I'm
a subscriber of Neon and think that the magazine is excellent. Having
said that though, it is not beyond criticism, since I think you should
really seriously consider giving more room to articles on women working
in the movie business.
Looking back through Neon, only very few women have received as equally long and in-depth articles as men, be they actors, directors, writers or whatever.Women do figure often in your single-page "Profile" articles featuring up-and-coming stars, or less well-known personalities, but these are oddly obsessed by on-screen nudity, or Vanity Fair nipple exposure for example.
At first I thought these articles were trying to say something about the movie industry by hilighting these absurdities but they aren't critical enough to achieve that. If these articles were more deliberately trying to be a sort of "Horrors of the Casting Couch" then I'd understand a little better. By confining women to these shorter articles, you are not supporting possible change in the way the movie business deals with women, either in terms of choice of roles, or of payment.
This is not to say Neon is completely uncritical; the recent Samuel L. Jackson article for example was good in underlining the pay-hypocracy experienced by black A-list actors who are payed the same as an equivalent white B-lister regardless of talent.There are plenty of actresses, both established and new to the screen who deserve just as good articles as their male counterparts. It was a pity for example to see Christina Ricci sharing the cover recently, and then to find out that she was just being used as a pretty-face to boost the ego of an article esentially singing the praises of Vincent Gallo.
I'm not saying that Neon should become bogged-down with heavy politics, or become a feminist rant-fest, but it's in a very good position to be both entertaining and set an example by being more balanced in its coverage.Other than that though, like I said, great read, and I look forward to future issues,yours sincerely...
Looking back through Neon, only very few women have received as equally long and in-depth articles as men, be they actors, directors, writers or whatever.Women do figure often in your single-page "Profile" articles featuring up-and-coming stars, or less well-known personalities, but these are oddly obsessed by on-screen nudity, or Vanity Fair nipple exposure for example.
At first I thought these articles were trying to say something about the movie industry by hilighting these absurdities but they aren't critical enough to achieve that. If these articles were more deliberately trying to be a sort of "Horrors of the Casting Couch" then I'd understand a little better. By confining women to these shorter articles, you are not supporting possible change in the way the movie business deals with women, either in terms of choice of roles, or of payment.
This is not to say Neon is completely uncritical; the recent Samuel L. Jackson article for example was good in underlining the pay-hypocracy experienced by black A-list actors who are payed the same as an equivalent white B-lister regardless of talent.There are plenty of actresses, both established and new to the screen who deserve just as good articles as their male counterparts. It was a pity for example to see Christina Ricci sharing the cover recently, and then to find out that she was just being used as a pretty-face to boost the ego of an article esentially singing the praises of Vincent Gallo.
I'm not saying that Neon should become bogged-down with heavy politics, or become a feminist rant-fest, but it's in a very good position to be both entertaining and set an example by being more balanced in its coverage.Other than that though, like I said, great read, and I look forward to future issues,yours sincerely...
