With increasing research on the creative industries, gender inequality is becoming a prevalent feature that reveals that women experience a marked disadvantage in key leadership roles in cinema, television and production. It is recognized that gender stereotypes can unfortunately have a direct influence on decision-making regarding job placement and career goals and this is strongly reflected in film composition. Reports such as Skipping a Beat, authored by University of Sydney academic Rae Cooper, confirm this chronic gender inequality. There is a significant underrepresentation of women in film composition, due to various barriers which are a cause of concern for women seeking to work in the industry. Organizations such as APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild for Screen Composers have begun to come up with strategies to improve women's representation, with APRA AMCOS recently commissioning RMIT University to conduct further research into the gap between gender equality. Gathering research findings, they began implementing initiatives such as women-specific mentorships to contribute to the development of women within the composition industry. On a smaller scale, film composers Lolita Ritmanis and Hildur Guðnadóttir have been personally affected by barriers to equality and are individually working to improve the representation of women in the film industry. Data analysis illustrates male dominance in key decision-making roles that define industry expectations, values ​​and practices. This gender hierarchy reinforces inequality among women, ultimately leading to an even greater absence of women in the industry. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'? Get an original essay A recent 2017 report commissioned by APRA AMCOS, Australian Women Screen Composers: Career Barriers and Pathways, by researchers at the RMIT University, Dr Catherine Strong and Dr Fabian. Cannizzo explores the limiting factors in the development of women's musical careers. This research has never been undertaken in Australia, making its findings useful in determining strategies to reduce the gender inequality gap in the music industry. It also calls for further research to build on this discussion and see changes in gender equality in the industry. There are many barriers to equality that affect women, such as music, education and raising children. All of this has an effect on the lives of individuals as well as the choices of those who hire the composer. Gendered music is the idea that women compose in a specific style and are not able to exploit the full musical spectrum. This stereotype depends on the type of film and could perhaps constitute an avenue of access for women, even if it remains restrictive and degrading. Women are believed to have a greater ability to translate a story and create feminine-sounding music. This creates a gender gap, creating a limit for female composition. This barrier will likely persist as long as the film industry remains male-dominated. Education is often seen as a path to gaining qualifications and making connections to develop professional relationships, but it can itself be a barrier. In conducting an investigation, Strong andCannizzo determined that women surveyed were more educated than men, with 42% of women having formal training in screen composition, compared to 15% of men. Even if one takes the time to study and learn to become better composers, it can delay women's entry into the industry compared to men. With the male predominance in filmmaking, it is also natural to find that women often need more formal qualifications than men to be hired for the same jobs. Despite similar proportions of men and women having a child at some point in their careers, it is significant to note the difference in the type of care and length of break women need from childcare responsibilities of children, which hinders their professional advancement. It is more common for women to take maternity leave, which often leads to an eventual career change, particularly in the film industry. In a survey conducted by RMIT, it was shown that on average, women reported a career break of five and a half years, while men only took an average of one and a half years. In interviews also conducted by RMIT, it was noted that women identified having children as the point at which their careers went backwards, stagnated or eventually ended. Surprisingly, men did not have this result; in fact, having children was rarely mentioned among men, while it was an important professional event mentioned for women. Ultimately, the biggest obstacle faced is how the music industry perceives women, as more often than not, women are seen in a stereotypical and sexualized way, driven by the expectations of others. Until this changes, women will continue to face these obstacles throughout their careers. With barriers to equality having such a significant effect, organizations such as APRA AMCOS are working to build better pathways for women in the film industry. In their research with RMIT University, few recommendations were made to follow through. First Strong and Cannizzo explored the idea of ​​involving men in equity initiatives, participating in discussions aimed at better understanding the female experience in the film industry. These discussions would be heavily skewed towards male directors and producers, as it is these key roles that see employment of film composers. It is important to note that it is not just up to women to take action to encourage change, but also up to men to examine their beliefs and practices to help close the gender inequality gap . Another suggestion was to increase the visibility of women in the industry to provide role models for emerging composers and to further normalize the idea that women can become successful film composers. This would boost the confidence of struggling composers, allowing them to believe in their work and, more importantly, in themselves. Continuing research into women in film composition would have a far-reaching effect by building on what has already been discovered and launching new initiatives to bring about permanent change in the way women are depicted in composition. Expanding this discussion would lead to other people gaining knowledge, creating a domino effect that would subsequently give women greater appreciation and a greater chance to succeed in the world of film composition. APRA AMCOS has contributed to improving therepresentation of women through the development of mentorships aimed at ensuring gender participation and equitable financial success for their member composers. In addition to this, they launched the EQUALIZE Music Production Workshops and Professional Development Series for Women, featuring VIV Fantin. Similar to mentorships, these programs strive to create positive change for female film composers, by committing to equality, inclusion and diversity. The Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) is an organization dedicated to supporting all established and emerging screen composers in Australia. , acting as a representative body for the screen music community. Recognizing long-term gender inequity, their Gender Equity Committee is committed to improving equality, inclusion and diversity in the industry. Understanding that treating all people equally will not lead to equitable outcomes leads organizations to specifically support women to remove barriers and encourage inclusion. In its efforts to achieve fairness, the AGSC is partnering with other national film bodies, including Screen Australia, the Australian Director's Guild and many others, to address this imbalance. AGSC members completed a series of successful initiatives over two years that culminated in equity roundtables encouraging discussion about the barriers women face, to the creation of the inaugural music mentorship APRA/AGSC Film Festival for Women as well as the She Scores, She Shoots attachment with the South Australian Film Commission which organized a concert featuring live film scores from Australian female composers for film. It is clear that discussion is one of the most important and effective strategies that encourage the growth of gender equality in filmmaking, but it must include all genders to be part of the solution. Despite all these initiatives, it seems that most only offer women one position per year, making the process of closing the gap rather slow. This provides many opportunities for other strategies to be created, implemented and improved. With reference to the podcast “The Conversation” hosted by Nelufar Hedayat, two successful female composers, Lolita Ritmanis and Hildur Guðnadóttir, were interviewed about the underrepresentation of women in film composition. . Ritmanis is an American composer known for her iconic superhero themes and co-founder of the Alliance for Women Film Composers (AWFC). This organization is a community of composers who strive to celebrate female composers through recognition and recognition, providing filmmakers and decision makers with the opportunity to discover new talent. Ritmanis states that the gap is not due to a lack of female composers since the AWFC alone has 400 female composers, but rather "We [the society] don't open the doors for women" to show their full potential in the film industry. She was personally affected by the barriers mentioned above, particularly due to the gender hierarchy, hearing statements such as "I'm a little nervous about giving a film to women", "Will it be -she capable of managing all aspects of production”, etc. these are just irrational arguments arising from producer nervousness in a male-dominated industry. Guðnadóttir is an Icelandic composer at the forefront of experimental pop music. She states that she never often has the opportunity to speak to other female composers, which is a direct illustration of the chronic inequality between..