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Thank you again for your support of the 10 Girls/10 Weeks Buckeye Funder campaign. As we journey into the new year, we're pleased to share with you brief summaries of the screenplays written by the girls during this workshop:
Air Conditioning by Maryamo, 16
On a hot day, the A/C in Iman’s apartment breaks down. Desperate for relief, Iman and her mother devise a plan to manipulate Grandma into funding the repair.
Sponges by Aujolie, 15
Mary, a theater-loving teen battling Alopecia, gets a rude awakening when caught cheating with her best friend's boyfriend.
Dreamscape by Sama, 14
Convinced that his friends are out to kill him, Leo and his twin sister plot their revenge.
Pledge by Greta, 17
Brandon, a fraternity pledge, accidentally gives his friend a drink that causes him to pass out. Now he must choose between the well-being of his friend and his place in the frat.
Painful Truth by Faith, 13
After Sky agrees to hide a piece of evidence, she considers whether to betray her friend or hide his dark secret.
Paranoia by Abigael, 15
After escaping an abusive relationship, Amanda’s paranoia is proven true when her abuser shows up in the middle of the night.
Stage Fright by Catherine, 17
As Mara prepares to give a crucial public presentation, a sudden betrayal paralyzes her and puts all hope for success in jeopardy.
The Watercolor by Megan, 15
When Ellen is kissed by her secret girlfriend in public, she must decide whether the girl she loves is worth changing her life forever.
Stay by Estefany, 17
Jake, a closeted teen, is caught with his boyfriend by his brother. Afraid that his secret will be exposed, Jake decides that the only solution is to run.
The Belt by Jada, 15
An abusive mother confronts her involvement in her son’s suicide the day of his funeral.
A big thanks to the 104 donors from Columbus and beyond who helped us raise $5,800 for 10 Girls/10 Weeks! We are deeply grateful for the broad community support of this unique workshop, which offered an introduction to screenwriting for the participating teen girls. The reviews from the girls are in: They’ve called the experience "truly amazing" and "phenomenal." Their short scripts, which cover a wide range of topics, will be shared with family and friends at a private event featuring readings of the screenplays by a local actor. Although this Buckeye Funder campaign is officially over, anyone wishing to further support this initiative may do so here (and designate 10 Girls/10 Weeks in the special instructions box). Thank you again!
This week, we hear from Jada, age 15, a 10 Girls/10 Weeks participant from Pickerington High School Central (pictured below, in pink):
If I had to summarize my time my time so far in the 10/10 program in one word, I'd have to go with the word “phenomenal."
I use that word because this program has changed me in ways I never could’ve expected. I never expected to be challenged in a way that I enjoyed going every week. Although sometimes I felt that I was a bit too stressed, there was always someone there to help me out. Whether it was Chinonye helping me with my screenwriting, Jean giving an inspirational speech, or all the girls in my group cracking jokes, there wasn’t a time when I couldn’t ask for help or an outside opinion.
So if anyone is looking for learning experience, I would recommend the 10/10 program with all of my heart.
Thanks to the 70 donors who have helped us reach 50% of our goal so far. We are thrilled to have received so much support for this initiative, and look forward to seeing future creative projects from these 10 girls!
As 10 Girls/10 Weeks progresses, Jean Pitman, Youth & Community Programs Manager at the Wex, reflects on her experiences during the workshop—and what she's learned:
As a visual artist and an educator, it has been an enormous honor to work with an artist and an educator like Ms. [Chinonye] Chukwu. I can honestly say that she is one of the best teachers I have ever had the good fortune to work with. The passion she has for her craft is truly infectious.
One of the most surprising things about learning to write movies is how similar it is to living a life—my own life. Writing movies is all about action and dialogue EXCLUSIVELY; how does a character “show up”? How does a character let the audience know they are happy or sad or troubled or worried through words and actions? This kind of close analysis has really forced me to ask about how I show up and how I communicate through my words and actions (or not!). It’s been a fascinating mirror for me to study my own actions and words as I study the words and actions of various characters in sample scripts we are reading in the class. I never dreamed this would happen but like all good art, the best stuff hits super close to home and I feel recognized, seen/heard.
I am so grateful to work alongside such an accomplished artist and educator, and am using this experience to learn more about myself in addition to learning how to write a compelling film script! Not only that, but I am sharpening my teaching skills by working with a great teacher, too. Ms. Chukwu inspires all of us in so many ways AND she is TOUGH!! We all love her.
Click through to watch a short video of Jean sharing her thoughts about the program and working with teen girls:
Thanks to all who have supported the campaign so far! We’re thrilled with the response and the outpouring of support for this program! This week, Estefany, age 17—a 10 Girls/10 Weeks participant from Whitehall-Yearling High School—shares her thoughts on the program, and on learning more about what it means to be a screenwriter:
My experience so far has been truly amazing. All the girls involved are so talented and creative. This experience is one that I will never forget.
Some difficult parts in the program so far have included deciding what I wanted my script to be about, there are so many options. I finally figured it out when Jean and Chinonye told us to write about something that mattered. That really made the decision easier.
This experience made me realize how different screenwriting and prose writing is; it's all about action and showing emotion rather than describing how a person feels or thinks. It's about drama and keeping the viewer engaged. It's very difficult but a lot more fun!
In a San Diego State University survey of the top 100 films of 2016, 5% of female characters were portrayed as leaders, versus 11% of male characters portrayed as leaders.
The 10 girls participating in this program come from 10 high schools across central Ohio: Indianola Informal K–8, Arts and College Preparatory Academy, Bishop Watterson, Columbus Alternative, Dublin Scioto, Lancaster, Pickerington, St. Francis DeSales, Westerville North, and Whitehall-Yearling.
In the New York Times’ "25 Best Films of the 21st Century So Far" (2017), 5 of the films had a female writer, and only 1 had an all-female writing staff.
Women make up more than 50% of the US population, but a USC Annenberg survey of 800 popular films between 2007 & 2015 found that only 31% of speaking characters were female.
A 2016–2017 survey of independent film festivals found that on films with at least one female director, women comprised almost 75% of writers; however, on films directed exclusively by men, only 7% of writers were women. Donors to this giving level (and above) who are also Ohio State alumni will receive the University’s Sustaining Member benefits, including a year’s subscription to the Ohio State Alumni magazine and eligibility for the annual alumni football ticket process.
The annual Celluloid Ceiling report of the top-grossing 100 films of 2016 found women accounted for 14% of all directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers—down from 16% in 2015.
The Celluloid Ceiling reports that among 2016’s top 250 films, only 13% of the writers were women—the same percentage as in 1998.
