i hated horror films as a kid.

i didnt understand the blood, or the gore, or the fact that people willingly subjected themselves to nightmares and terror. as a kid who had extremely vivid nightmares, horror movies were my own personal hell. and i hated them.

however, i was always obsessed with tim burton and every single thing he did. it was dark, creepy, whimsical, and provided an outcast like me a place to escape to. the other kids were freaked out by the nightmare before christmas or selick’s coraline, but me – on the other hand – related to them. the films were misfits, and i was one too. 

it wasn’t until senior year of high school when i realized my true love for the horror genre. and it was around the same time that i discovered my passion for screenwriting. 

remember how i mentioned nightmares? for a while i wish i had never had them. but now, im pissed if i don’t have one.

i became absolutely obsessed with horror. watching a scary movie gave me the same feeling as riding a rollercoaster: the heart-pumping, stomach-dropping, palm-sweating, adrenaline rush i have always loved. instead of paying for an amusement park ticket, i could watch the vvitch from the comfort of my couch and get that same exact feeling. 

but it’s not just the rush, it’s the imagination. once i gave the genre a chance and truly tried to understand it, i felt the same way seven-year-old julianna felt watching a tim burton movie: understood. scary movies aren’t always real, they’re clouded in the dark and the whimsical, just in a more grown-up way. the genre was misunderstood. and i felt that way too.

so where am i going with this? 

today, the oscar nominations dropped for the 2020 awards. and let me just say, disappointed is an understatement. as a woman in film, im used to the snubbing of other women in a male-dominated industry. whether they be directors, writers, producers, sound designers, or anything in-between, women are vastly unrepresented in hollywood. we could be just as good as a man, maybe even better. however, we are snubbed not only the awards, but the opportunities. on the top 100 grossing films of 2019, women represented:

• 12% of directors

• 20% of writers

• 2% of cinematographers

• 26% of producers

• 19% of executive producers

• 23% of editors

the founder of blumhouse (hollywoods biggest producer of horror films) jason blum once said his studio hasn’t produced a theatrical release by a woman because there weren’t “a lot of female directors period, and even less who are inclined to do horror.” 

maybe if we were allotted the same opportunities, we could prove that women are just as talented as men. and we can be much scarier too.

the point is, im sick and tired of being snubbed. im tired of seeing imagination overlooked. i want horror to get the credit it deserves, i want women to get the credit they deserve. 

and i want more women in horror. let’s get spooky, ladies.

xx,
julianna

(ps: i know there are people out there who disagree, and i know there are people who will say, “stop complaining and be the change.” however, in order to bring change, we must address what needs to be changed. i’m not rioting or attacking others, i’m simply stating my opinion! if we know better, we do better. so lets do better.)