Tina Fey, who New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) honored at its 2005 Muse Awards, is in the news again. This time it’s not a brand-new project or further mention of her nonexistent sequel to Hocus Pocus. Instead, Fey has had a grading scale named after her: the Fey-Seagal Scale. Producer and writer Stephen Follows recently released a study, “Gender Within Film Crews,” which examines the gender divide in the top 2,000 grossing films of the last 20 years (1994-2013).
The statistics are not shocking to those who are well versed in what’s happening behind the scenes in the industry. When Follows looked at all crew members on those 2,000 films, he found that only 22.6% were women. If you’ve worked in film or television in any capacity you’ve seen firsthand the skewed ratios. Still, what’s particularly disappointing is that there has not been a large jump in the percentage of women on film crews from 1994 until today. If anything, the percentage of women working behind the scenes has shrunk. According to Follows’ data, in 1994, the overall percentage of female crew members was 22.7%. In 2013, it decreased to 21.8%. In other words, on most studio films only about one out of every five crew members is a woman.
To further the depressing news, the percentage of women hired to be writers, producers, editors, animators, and directors has decreased over the last twenty years. The only fields that have seen growth have been roles within the makeup, art, and costume departments. But where does Fey come in? As part of his study Follows looked at how many women were involved behind the scenes for each film. He found that although the average hovered around the 22% range, there was a large continuum. On one end was Fey, whose crew for Mean Girls was 42% female. On the other end was Steven Seagal, with an On Deadly Ground crew that was only 10% female. Hence the moniker the Fey-Seagal Scale.
It’s great that Fey is in the news again, but wouldn’t it be even better if the percentage of female crew members that she hires wasn’t news at all? At NYWIFT, a key part of our mission revolves around the promotion and better inclusion of women in all aspects of the industry. You can find additional statistics on Follows’ blog, with an option to sign up to receive the full report.
— EMMA THOMAS
Thomas is the Development Assistant at New York Women in Film & Television.
nywift
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Catherine Craig
Welcome to NYWIFT, Catherine Craig! Catherine Craig was George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic's first animation FX camerawoman, later becoming a digital artist at ILM. A highly regarded film archivist, Craig designed the Coppola film archive and implemented Zoetrope's domestic and international film distribution. As an early female entrepreneur, Craig founded her own award-winning, union and guild-affiliated film company, specializing in high-end industrial and commercial productions. Her vast experience spans all aspects of filmmaking: she's worked as a director, producer, camera operator, concept artist, storyboard artist, special FX artist, sound recordist, and more. Her screenplay OddFX was accepted into the NYWIFT-affiliated The Writers Lab. The film follows a mother living in a women's shelter, battling a physically abusive husband and a broken support system, who enlists the help of a special FX film crew. Catherine discusses her groundbreaking work with ILM, her drive to tell her own stories, and her film currently in development, OddFX!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Faith Trinker
Welcome to NYWIFT, Faith Trinker! Faith Trinker is a virtual production filmmaker and immersive storyteller. She recently graduated from NYU Tisch’s inaugural Virtual Production Master’s program, and has a background in 3D computer art and animation from Syracuse University. In her work, she blends digital worldbuilding with on-set filmmaking, and is passionate about evolving workflows, fast-paced environments, and collaborative creativity. Her credits include projects for ESPN and the 2025 MSC Cruises Super Bowl spot featuring Drew Barrymore and Orlando Bloom. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, drawing, cars, and her dog, Freddie. She’s eager to work with her new NYWIFT creative community. Faith discusses her path to virtual production, favorite projects, and goals for the future!
READ MORENYWIFT at Tribeca 2025: In Conversation with Producer and Casting Director Lois Drabkin
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is proud to spotlight member Lois Drabkin, a dynamic force in the world of independent cinema. As the Co-Producer and Casting Director of Ride or Die, premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Festival as part of the prestigious U.S. Narrative Competition, Drabkin continues to champion bold, character-driven storytelling. With a career spanning acclaimed features such as Nancy, Colewell, and Glass Chin, and casting credits on groundbreaking projects like HBO’s The Wire and Showtime’s Years of Living Dangerously, Lois shares insights into her creative process, the evolution of Ride or Die, and her enduring commitment to supporting women in film.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Angelica Marciano
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to our new member, Angelica Marciano. Angela is a location manager and producer who has worked in several different states on narrative feature films and TV. She just recently moved to New York after living in New Mexico, and Boston. She is the person behind the scenes of queerfilmbk and prides herself on being a person who excels at bringing community together. She has a cat named Lewis who acts like a dog. She’s an enthusiastic extrovert who can talk to any stranger and is a self-proclaimed freak in that she hopes that the person sitting next to her on an airplane wants to chat. In our interview, Angelica discusses her winding career path, advice to women filmmakers, and what excites her about the locations department!
READ MORE
