Sole female protagonists were more likely to appear in independent films (65 percent) than studio films, while sole male protagonists were more likely to appear in studio features (54 percent). Females were also more likely to appear in comedies and dramas (30 percent), followed by action and horror films (17 and 13 percent). Males were most likely to appear in action features. Females also remained younger than their male counterparts — the majority of female characters were in their twenties and thirties, while the majority of males were in their thirties and forties.

“We want to make sure that every talented individual has an equal shot, and a path forward. But for that to happen, employers must expand their hiring processes to discover the world of capable directors hiding in plain sight. Frankly, it’s hard to understand why they’re not doing more. Even if all the right reasons are not enough for them, they should at least be motivated by the bottom line – inclusion just makes good business sense.”