This document discusses the automation of the Bechdel-Wallace test using artificial intelligence. It describes the Bechdel-Wallace test, which evaluates whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The project, called BechdelAI, aims to use AI tools like image recognition, natural language processing, and text analysis to automatically apply the Bechdel-Wallace test to movies and measure gender representation and inequalities in cinema. It outlines initial phases including collecting data from sources like IMDb and OpenSubtitles, visualizing gender breakdowns of casts and crews, analyzing movie posters, and studying relationships between characters based on age gaps.

1. Automation of the Bechdel-Wallace test
using artificial intelligence
BechdelAI
Sandrine Henry
16 Mars 2023

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10. Bechdel Ai
Measuring inequalities and female
under-representation in cinema and audiovisual

11. Measuring inequalities and female
under-representation in cinema and
audiovisual
Analyze images and
representations using AI
Analyze language and
relationships between
characters
Collect data on gender
inequalities in cinema
Raise awareness of
imaginaries and feminism in
cinema and audiovisual

12. Collect
Measure
Analyze
TMDB/IMDB
Crowdsourced
collection tool
Open
Subtitles
Allociné
Wikipedia
Image and video
analysis
Audio analysis
Face detection and
identification
Analysis of
relationships
between characters
Text analysis
“Age gap in
couples”
“The posters of French
films of 2021”
“American Blockbuster
Trailers”
“The Bechdel test
through the ages”
???

13. Extrait de Lesbiennes à suivre (Alison Bechdel)
Bechdel-Wallace
test
The movie has to have at
least two women in it
Who talk to each other
About something
besides a man

14. Phase 1
From an exploratory phase to a first application

15. Data visualization
Measure for a given film :
● the gender breakdown of the cast
● the gender breakdown of the technical team
● Bechdel-Wallace test score

16. Poster analysis

17. Visual representation of
genders
Use of the CLIP Algorithm to identify :
● specific scenes
● cases where 2 women discuss with each
other
● nudity scenes
● filmed body parts

18. Relationship between
characters and age of
actors/actresses
A NLP algorithm on film summaries and
synopses to :
- Identify the nature of the relationships
between the characters
- on this basis, study another indicator of
sexism in cinema : the age gap of
actors/actresses involved in romantic
relationships.

19. Phase 2
The boost

20. Bechdel-Wallace
test
The movie has to have at
least two women in it
Who talk to each other
About something
besides a man

21. Bechdel-Wallace
test
The movie has to have at
least two women in it
Who talk to each other
About something
besides a man

22. Application

23. Detection, identification of
faces and genders
Clip
OpenAI

24. Speech To Text
Whisper
OpenAI

25. Demo
A full version on huggin face
Work on the UX/UI
Variables
Improve gender characters segmentation
Communication
Launch our Instagram account to share our analyzes
and progress
And
Work with film and audiovisual professionals,
regulatory authorities or feminist associations
What's next?
+Théo, Marie, Charles, Vincent, Claire, Gabriel, Simon,
Lorraine, Tom, et les 70 élèves de l’ENSAE qui n’en ont pas
dormi le temps d’un hackathon
+ the new volunteers who joined us last months
Mehdi
Caroline
Thomas Nathan
Sandrine
Chloé
Juliana
Merci, merci, merci !

26. Reading
corner
From the same author

27. Sandrine Henry
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrine-e-henry/
https://instagram.com/hyssey/
https://twitter.com/eleonore_h
THANK YOU !
BedchelAI
https://dataforgood.fr/projects/bechdelai
https://www.instagram.com/bechdelai/
Data For Good
https://dataforgood.fr/
https://dataforgood.notion.site/