Documentary Director - Jennifer Siebel Newsom

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Name: Jennifer Siebel Newsom
D.O.B: 19th June 1974
From: San Fransisco, California
Best known for: 
Miss Representation 

Awards: 
  1. Nominated for Best Feature for 'The Invisible War' (2012) - International Documentary Association 
  2. Won Best Achievement in Female Filmmaking for 'The Mask you live in' (2015) - Las Vegas International Film Festival 
  3. Nominated for Sundance Film Festival Award for ' Miss Representation' (2011) 


Newsom has only done two documentaries. Both of these two documentaries connect with each other as one is about the female representation of women in media (my favourite subject) and her recent one is how men are subjected to stereotypical standards and what it takes to be a man. 

Miss Representation (2011) 
7.7 IMDB 
Synopsis: 
Explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America and the limited portrayal of women in the media and what it means to be a powerful woman. 


The Mask you Live in (2015) 
7.4 IMDB 
Synopsis: 
How our current culture and the way we define masculinity is harming our boys, men and society at large and unveils what we can do about it. 

Colour Tone: 
- interviews are very set (white background with dark clothing on interviewees = WHY? focus on them and also makes it look professional and sharp) 

Things which inspired me when watching the docs:

  1. archive footage from news, music videos and movies - shows how men are represented and women. 
  2. the layout in both movies are the same: in the interviews they have a white background and the interviewees are wearing a dark colour (this contrasts the white with the dark). 
  3. The majority of the people who are being interview are psychologists, specialists, CEO of media companies whilst they also interview 'ordinary people' (young people mostly as thats where it all begins)  
  4. I like the fact that Newsom didn't only make a documentary about women since that is always what we hear (but not much changes) but she also pointed out the struggles that men go through. 

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