Andromeda - Women in Science Fiction Writing
From "Andromeda":
http://www.andromedatv.com/about/beh...alewriter.html
Women in science fiction writing
Earlier this year, AndromedaTV.com Producer Jeremy Horowitz sat down with the Andromeda writing staff (as well as freelance writer John Kirk, who wrote Episode 415, "Fear Burns Down To Ashes," and happened to be present that day) for an extended chat. During the discussion, the subject of womens' role in science fiction writing was addressed. Here's what Naomi Janzen, Andromeda's lone female staff writer, and others had to say:
Jeremy Horowitz: Sci-fi is a male-dominated field, generally. How do you feel being the only woman on an otherwise all-male team of writers?
Naomi Janzen: I only think about it when I'm asked questions like that. Honestly, it does not even matter. I imagine if it was a different mix of personalities on the Andromeda writing staff, and I was dealing with people that made me aware of it, then it would be an issue. I've heard stories from other people about shows that are kind of like a boys' club. But then I wonder if it actually would feel weird working on that kind of show. Would it feel like it was a boys' club and I would be aware that I'm the only woman on the show? Would it be uncomfortable because of my perspective or because of theirs, because that's the way they feel with a woman on the staff? I don't know; I've never had that kind of experience.
Jeremy: Do you think you bring something radically different to the table as a woman writing for sci-fi?
Naomi: I don't think so. I think that we all bring whatever our perspective is. And here on Andromeda, we all have slightly different angles that we'll come in on. I don't feel like my take is always radically different than anyone else's. We're all pretty similar on what we like. I think our taste is really really similar.
John Kirk: Something else: That outlook I think is true for sci-fi on television. But when you look at science fiction as a literary genre, there are many many women writing science fiction -- some of the most famous names. Women have really created a big chunk of this business. So I don't really know if Naomi is...
Naomi: ...an anomaly.
John: Yeah, she's really not, when you think about it. Because it just comes down to the fact that you have to create stories that work within sci-fi.
Naomi: About every four years I get asked the question, and it's usually if I'm doing an action-adventure series or something like that. I just have to take the interviewer's word for it that there aren't very many women doing action-adventure because they sort of single me out and say, "What's it like?"
Jeremy: I'm certainly no expert on that -- it shouldn't matter whether you're a woman or a man.
Naomi: I've often felt that women five years older than I am is where it starts; that's the generation of women who dealt with all the discrimination. I inherited this "yeah, it's no problem" atmosphere. And I feel like women who are five years my senior and older had to deal with discrimination, had to deal with all this stuff that basically laid the foundation for a work environment where I just walk in and it's not even an issue. I don't walk in and say, "I'm the only woman here."
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Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Fans of Joe Flanigan
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/fansofjoeflanigan/
http://www.andromedatv.com/about/beh...alewriter.html
Women in science fiction writing
Earlier this year, AndromedaTV.com Producer Jeremy Horowitz sat down with the Andromeda writing staff (as well as freelance writer John Kirk, who wrote Episode 415, "Fear Burns Down To Ashes," and happened to be present that day) for an extended chat. During the discussion, the subject of womens' role in science fiction writing was addressed. Here's what Naomi Janzen, Andromeda's lone female staff writer, and others had to say:
Jeremy Horowitz: Sci-fi is a male-dominated field, generally. How do you feel being the only woman on an otherwise all-male team of writers?
Naomi Janzen: I only think about it when I'm asked questions like that. Honestly, it does not even matter. I imagine if it was a different mix of personalities on the Andromeda writing staff, and I was dealing with people that made me aware of it, then it would be an issue. I've heard stories from other people about shows that are kind of like a boys' club. But then I wonder if it actually would feel weird working on that kind of show. Would it feel like it was a boys' club and I would be aware that I'm the only woman on the show? Would it be uncomfortable because of my perspective or because of theirs, because that's the way they feel with a woman on the staff? I don't know; I've never had that kind of experience.
Jeremy: Do you think you bring something radically different to the table as a woman writing for sci-fi?
Naomi: I don't think so. I think that we all bring whatever our perspective is. And here on Andromeda, we all have slightly different angles that we'll come in on. I don't feel like my take is always radically different than anyone else's. We're all pretty similar on what we like. I think our taste is really really similar.
John Kirk: Something else: That outlook I think is true for sci-fi on television. But when you look at science fiction as a literary genre, there are many many women writing science fiction -- some of the most famous names. Women have really created a big chunk of this business. So I don't really know if Naomi is...
Naomi: ...an anomaly.
John: Yeah, she's really not, when you think about it. Because it just comes down to the fact that you have to create stories that work within sci-fi.
Naomi: About every four years I get asked the question, and it's usually if I'm doing an action-adventure series or something like that. I just have to take the interviewer's word for it that there aren't very many women doing action-adventure because they sort of single me out and say, "What's it like?"
Jeremy: I'm certainly no expert on that -- it shouldn't matter whether you're a woman or a man.
Naomi: I've often felt that women five years older than I am is where it starts; that's the generation of women who dealt with all the discrimination. I inherited this "yeah, it's no problem" atmosphere. And I feel like women who are five years my senior and older had to deal with discrimination, had to deal with all this stuff that basically laid the foundation for a work environment where I just walk in and it's not even an issue. I don't walk in and say, "I'm the only woman here."
|*|(*)|*|(*)|*|
Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Fans of Joe Flanigan
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/fansofjoeflanigan/
