In the UK, a TV writer named Katja Meier faced a disheartening reality when pitching her script through a program aimed at supporting female writers over 40. Despite the program’s intent, Meier was advised to make her female lead 20 years younger to increase the project’s appeal. This suggestion came despite her script being developed for an audience of women over 50. Meier’s experience highlights a stark contrast to the industry statistics, which show that women comprised only 23% of creators of original TV series in the 2023/24 season. Frustrated by the industry’s ageism, Meier founded Zenka Films and independently funded a pilot episode of her series “$hare,” which features a 59-year-old protagonist. The pilot is set to launch on the independent streaming service Olyn, aiming to challenge the prevailing norms and provide representation for older women in media.
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