---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thing for female filmmakers a big issue…"
description: "\"I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films. You see the statistics, and the dropoff on the second and third [film..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg"
---

#  I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their…

![“I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films. You see the statistics, and the dropoff on the second and third &#91;films&#93; , are dire.” quote by Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg)

> “I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films. You see the statistics, and the dropoff on the second and third \[films\] , are dire.”

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Female directors often struggle to secure funding and support after an initial success, leading to a sharp decline in subsequent projects.

**In simple terms:** Women directors face a big drop after their first film.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for sustained backing of women filmmakers.

Themes

gender equity film industry career longevity representation funding

Mood

frustrated determined hopeful

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- film festivals
- grant applications
- studio meetings
- mentor programs
- media advocacy

Key Concepts

systemic bias career pipeline visibility networking

Questions to Reflect On

- How can studios create pipelines for women’s second films?
- What policies could reduce funding gaps?

A Different Perspective

Industry structures favor established male directors, making change slow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Female Filmmakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-filmmakers-367899/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Filmmakers Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmakers-big-2087797/) [Films Dire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-dire-3943557/) [Films Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-statistics-3943556/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Second Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-films-1435507/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/)

## Related quotes

> [I think for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-think-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [Roger Ebert was such a champion of underrepresented filmmakers. He was a very big deal to me. It shows the power of critics. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/roger-ebert-was-such-a-champion-of-underrepresented-filmmakers-he-was/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [Someone once shared a statistic with me about how long it takes women to make their second films. On average, it's three years for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/someone-once-shared-a-statistic-with-me-about-how-long-it-takes-women/)

[Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/)

> [Second films are, you know, like 'difficult second albums', so it's a tricky position to be in but I think he's made a highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/second-films-are-you-know-like-difficult-second-albums-so-it-s-a/)

[Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/)

> [I think it is kind of depressing how few female filmmakers there are. I think it is in general depressing how few women there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-think-it-is-kind-of-depressing-how-few-female-filmmakers-there-are/)

[Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/)

> [It doesn't matter if you're the smartest person in the room: If you're not someone who people want to be around, you won't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-re-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-if-you-re/)

[Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/)

> [I would give female filmmakers the same advice I’d give any filmmaker; believe in your vision, believe in your team, believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-pooley/i-would-give-female-filmmakers-the-same-advice-i-d-give-any-filmmaker/)

[Leanne Pooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-pooley/)

> [It's very difficult to figure out, for me, what stops really talented young female filmmakers from having the kind of careers that their really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karyn-kusama/it-s-very-difficult-to-figure-out-for-me-what-stops-really-talented/)

[Karyn Kusama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karyn-kusama/)

> [I think that until a filmmaker knows that about him- or herself, the films they make will just be copies of other people's work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-griffiths/i-think-that-until-a-filmmaker-knows-that-about-him-or-herself-the/)

[Megan Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-griffiths/)

> [I've always been told that because of 'Main Hoon Na,' a lot of female filmmakers have come up but I maintain that direction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-khan/i-ve-always-been-told-that-because-of-main-hoon-na-a-lot-of-female/)

[Farah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-khan/)

> [Of course, Italy is a country in which the number of female filmmakers is very, very low but this a question that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/of-course-italy-is-a-country-in-which-the-number-of-female-filmmakers/)

[Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/)

> [Along the way, female filmmakers will have the feeling that they're not good enough. And that's really just a result of being "otherized" from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-soloway/along-the-way-female-filmmakers-will-have-the-feeling-that-they-re/)

[Jill Soloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-soloway/)

> [I feel like directing is more about who the individual is rather than if they're a man or a woman. It's kind of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-morano/i-feel-like-directing-is-more-about-who-the-individual-is-rather-than/)

[Reed Morano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-morano/)

> [Female directors really do need to support each other. Too many times I've been led to believe that my direct competition was other women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-phang/female-directors-really-do-need-to-support-each-other-too-many-times/)

[Jennifer Phang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-phang/)

> [Without the benefit of Google, ask anybody to name more than five female filmmakers that have made more than three films. It's shockingly hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-headland/without-the-benefit-of-google-ask-anybody-to-name-more-than-five/)

[Leslye Headland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-headland/)

## More by Ava DuVernay

> [We're living based on laws and ideas that we, as a society, embraced back in the days of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-living-based-on-laws-and-ideas-that-we-as-a-society-embraced/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [All the traditional models for doing things are collapsing; from music to publishing to film, and it's a wide open door for people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/all-the-traditional-models-for-doing-things-are-collapsing-from-music/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [Don't wait for permission to do something creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/don-t-wait-for-permission-to-do-something-creative/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [Netflix represents, as well as all the streaming services, something that I've been talking about being so important to inclusive voices around films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/netflix-represents-as-well-as-all-the-streaming-services-something/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I didn't go to film school. I got my education on the set as a niche publicist in the film industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i-got-my-education-on-the-set-as-a-niche/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [Hollywood needs more women directors, and Mama Ava needs a carafe and a half of that sweet vino divino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/hollywood-needs-more-women-directors-and-mama-ava-needs-a-carafe-and/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I've been to Sundance eight times as a publicist and thought I was very prepared. I mean, who could've been more prepared for me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-ve-been-to-sundance-eight-times-as-a-publicist-and-thought-i-was/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I think it's a wonderful time to be a black woman who makes films. It's a good time to be an artist period. Traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-think-it-s-a-wonderful-time-to-be-a-black-woman-who-makes-films-it/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I think for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-think-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I make films about black women and it doesn't mean that you can't see them as a black man, doesn't mean that he can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-make-films-about-black-women-and-it-doesn-t-mean-that-you-can-t-see/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [The documentaries were something that I could do for a small amount of money, and then I felt like as long as I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/the-documentaries-were-something-that-i-could-do-for-a-small-amount/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [ \[ Hollywood\] is a patriarchy, headed by men and built for men. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/hollywood-is-a-patriarchy-headed-by-men-and-built-for-men/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [I know that sounds a little bit corny, but I've found some solace in that. I hope art can continue to do that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-know-that-sounds-a-little-bit-corny-but-i-ve-found-some-solace-in/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [We have to find new ways to work without permission, new ways to turn corners and go through doors that are closed off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-have-to-find-new-ways-to-work-without-permission-new-ways-to-turn/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

> [We're a new world and it's not pretty. It's going to be for the brave to figure out how to survive in this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-a-new-world-and-it-s-not-pretty-it-s-going-to-be-for-the-brave/)

[Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

[Explore all 117 Ava DuVernay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/)

## More Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

[Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

[Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films. You see the statistics, and the dropoff on the second and third [films] , are dire.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ava DuVernay"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ava-duvernay-4018_bigs_i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issu_1251191.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I thing for female filmmakers a big issue is making their second and third films. You see the statistics…” — Ava DuVernay",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ava DuVernay",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I thing for female filmmakers a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/i-thing-for-female-filmmakers-a-big-issue-is-making-their-second-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
