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Outreach Journal: In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America

Published on November 13, 2007

In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America is not your typical documentary.

In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America is a collection of media images accompanied by original song which acts as a springboard toward questioning how popular images represent and shape female life in America. Accompanied by a facilitator's guide for discussion and action, this film generates dialogue about the ways in which commercial images of girls and women—images that are so common we might feel immune to them—portray and influence American life. In rearranging the obvious, In Her Image refreshes the investigation of gender dynamics in the United States today (a topic that, despite its importance, is tired of being discussed), and encourages viewers to become critical consumers and advocates for a society that is not dictated by commercial interests and pressures.

Watch the In Her Image Trailer.

Motivation and Production
In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America is not your typical documentary. It began as a live slideshow and musical performance followed by discussion (that version is still available too) and was made into its film version with guide in an effort to facilitate national outreach and adaptation to specific facilitator's needs.

The entire process of making this film was and still is a completely by-the-seat-of-my-pants, intuitive (yet organized and purposeful!) adventure. Key to its completion was working with talented filmmaker friends, meeting with current field experts, learning tons about troubleshooting with technology, weather, and life in general, and researching everything from media to feminism, copyright to health advocacy. But what I learned most was to trust my instincts, listen to encouragement, and be willing to take risks.

I was motivated to make this film out of unwillingness to stand by while women in America are depicted as commodities in public media. This commercialization is based in entrepreneurship and private enterprise, and despite its profitability, there exist the negative consequences for all Americans of making women into objects (e.g. sex seems trivial and meaningless, aging becomes a "problem," definitions of womanhood are unattainable and therefore are often harmful to female well-being, personal experience is devalued in the face of expert knowledge, medicine and cosmetics merge together). I hoped that in "re-seeing" information that is normally viewed unconsciously, audience-members would become aware of the contradictions found in the many roles that girls and women are told to fill, as well as the paradoxes inherent in gender role issues and their possible resolutions.

However, while the film is organized to question how commercial images represent and shape daily life, I felt it was important not to dictate pre-processed conclusions to audiences; rather, I decided to utilize images, text, and song—the usual methods of communication found in magazines, print advertisements, movies, and TV—to allow audience-members to recognize and access the collected content. It was an experiment in what would happen if people could experience these images condensed within one presentation and out of their usual expected context; I thought when viewers connected the dots and actively interpreted as they experienced the film, they would gain a new consciousness about the high volume of messages we internalize every day. (While some movies can be forms of mindless entertainment, film can still be a really powerful and thought-provoking medium!) I also believed that the program's underlying musical element would involve audiences directly, resonating for a different sort of impact than conventional methods of education which employ only the spoken or written word.

With this tweaked-out 34-minute "music video," I headed into the world with my outreach goals.

Next Steps - Know What You've Made and Stay Positive
The tricky business of doing outreach with a creative piece is that your product is different from what's out there, and therefore does not fall into any niche, genre, category, or use that has been established as worthy of anyone's time and attention. Many filmmakers on MediaRights.org have stressed that finding your audience is crucial, and I would agree. At the start, I met with educational film houses, submitted to film festivals, pestered college events boards, and so on in what seemed like a hopeless path of rejections.

But what I did notice and hang onto was the fact that most everyone I met with was interested by the idea of the film, but were prevented from taking it on board their organization, school, or cause due to field, job, or budget limitations - and of course, the fact that it addresses "dangerous" content. Some folks, scared of political or legal repercussions, wanted to steer clear of my film with a 10-foot pole. Some really wanted to show it but said they simply couldn't because (gasp) there were images of breasts in it. (Funny that we can are bombarded by images of women's bodies on TV, billboards, magazines, bus stops, and even milk cartons, but when someone wants to address their impact in an educational setting, suddenly these same images are forbidden!)

Of course it was discouraging to feel like small fry, an amateur filmmaker to whom no one would give the time of day - but, believing in my mission, I made note of constructive criticisms I received, did a bit of editing to make the film tighter and shorter, and continued my emails and calls of introduction to a more finely-tuned set of possible partners.

As you conduct your outreach efforts, you might notice that certain personal traits or directorial choices seem to be obstacles to your progress. However, these are actually the points that make you and your film strong, because they are unique! For example, I look young for my age (and on top of it was pretty young when I started out) and often am condescended to in meetings. However, there are grants that only young people or first-time filmmakers can apply to, youth is a hugely positive feature when connecting with teens, panels often look to hire multi-generational speakers, etc. What may seem like a disadvantage at first can be turned into an advantage: if you scrutinize why a certain characteristic or trait is valuable, you will be able to clearly see who will respond positively to your work. Then, spend your time and energy focusing on these people! You can always go back to larger organizations, huge film festivals, and such that are harder to crack later if that's important to you. If you are worried that you are "preaching to the choir," rest assured that reaching like-minded people is a great thing! It is much easier to do secondary outreach to people indifferent or opposed to your message with that "choir" behind you! (I'd also like to add here, as disenchanting as this may be, that some people who will not give your work a second thought when you first start out, might reconsider their opinion of your film when you re-approach them a few years and substantial screenings later.)

In my journey's beginning stages, I discovered that in addition to individual teachers, film-screening organizers, and student club leaders, of all things I never would have guessed, conferences seemed to be the venues that were willing to show my film with a "Director Q&A" or accepted my proposals for media literacy workshops. Some colleges were also interested. Very slowly I began to build up a resume of screenings, presentations, and groups that had used the DVD and guide on their own. I learned to celebrate each outreach effort, no matter how seemingly small, whether the meeting ended in a secured future plan or not, because many successes or connections are not immediately apparent and many things learned do not become meaningful until later.

I also learned that if I stopped making approaches or did not follow up on dropped communications, the project would come to a halt. And that was okay! As any type of artist, it is hard to keep up with supporting oneself and keeping an outreach effort going single-handedly. The good news is that it's no big disaster that things take time. People I had contacted and long given up on called me three years later, finally having gotten their plans together. An email I followed up on after nearly half a year received a positive response. A grant I forgot I had even applied to came through. People heard about my film from other's recommendations and contacted me out of the blue. You are responsible for planting the seeds and checking back on them, but the project will grow.

It is difficult not to become disheartened and impatient when no path seems to be unfolding for your outreach work. But I find that the more I continue, the more I have learned, honed my understanding of who will be interested in my film, and had the opportunity to take part in more events and activities which bring in interest. I am certainly not famous or rich, but I do feel that my film is making a difference, and that is what matters to me.

Pass on Your Wisdom Gained
Many times people feel that because they worked hard to reach their current status, others starting out should have to do the same. This prevents documentaries, filmmakers, and any creative and thought-provoking work from having a more influential presence in the world. We really should collaborate with, cooperate with, and help each other! As your documentary makes its mark on the world, I hope that your tribulations and successes inspires you to share, mentor, and work with other people.

To get that chain started, I invite you to email me with comments, feedback, or questions at InHerImage@juliabarry.com, and here are the most helpful things I've learned thus far in my film's journey:

One of the absolute best tips I was ever given was by filmmaker Laurie Kahn-Leavitt (Tupperware! and A Midwive's Tale), who advised me to invite anyone and everyone I wanted to connect with to screenings and events I had been able to set up. Even if you host a house-party screening, tack your film on as a pre-screening at a college or another filmmaker's event, etc., I have found that an introduction as part of an invitation gets a much better response than a simple resource-offering effort.
Laurie also suggested that if you hit someone at the wrong time or situation who is kind enough to respond, thank them for their response and ask if you can keep them updated as your project evolves. You would be surprised how many people say yes, and this leaves your foot permanently in the door to be able to talk to them again without feeling like a nag.
When you do meet with someone, whether they can do anything further with your film or not, make sure to ask them who else they would suggest that you contact. When you contact that person, mention that person #1 sent you at the outset of the conversation.
Make a website! Having an online press kit makes life easier for everyone and presents your professional face to the world.
If you don't have any events booked that you can invite people to, send "update" e-newsletters, post blog entries or new snippets of your film to a website, ask for promotional suggestions - create something interesting (and helpful to your own forward movement) to be able to discuss in your emails and phone calls.
If someone does not answer a phone call or email, this does not mean they're not interested! Everyone is busy and overworked, and e-mails often get spammed off the radar. Follow up with them a few weeks or a month later; try a different mode of communication if you never hear back. If they seem like a dead end, try someone else at the same organization. If you don't know who to try, call the front desk and explain your goal - receptionists usually have a good handle on who the best person is to connect you with.
There are an overwhelming number of film festivals. Only apply to those that seem to match your film exactly, and stay away from those with high fees until you're sure that your film is festival material. Keep in mind that festivals are a pretty self-enclosed world and cater to their attendees; feel free to skip them altogether if your work is not likely to be picked up for a mainstream contract (and you can rest assured you are not missing out on a chance for your "big break" if this is the case!) You can reach plenty of real people through contacts in non-film or community media fields.
Be willing to be a jill- or jack-of-all-trades, and when you hit a task you can't do, ask for help (and barter if necessary). Chances are, as a documentary-maker, you know more talented and varied people than you might think! Consulting with friends and colleagues has helped me to ward off isolation, receive priceless feedback, and make impossibilities into realities. You can certainly ask for help carrying out certain tasks, and you can also ask someone to teach you how to do the task, which, if you can spare the practice time, puts one more tool in your box as you move forward.
If you are tired and drained, take a break, whether it be for an hour or a year! After all, if you don't have the zest and passion for your project, it will sure be hard to stir up others' interest in it. After a bit, you will get the bug back and continue refreshed and possibly with new ideas gained during your time away of wider perspective. (And if you don't find yourself gravitating back toward your outreach goals, reevaluating or starting something knew is certainly valid too!)
And of course, believe in yourself. If you have something to say, the world deserves to hear it, even if no one knows that yet. (You may want to do some "pro bono" work or feature negotiable prices to get the ball rolling, but don't undervalue what you do!)

Julia Barry, creator of In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America.

Julia Barry is the musician (composer/performer), writer, and creator/director of In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America. Available in live or film format, Barry brings In Her Image to community programs, conferences, schools, clinics, and organizations as a springboard for discussions and workshops. Musically a composer and performer since a young age, Barry's original songs now revitalize a disembodied voice as the soundtrack for In Her Image. Her debut album, Arrivals, was released independently in June 2002; her second album is forthcoming. Recording and performance information can be found on http://www.juliabarry.com. The recipient of the Andrea Klein Willison Prize for Poetry/Women's Advocacy 2003 and a "REALLY Hot" awardee in the 2006 REAL Hot 100 list, Barry has been a featured guest at events such as the National Organization for Women's Love Your Body Day and the Alliance for a Media Literate America's National Media Education Conference. She is currently an online editor for New Moon.