Data serves as a powerful tool for revealing hidden bias in entertainment. While creative leaders often assume their projects naturally reflect diversity, automated analysis proves that gender and racial disparities persist across film and television. Hosted at Google’s Venice campus, the 2018 Global Symposium on Gender in Media brought together industry executives, creators, engineers, and researchers to address a central challenge: turning objective data into lasting industry change.
By grounding conversations in rigorous media representation research, the Institute demonstrated why eliminating unconscious bias in family entertainment is essential. Media images directly shape the aspirations of young audiences. When children see diverse, empowered role models on screen, their sense of personal potential expands significantly.
The symposium stood out by bridging technical innovation with creative decision-making. Moving beyond manual tracking, the Institute showcased automated machine-learning tools that evaluate screen time, speaking time, and script language. This data-driven approach gives decision-makers a clear, practical roadmap for building screen equity.
The symposium opened with welcoming remarks from Courtney McCarthy (Google) and Madeline Di Nonno (CEO, Geena Davis Institute), setting a clear focus on data-driven change. Founder and Chair Geena Davis then highlighted how objective metrics help creators spot unexamined biases in their work. She shared key findings, including a study showing male brand mascots outnumber female mascots two-to-one, as well as the landmark "Scully Effect" study showing that 63% of women working in STEM were inspired by Dana Scully in The X-Files.
Dr. Caroline Heldman and PhD scholar Krishna Somandepalli presented findings from the Institute's 2017 family film analysis. Using multi-modal machine learning to analyze screen and speaking time, the data revealed that male characters accounted for 60.9% of screen time and 63.7% of speaking time in top 2017 family films, despite women making up 51% of the population. Importantly, the research also debunked box office myths: films featuring female leads earned 38.1% more domestic box office revenue than male-led films in 2017.
An expert panel featuring leaders from Color Farm Media, 72andSunny, USC, 21st Century Fox, and Google explored how these insights translate into practice:
This symposium was made possible through host partner Google, whose computer science media team co-developed the Institute's automated analytical technology alongside the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Supporting partners included Amazon, Criterion Group, Facebook, MPAA, MRC, Nielsen, 72andSunny, Sony, 21st Century Fox, and Walt Disney Imagineering. Mount St. Mary's University acted as fiscal sponsor, with additional research support provided by Gelsert.
On-screen representation is never neutral—it teaches viewers who holds authority and value in society. When family media continuously sidelines women and underrepresented groups, young audiences absorb those limitations early on. Groundbreaking media representation research shows that screen bias can be corrected quickly when decision-makers have access to clear, scalable data. By using objective metrics, studio leadership can drive meaningful inclusion while capturing broader global audiences.
Access to the Institute's proprietary research tools and executive convenings is available through membership. Members receive early research releases, specialized data tools, and connections to industry leaders driving screen equity. Join the Geena Davis Institute to turn insight into measurable action.easurable industry change. By becoming a member of the Geena Davis Institute, you gain direct access to proprietary research tools, early findings, and a network of executives driving equity across media. Join a values-driven community that moves beyond conversation to inform real decisions on screen.
