Thank you for mansplaining that to me.

[teyla]

Today, I spent my morning shooting a two minute drama piece with a team of two other girls, and two actresses. Meaning we had a set entirely populated by members of the female population. We were shooting in the uni cafeteria, a pretty public place, and occasionally, people were walking past behind us.

It's around 12:30 pm, I'm setting up a shot, and am trying to frame it so I can get rid of a shadow I don't like. My sound operator waves to me--turn around, there's someone behind you. I turn around and find myself face to face with a shortish blond skinny dude.


Skinny Dude: So what are you filming?

Me: Oh, it's just a short drama thing for an assignment. We're TV production students.

Skinny Dude: TV students. I see. I'm your rival, then. I'm on a media tech course.

Me: Uh. Okay?

Skinny Dude (noticing the two cameras we have set up): So you're filming with two cameras, then? Never seen that before.

Me: Eh, we're just lazy. It's a single camera production, but using two cameras just saves so much time.

Skinny Dude: No vision mixing, though.

Me: . . . no. It's a two minute drama production. We haven't set up a studio.

Skinny Dude: We always set up a studio wherever we go.

Me: . . . right.

I go back to framing my shot, and consult my co-director about the shadow I'm trying to get rid of. Cue skinny dude pushing himself between me and her and trying to get a glimpse of the camera's display.

Skinny Dude: What are you doing?

Me: Trying to get rid of a shadow.

Skinny Dude: Have you checked the aperture settings?

Me (getting irritated now): Yes, I have checked the aperture settings. Thank you.

Skinny Dude: I think the shot looks fine that way.


By that point, my co-director and I just glared at him, and I think he finally got the message that his input was neither needed nor wanted, because he buggered off and left us alone. I have no idea what he was trying to do. I think he probably just saw a bunch of women handling filming equipment and figured that he'd play white knight and mansplain to us how to do it right. Whatever he was doing, I'm not sure whether I should be annoyed or amazed at him.

Usually it's fine, but from time to time, working with cameras and filming equipment, you realize how much the business still thinks it's entirely a male area. You've got boobs and you're holding a camera. Something's not right here.

Other than that, the shoot went well, though. Now all we have to do is edit it and hand it in! Win.

comment on LJ

Comments

[mind-the-tardis.livejournal.com]

They're socialized to think they need to Sweep In. It is kind of too bad we can't figure out how much of the whole male/female behavior thing is biological. I'm guessing hormonal balances do do a lot to influence behavior, but a lot of it also has to be cultural. Not that that excuses the whole "Why, hello, ladies, are you doing something that involves electricity and/or manual labor and/or the sciences and/or etc.?" bit.

I read an article yesterday where some psychiatrist was like "Clearly, this child (born male, lost his phallus to a circumcision error, raised female) is not displaying proper femininity because they want to buy toy guns and don't like dresses and are displeased with the whole 'puberty = sudden breasts' bit." And went pffffft. Because by that definition, I'm male. What planet do social scientists live on, again?

[teyla]

It is kind of too bad we can't figure out how much of the whole male/female behavior thing is biological.
Very little, I would think. In nature, as the "nurturing" sex, the females of any species (or at least any species where the female is the nurturing sex, which are most mammals) are probably actually the ones that need "providing for"--as in, they're taking care of the offspring, therefore they need protection, at least for as long as they are taking care of the offspring. Same with humans, at least to a degree. Our western society has no necessity to function this way anymore, though, so there is no necessity for this preprogrammed socializing to still take effect--but of course it does. It's intellect versus evolution, and people hate change. But I think very little is actually programmed in biologically.

Hey, you're male. This explains our relationship! I must be straight after all. Because as we all know, bisexuals don't exist, and I was wondering where I fit in.

[mind-the-tardis.livejournal.com]

I still think we really have bugger-all idea what "instinct" really is. "Things do things without any apparent precursor to the thing-doing! It must be INSTINCT." Ooooor it could just mean we don't know what's triggered or taught said thing to do said other thing. Instinct, however, makes it look like we Know What We are Talking About.

Yep, I guess so. Because playing with Ninja Turtles makes you male. I did not know one could catch it like that, maleness.

No, bisexuals are traitors to all gender political stances! Arr. What's with you people, being attracted to whomever you feel like. Get on the categorization boat, dammit.