19 Times women did wonders behind the camera

Everyone knows about actresses. But how often does one think about the immense contribution that women have offered behind the camera? Many times, it is a given that men must have done the off-screen work. However, viewers will be surprised to know that women have displayed their talent behind the cameras as well. From women directors and screenwriters to cinematographers and costume designers, here are 19 women who worked their magic behind the camera.

1. Jennifer Yuh Nelson

The director started out as a storyboard artist but is also a character designer and an illustrator. She was soon given the opportunity to direct Kung Fu Panda 2. This made her the first woman and the first Asian-American to solely direct an animated movie. Her film became one of the most financially successful movies directed by a woman, and Nelson became only the second woman to get nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

2. Emerald Fennell

Fennell is known for her subversive movies that often have female-centric themes at the center. She debuted with the thriller Promising Young Woman, which earned her multiple Oscar nominations. She has also directed other subversive thrillers like Killing Eve for television and has also directed The Crown. Her most successful project was the recently released Saltburn, which enthralled audiences with its provocative style and black comedy.

3. Katie Dippold

The talented screenwriter is known for her unique style of comedy and humor, which she infuses in every scene she writes. This is due to the fact that she began her career as an improv comedian. Dippold started out as a writer for the famous show Parks and Recreation and then penned The Heat. She also went on to work on Ghostbuster’s reboot and wrote the comedy Snatched.

4. Nora Ephron

This name needs no introduction. Ephron started out as a journalist and went on to be a screenwriter. She wrote for Meryl Streep’s Silkwood and When Harry Met Sally. She is credited with directing some of the most iconic rom-coms of the 1990s, starting with Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. She was also the director behind Julie & Julia. The director sadly died in 2012.

5. Judy Becker

A movie’s set is one of the most important factors that lends an air of authenticity to the film. Becker is the face behind some of the most iconic movies' set. She has captured the 1970s in American Hustle, which got her nominated for Best Production Design at the Oscars, and is famous for creating the rugged backdrop of Brokeback Mountain.

6. Victoria Alonso

Alonso is the talented face behind the superb visuals of Marvel Phase I movies, and she proves that women can excel in the field of visual effects as well. She was the visual effects producer of Kingdom of Heaven and then became the MCU’s visual effects chief. Her talent soon led her to be promoted to Executive Vice President of the physical production studio of Marvel Studios.

7. Dee Rees

Rees became the first black woman director to have a movie added to the Criterion collection with her award-winning film about queerness, Pariah. The stunning movie also got recognized at Sundance and the Film Independent Spirit and Gotham Awards. The young and upcoming director is the face of new Hollywood. It has gone on to get critical acclaim for her other projects like Bessie—which received four Emmy awards, and Mudbound—which got four Oscar nominations.

8. Zoë Bell

The brave woman is a known face in Holywood for stunt doubles. She collaborated with Quentin Tarantino on a range of films, including Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight. Most famously, she is the stunt double of Uma Thurman in all the Kill Bill movies. Bell has also worked in Iron Man 3 and was the stunt double of Cate Blanchett in Thor: Ragnarok. She has also worked as an actress in Tarantino's Death Proof and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

9. Ava DuVernay

DuVernay proves that women are efficient multitaskers. She first began as the founder of a public relations firm and went on to direct movies that make a difference. From directing the politically fraught movie Selma to presenting a documentary on racial inequality in The 13th (a movie that was also Oscar-nominated). The powerhouse has done it all. With A Wrinkle in Time, she became the first black woman to direct a 100 million-plus live-action venture.

10. Greta Gerwig

Gerwig has been in the news ever since she directed Barbie and added feminist themes to the movie about a doll. It was also the first movie by a female director that brought in a billion dollars and received eight Oscar nominations. But the director is also known for adapting Little Women and giving nuance to the movie Lady Bird. Both these movies are also Oscar-nominated.

11. Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

The powerful duo are the editors behind the audience’s favorite Star Wars franchise of movies. Brandon and Markey were the ones who edited Star Wars: The Force Awakens and have also gone on to work with J.J. Abrams in other popular movies like Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek: Into Darkness. They are rightfully the queens of the fantasy and sci-fi genre.

12. Maryse Alberti

Another woman who has shown women's power in male-dominated fields is Alberti, a famous cinematographer. She has worked on The Wrestler and Creed and knows how to film action. Maryse has been working since the 1990s, when there were hardly any cinematographers. Her other movies include The Golden Boat and Tape.

13. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Sharmeen is the face of change and revolution as she became the first Pakistani to win two Academy Awards in 2016 and the only woman of color who received representation that year. Her reason for getting the revered honor was her path-breaking documentary on honor killing, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness. The movie inspired real change as it repealed a loophole in the law regarding honor killing in Pakistan.

14. Jane Campion

The talented lady is a known face in Hollywood, and her work as a director is stellar. She is one of three women ever to get a Palme d’Or at Cannes, and the New Zealand filmmaker is one of the few women to have an Oscar award for Best Director. The movie that brought home that honor was The Power of the Dog. She has also directed the critically acclaimed film The Piano.

15. Nancy Meyers

Known as the rom-com queen, Meyers directed the hit The Parent Trap and continued her success with a string of light-hearted movies like The Holiday, The Intern, Something’s Gotta Give and more. But the director began as a screenwriter. She has written for Private Benjamin and The Father of the Bride movies. Her most frequent collaborator has been Diane Keaton, who is present in several of her movies.

16. Jenny Beavan

The costume designer plays a major part in any movie. They are responsible for adorning the actors with clothes that reflect the direction and motive of the film. Beavan’s work includes A Room with a View, Christopher Robin, and most famously, Mad Max: Fury Road, which got her the Oscar award for Best Costume Design. The British designer has worked prolifically and has also designed for stage. She is the recipient of awards like Oscar, BAFTA, Emmy, and an Olivier.

17. Francine Maisler

From getting Leonardo DiCaprio to perform in The Revenant to bringing Lupita Nyong’o into the limelight with 12 Years a Slave, Maisler is the creative head behind choosing the right actor for the right role. Her job is extremely important as she is the one who has to scout for upcoming talent and bring them to the world. The casting director has also worked on the recently released Joker: Folie à Deux.

18. Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola, the daughter of the gifted director Francis Ford Coppola, has made a mark for herself in Hollywood and is recognized as one of the most important female directors. She made an entry with Lost in Translation that was critically acclaimed and won three Oscars, including one for Best Picture. She has chosen meaningful projects and given a unique style to her movies. Her other works include The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette.

19. Mira Nair

The Indian-American director is a known name in South Asian movies and has always represented topics surrounding India with sensitivity and fluidity. She started as a documentary director and directed So Far from India and India Cabaret. Her many award-winning movies include Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding. She is among the only seven women awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.