Jennifer Siebel Newsom premiered her directorial debut, Miss Representation, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Now the Bay Are film maker has teamed up with the Queen of Talk for her television premiere later this week.
Miss Representation is a stunning documentary that takes a look at the portrayal of women in the media and the absolute power and influence the media has on our perception of the people around us. I recently had an opportunity to chat with Jennifer Siebel Newsom about the power we have as consumers, what it's like to have Oprah on your side and what is up next for her. Below is a bit of our conversation.
Diane Davis: I had a chance to speak with you at Sundance, you've been busy since then!
Jennifer Siebel Newsom: Yes, we've been busy, busy! Well, we sold the film and launched the nonprofit.
DD: Oprah's people bought the rights at Sundance?
JSN: They saw it at Sundance and we were just negotiating so we didn't announce the sale until after, because we are a nonprofit documentary I was trying to get the best deal I could for our nonprofit beneficiaries. So, the negotiation got dragged out but we sold the film to the Oprah Winfrey Network, we sold it to Roco Education for our education curriculum, which is age appropriate modules K thru 12 and then at the university level with teachers guides. We haven't focused so much on foreign sales but we do have interest and we've actually done some international screenings. There has actually been a lot more interest than I anticipated... well, I was told to anticipate internationally. Then we launched MissRepresentation.org to basically serve as a nonprofit campaign to further the conversation and help people to actually help change the cultural landscape post viewing the film.
DD: The film will be shown on OWN?
JSN: We are gearing up Oprah Winfrey's premiere on October 20th at 9pm Eastern/Pacific and and 8pm Central.
DD: Will there be anything surrounding the showing of the film?
JSN: Yes, there's going to be a special with Rosie O'Donnell directly following the premiere of the film. That Gloria Steinem, myself, Gena Davis and others are going to be a part of. It will be an hour long special with Rosie O'Donnell.
DD: I don't have that channel yet! I'll have to figure it out so I can see the film again.
JSN: I know, exactly. We're going to post on our website how people can get because not everyone knows where it is yet, but I think they're going to start to know given that Rosie's starting her show as is Ophah right now.
DD: MissRepresentation.org is a companion to the film, should we all click after seeing the film?
JSN: Exactly, that is our social action campaign. It's exciting, so basically what we are offering to individuals, communities, corporations, and even the government are all these activities to continue to empower individuals, to challenge stereotypes in order to realize their full potential. So our campaign is, literally people that go on the site they can follow us on Facebook and Twitter and read our blogs and by joining the campaign they will receive regular updates on steps you can take individually to stop sexism and create opportunities for individuals, regardless of gender, to be valued for your talents and capacity to lead. Part of the campaign is to get the education curriculum into 10,000 schools across the country. We all know that these gender norms and stereotypes really start to impact kids at an earlier and earlier age given the persuasiveness and pervasiveness of mainstream media. And we're doing cool things reminding people of their power as consumers. Women have about 86% of the purchasing power in the country. So, it is everything from encouraging people... if they are fed up with the limiting and disparaging or hyper-sexualized image of women in the media then stop buying the tabloid magazines and watching the shows that demean and diminish women. Go see movies that are written, directed and produced by women on the opening weekend. Celebrate good media challenge bad media.
DD: Are you working on anything new, what is your next project?
JSN: One campaign that I'm really excited about that we're about to launch is the Represent Us Campaign. Which is where individuals share short video messages to tell the media and advertisers how they want to be represented in the media. Then, once we receive 1,000 videos we are going to take them to executives at top media and advertising companies so that these individuals and voices are heard. Then we are going to keep uping that number.
DD: Before you reach a 1,000 will they be on your website?
JSN: Yes, exactly! That is just one of the many campaigns, they are all going to roll out at the appropriate time. Also online, there is so much footage from the film that over the Summer I cut together with my editor into a bunch of little podcasts that reflect elements of the documentary that didn't make it into the documentary because, you know, you can only put so much into a 90 minute film.
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