The Wrong Kind of Women

Inside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood

By: Naomi McDougall Jones

Narrated by: Naomi McDougall Jones

A brutally honest look at the systemic exclusion of women in film - an industry with massive cultural influence - and how, in response, women are making space in cinema for their voices to be heard.

Generation after generation, women have faced the devastating reality that Hollywood is a system built to keep them out. The films created by that system influence everything from our worldviews to our brain chemistry. When women's voices are excluded from the medium, the impact on society is immense.

Actor, screenwriter, and award-winning independent filmmaker Naomi McDougall Jones takes us inside the cutthroat, scandal-laden film industry, where only five percent of top studio films are directed by women and less than 20 percent of leading characters in mainstream films are female. Jones calls on all of us to act radically to build a different kind of future for cinema - not only for the women being actively hurt inside the industry but for those outside it, whose lives, purchasing decisions, and sense of selves are shaped by the stories told.

Informed by the journey of her own career; by interviews with others throughout the film industry; and by cold, hard data, Jones deconstructs the casual, commonplace sexism rampant in Hollywood that has kept women out of key roles for decades. Next, she shows us the growing women-driven revolution in filmmaking - sparked by streaming services, crumbling distribution models, direct-to-audience access via innovative online platforms, and outside advocacy groups - which has enabled women to build careers outside the traditional studio system. Finally, she makes a business case for financing and producing films by female filmmakers.

©2020 Naomi McDougall Jones (P)2020 Beacon Press

Critic reviews

"Drawing on more than 100 hours of interviews and abundant studies and news articles, actress, writer, and producer Jones makes her book debut with a spirited critique of the film industry’s treatment of women at all levels.... Jones offers concrete suggestions for change within and outside of the industry, including by filmgoers who should 'vote with your dollars.' A bold, convincing call for new voices and perspectives in cinema." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Debuts with a timely look at how women are undervalued in Hollywood, on and off the screen.... Film viewing will never be the same after reading Jones’s insightful look at the reality of being female in Tinseltown." (Publishers Weekly)

"An intriguing read about how influence works in the film industry, for people in it; also relevant for the way it spun conversations around #MeToo." (Library Journal)

Phenomenal Read!

Naomi McDougal Jones' strong, honest, and passionate voice just draws you in and holds onto you throughout this entire book. Everyone who watches movies--and television--should read this. The content is riveting--I had no idea this was going on! A fast-paced eye opener.

Compelling and Convincing

A compelling and convincing analysis of how and why women are still shut out of the large majority of Hollywood jobs and the impact it is having on American culture. Naomi uses data as well as her personal experiences and those of others she interviewed to make her argument--and it makes sense. More importantly, she explains what is being done to address this gross under representation and suggests additional steps as well.

Most interesting and encouraging, evidently Netflix is enjoying it huge success while employing a far more diverse set of talent than its lagging competitors...and it is paying off. They have the data to know exactly what kind of stories viewers are interested in and evidently stories by and about women sell..Note to film consumers: vote with your viewing and seek out films made by and about women!

(It made me think....could you imagine going into a bookstore or onto Audible and finding that only 8% of the titles were written by women.....?)

Amazing and inspiring

If you are in, graduated from, or considering going to film school, please listen to this book - all the way through (valuable advice and contacts at the end). This is a classic and should be mandatory reading for absolutely everyone in the industry. Thank you!!!!!

I, a sixteen year old girl, kindly asks you to listen to this book

I was worried after listening that I would feel even more hopeless and isolated, but I feel liberated. I’m going to share this book with everyone I can and even with my limitations of not graduating high school yet, I will do everything I can to spread this message. I will dismantle the patriarchy and will no longer allow it to control me.

I won’t see cinema in the same way

Although I knew that Hollywood was fucked up and I personally was in my own de-contrition process about the movies I watch, now I’m convinced to achieve that more than the 50% of cinema I consume, is made by women. Thanks Naomi for collecting this data and teaching me so much.

Essential for any filmmaker!

This book is essential reading for any filmmaker regardless or gender. An in depth look at what keeps us on the outside and what we can do to make our voices heard.

Drowning in Numbers

It is a fantastic topic and I did learn many new things and the author has a great speaking voice. However, I didn’t finish it because it became way too heavy in statistics that weren’t balanced with enough personal stories, not just the author’s were enough.
The author is a talented writer and I will look out for her next title.