On a Scale tells the story of a seemingly privileged, determined, biracial woman ZOE who attempts to bring up a sexual harassment incident in a very delicate situation. She has no choice but to approach her two white male bosses, Paul and Michael, at a corporate gathering in order to make them acknowledge inappropriate behaviors conducted by Paul’s son, who is also Zoe’s colleague. Zoey should have an ally of her own on her side, but the truth is shown when she needs it the most, leaving her in for an unexpected and eye-opening revelation.
Director’s Vision for ‘On a Scale’
On a Scale is a story about a young woman’s quest to be heard. This is a scenario with which many women, especially younger women working in the corporate environment, tend to empathize. Unfortunately, the scale of sexual harassment ranges from a look, a comment, to physical harm. And it shouldn’t matter to what degree it is…but that our discomfort is recognized and accounted for. As a result, this concise short film carefully constructs a scenario where a young woman realizes how alone she is when she tries to stand up to an elder male in power in her work environment – despite the fact that the person who should’ve supported her the most is standing by her side. The film is an endearing attempt for everyone who has ever been under similar influence. At the same time, it strives to be a glaring reminder to the men out there who have failed to speak up.
