NYWIFT Blog

WIFV: 40 Years of Support, Networking and Leadership for Women Media Makers

Whether you’re cast in a project that shoots abroad or you’re a producer on a quest for locations and tax credits, we’re all finding ourselves traversing the globe more than ever. Getting to know (and joining) our sister Women in Film & Television organizations around the country and the world can be a resource of unending value. From the quickest route to crewing-up with talented women to taking advantage of great events and programing, WIFTs around the world expand our networks and our horizons.



By Kristin Reiber Harris

As a long time member of Women in Film and Video (WIFV), the Washington, DC chapter of Women in Film & Television, I look back fondly on an association that has helped shape my career as an animator, designer and media producer. Today we take for granted the many opportunities women have for supporting and networking with each other. This was not always the case. Innovative individuals in the ’70’s stepped up and helped create this culture.

In 1979, producer/director Ginny Durrin invited women working in media in Washington, DC to join her at her home to talk about how they could support each other. She wanted to change the dynamic that was frequently excluding women from the industry. Durrin became the first president of WIFV and what Ginny and her associates started that night is now a vibrant professional organization with over 1000 members all over the country. WIFV produces over 90 events each year, all designed to enable members to network, share knowledge, find collaborators and exchange ideas.

I joined in 1995 as a fine artist transitioning into motion design and animation; working with digital tools as the industry was also in transition. The support I got from my new associates was pivotal in my career. Equally important were the leadership opportunities WIFV offered. I was soon encouraged to run for the board, serving for two terms. Those years of board meetings, organizing and attending events resulted in friendships and professional relationships still important to me today.

As my volunteer hours grew, so did my opportunities to lead. As a producer of children’s media, I was very pleased to organize the 2005 Kids World Film Festival, one of WIFV’s annual outreach programs for youth. Fifth grade students from a variety of schools in the DC area attended. It all starts for the students with media literacy sessions in their classrooms before the event. This film festival was hosted by the Documentary Center at George Washington University. I curated a selection of films from all over the world and led discussion sessions between the screenings. At the screenings, we challenged the students to evaluate their experiences with the films from a broad perspective. Two of the filmmakers from Cameroon and Netherlands were able to attend.  It was inspiring to see enthusiastic students ask the filmmakers questions. I am certain lives were changed that day.

WIFV Roundtables are robust monthly events that are the heartbeat of the organization. Since 2003, I have facilitated the Animators Roundtable on a rotating basis for over six years. Our goal is to bring animators together and share information. Meeting monthly, we provide a wide range of programming to interest a diverse audience of animators, designers, and editors but also producers wanting to learn more about including animation in their projects. Some of the highlights include sessions with Tiny Inventions, NASA scientists, sand animator Corrie Parks, Atlantic animator Jackie Lay and Fired Up producer Elyse Kelly.

Another way WIFV supports its members is the Seed Fund for Documentary Filmmakers. I received the fund in 2017 and welcomed the opportunity to help WIFV support animated docs, a first for the organization. My funded project Anim8Nature: Life Cycles was recently included in the Oaxaca Film Festival New Industry selection.

Congratulations WIFV for 40 successful years! Moving forward I keep one foot in DC and welcome the opportunity to contribute to my new NYWIFT community.

 

Learn more about our Washington, DC sister chapter at www.wifv.org.

PUBLISHED BY

Kristin Harris

Kristin Harris Kristin Reiber Harris is an artist, animator and educator. She tells stories about the connection of all life on Earth and the wonder and wisdom of the natural world. Her films have been screened in numerous film festivals for over 20 years. Recently Kristin received a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts to create a series of drawings celebrating the connection of all life. The drawings are inspired by visits to Narrows Botanical Gardens in Brooklyn and Islamic geometrical symmetries. Learn more about her work at KristinHarrisDesign.com and follow @kristinharrisdesign. She is documenting her process and progress on the NYSCA grant on https://lifeisinthebalance.blogspot.com.

View all posts by Kristin Harris

Comments are closed

Related Posts

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Meryl Jacobs

Welcome to NYWIFT, Meryl Jacobs! Driven by a lifelong passion for the arts, Meryl Jacobs creative professional has built an inspiring career spanning advertising, Broadway stage management, and post-production as an award-winning video editor and business owner. Embracing challenges with optimism, she believes in the power of self-belief and continuous growth. After returning to New York post-pandemic, she launched her own company, Gotham Edit Inc., confident in the value she provides to clients. Among her proudest achievements are collaborations with Universal Pictures, a corporate branding reel for Tumi, and a recognized PSA for the City of Los Angeles on senior scams. Grateful for every opportunity, she remains dedicated to creating impactful work that helps others. Read on to learn more about her fascinating career!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Pia Mechler

Welcome to NYWIFT, Pia Mechler! Pia Mechler, born and raised in Germany with German, Chilean, and Polish heritage, is a versatile actress, writer, and director. Studying film in Denmark and beginning her acting career in Berlin, she took her skills to the UK and then New York City in 2010, where she also took up directing. Pia wrote, directed, and starred in the web series Almost Settled and made her feature directorial debut with Everything is Wonderful, which premiered at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and was a finalist at the Chelsea Film Festival. Her latest project, Black Hole, which she wrote to address the challenges of female aging and ageism from a humorous perspective, is currently on its festival tour. Read on to discover her inspiring international background, her dedication to her projects, and her process when it comes to making films.

READ MORE

NYWIFT Member Spotlight: Myrta Vida

Myrta Vida is an award-winning writer and independent filmmaker specializing in features, shorts, documentaries, and stage productions. She serves as a producer at 3DMC, the production company behind the John Cassavetes Award-winning feature Premature (2019) and the Sundance Award-winning hybrid documentary The Infiltrators (2019). Since 2010, Myrta has worked as a story consultant and script doctor for independent filmmakers worldwide. A proud Army veteran from Puerto Rico, she earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and completed a conservatory program in screenwriting at the New York Film Academy, both with summa cum laude honors. Additionally, she holds a certificate in sketch comedy writing from the Upright Citizens Brigade and was a 2022 Fellow with Third World Newsreel. Get to know her in our latest interview!

READ MORE

How to Decide Which Screenwriting Contests to Submit To

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of screenwriting competitions out there — so how do you decide which ones are worth your time and money? As the co-founder of Moonshot Initiative, a nonprofit that works toward gender equity in film and television, NYWIFT Member Katrina Medoff has been on the other side of the application process. Her team reads hundreds of submissions a year for the Moonshot Pilot Accelerator and their newest program, the Moonshot Feature Accelerator. They know that their applicants poured their time, talents, and energy into their scripts, and that every fellowship submission means putting more time and money into your career. So it’s important to carefully consider which labs and contests to prioritize. If you’re ready to submit your feature film screenplay or TV pilot script to screenwriting competitions, here’s how to determine which labs, fellowships, and contests would be a good fit.

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php