The way Hollywood scriptwriters describe female characaters is under the spotlight, with a film producer sharing some of the worst examples.
Jennifer Lawrence triggered a debate on gender inequality and Hollywood sexism last year Photo: AFP
Ross Putman is tweeting introductions for female leads in scripts that he has read, that involve long descriptions of how drop-dead beautiful they are.
JANE, 28, athletic but sexy. A natural beauty. Most days she wears jeans, and she makes them look good.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
Though drop-dead beautiful, JANE (40) has the appearance of someone whose confidence has been shaken. She is a raw, sexual force, impeded.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
He said he changes all names to Jane to protect writers' identities.
A gorgeous woman, JANE, 23, is a little tipsy, dancing naked on her big bed, as adorable as she is sexy. *BONUS PTS FOR BEING THE 1ST LINE
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE is in her mid-30s and attractive, even now with dark semi-circles underlining her closed eyes.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
JANE stares into camera through intense eyes -- she’s beautiful but hard, like a layer of humanity has been scraped away.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 11, 2016
Putman said that he "couldn't make them up if I tried" - after one person asked him whether the scripts were real.
He has already gained more than 37,000 followers, despite only starting to tweet as @femscriptintros on Wednesday.
JANE (late 20s) sits hunched over a microscope. She’s attractive, but too much of a professional to care about her appearance.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
All heads turn to find JANE (28) in the doorway: stunning and trying her best to hide it.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
He said he planned on posting all female introductions, not just negative ones.
"But you will notice quite a few are... well, similarly problematic," he commented.
His wife JANE is making dinner and watching CNN on a small TV. She was model pretty once, but living an actual life has taken its toll.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
This is JANE. She’s lithe, leggy, spirited, outgoing, not afraid to speak her mind, with a sense of humor as dry as the Sonoran Desert.
— Ross Putman (@femscriptintros) February 10, 2016
Jennifer Lawrence triggered a debate on gender inequality and Hollywood sexism last October.
She said she was mad at herself for failing to negotiate after she found out she was being paid less than her male co-stars.
The Hunger Games star said there was "an element of wanting to be liked that influenced my decision to close the deal without a real fight".
British actress Rachel Weisz said she thought there was a difference between stories for male and female characters in cinema.
"Women are actually not allowed to be difficult, interesting, complex, three-dimensional," she said.
"Female characters have to be sweeter and more likeable than a male character would have to be."
- BBC
