to change a script in unexpected ways. Audiences want to see different and more compelling content, and that demands the industry seek out and support female writers who are part of a long tradition of inspired storytelling. For this year’s Women’s History Month, we want to point out three amazing wordsmiths who are part of Hollywood’s changing gender narrative.
Melissa Mathison
When she left UC Berkeley prematurely, the late Melissa Mathison had just been promoted by Francis Ford Coppola from the family babysitter to his assistant on The Godfather Part II. Her amazing career began with the screenplay adaptation of The Black Stallion, which she wrote at Coppola’s urging. It was this script that caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who hired her to co-write E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (earning her an Oscar nomination). She went on to write The Indian in the Cupboard, Kundun, and The BFG, which was released after her death and dedicated to her memory. In addition to her laudable career, Mathison was also a staunch supporter of Tibet, having met and befriended the Dalai Lama while writing the script for Kundun.
Shonda Rhimes
It’s hard to find a bigger network television success story in recent memory than Shonda Rhimes, who has produced and written such colossal hits as Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal. Her prolific career as an executive producer also includes huge shows like How To Get Away With Murder, Off the Map, and The Catch. Rhimes has recently inked a mammoth deal with Netflix that will see her produce new shows for the streaming giant while also bringing her established hits into their collection. As the author said in her book Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person, “I am not lucky. You know what I am? I am smart, I am talented, I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way and I work really, really hard. Don’t call me lucky. Call me a badass.”
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Of course, you know her work as an actress, but Maggie Gyllenhaal has recently shown the world that her artistry isn’t bound to the front of the camera. After a decades-long acting career that saw her nominated for an Academy Award in 2009’s Crazy Heart, Gyllenhaal made her writing (and directing) debut with 2021’s The Lost Daughter. The psychological drama, which stars Olivia Colman, has proven to be quite the critical darling, winning the Best Screenplay Award as the Venice International Film Festival and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Gyllenhaal is being touted as a writer to watch (but first, she must battle it out for that iconic gold statue at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony on March 27...)