NYWIFT’s “Women’s Media Workshop” Comes to Staten Island
On Saturday, June 15th, 2019, Special Projects Associate Easmanie Michel brought NYWIFT’s Women's Media Workshop, a full-day training, collaboration, and production workshop to Staten Island for the very first time. Instructed by Filmmaker and Theatre Artist Abigail Zealey Bess (a current professor at NYU, and award-winning film director), the group of nine women, ranging in ages from 15 to 50, gathered at the HH Biddle House in Staten Island at 10am and worked collaboratively and tirelessly until one complete short film was developed and all the scenes were captured.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Nancy Schwartzman, Maybe Representation, Audition Inclusion
Nancy Schwartzman: Last week NYWIFT hosted a Twitter chat with director Nancy Schwartzman of Roll Red Roll, available now on PBS’ POV. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a must-watch, especially if you have kids. Its harrowing look at rape culture in a high school is unusual for a true-crime doc in that it...
READ MORENYWIFT Members Doing Justice to True Crime
Death Row Stories explores the fallibility of the ultimate criminal penalty, capital punishment. Narrated by current and former death row inmates, each episode of Death Row Stories seeks to unravel the truth behind a different capital murder case and poses tough questions about the U.S. capital punishment system. Six NYWIFT members who worked on the show, including Board Member Kathryn O'Kane, share the insight they gained into the criminal justice system through their work on the show.
READ MORE21 Leaders for the 21st Century 2019 Honors Cynthia Lopez
Last month in New York City, Women's eNews held their annual 21 Leaders for the 21st Century and it was a night of celebration for a diverse group of honorees, all fearless leaders who are committed to advancing gender equality throughout the world...including NYWIFT's own Executive Director, Cynthia Lopez. We share a portion of Lopez's insightful remarks on how women can truly change the world.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Designing Women, Rachel Chavkin, Queer Women
Designing Women: Thank you to all our honorees, presenters, supporters, volunteers and attendees for a truly fabulous 20th anniversary Designing Women Awards last week. Be sure to check out our photo highlights and stay tuned for videos of the inspirational ceremony. Rachel Chavkin: Hadestown director Rachel Chavkin’s fiery Tony Awards acceptance speech (she won Best...
READ MOREFeelin’ Like Film Distribution Reality Bites? Bite [Me] back! Four ‘A’ Takeaways from the NYWIFT Bite Me Panel
The team behind the independent feature Bite Me recently joined NYWIFT for a panel case study on how they flipped the film distribution paradigm from something you “get” into something you “do.” As they journey on their 40-city Joyful Vampire Tour of America, we recap some key nuggets of wisdom.
READ MOREMember Spotlight: Magdalene Brandeis, Director of Stony Brook Killer Films
In the throes of finals and gearing up for next semester, we had an opportunity to talk shop with the Director of the Stony Brook Killer Films MFA in Film program (& NYWIFT member) Magdalene Brandeis about how the program is turning the film school model on its head.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Mindy Kaling, Booksmart Buzz, Thumbs Down, Designing Women
Mindy Kaling: CBS Sunday Morning profiled Mindy Kaling, who spoke candidly about not seeing people like herself represented on screen, and how her new film Late Night is one of the first comedies all about workplace inclusivity. Booksmart Buzz: The disappointing box office returns from the Olivia Wilde-directed comedy Booksmart, which had been hotly anticipated...
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Designing Women Michele Clapton, Riccie Johnson, Shunika Terry, and Mrs. Maisel
We have an incredible roster of honorees and presenters for this year’s 20th Anniversary NYWIFT Designing Women Awards! I hope you will join us on Tuesday, June 11th at 7 PM at the prestigious DGA Theater to celebrate these incredible women and spend time with some costumes. Tickets are going fast – buy now at...
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Sarah Finn, Ava Duvernay, Olivia Wilde
Sarah Finn: Casting Director Sarah Finn may the true superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – she cast more than a thousand actors in almost every single Marvel film since the first Iron Man– including all of the stars. It was a unique challenge that required thinking how the cast members might overlap in the...
READ MORECreator Misha Calvert on power dynamics, pitching and her latest series, All Hail Beth
In advance of the Fall 2019 premiere of her new BRIC TV series "All Hail Beth," showrunner and NYWIFT member Misha Calvert sits down with Leah Curney to discuss power dynamics, how to pitch your project, and how she makes connections in the business.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Working Moms, Member News, Documentary Labs
Working Moms: Celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend was a powerful reminder that being a working mother is especially tough in the film and television industry. Thankfully, there are groups like Moms-in-Film and our own NYWIFT Moms Network affinity group trying to level the playing field. Member News: NYWIFT member are always doing great things, but this week...
READ MOREDirector Julie Dash Receives Grant From The National Endowment for the Humanities
Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl, a documentary about the life and works of Vertamae Smart Grosvenor, which is currently in development with NYWIFT Muse Honoree Julie Dash as director, has been awarded a grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The film is produced by NYWIFT Board member, Rachel Watanabe-Batton and Dash, with Patricia Williams Lessane, PhD. and Juanita Anderson as co-producers.
READ MOREFive Takeaways: Finding the Right Documentary Lab for Your Film
Participating in a documentary film lab can be a great way to refine your story, develop your creative vision and build partnerships. But which one should you pick? NYWIFT member Janine McGoldrick has the scoop.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Latinx Stars, Expanded Opportunities, Listen In
Latinx Stars: The Hollywood Reporter wisely points out…amid the call for diversity in entertainment, particularly inclusive casting, why don’t we have more Latinx movie stars? Part of it, of course, comes down to unconscious bias – which we all need to work on identifying and correcting. Expanded Opportunities: The Academy has voted to expand the...
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Muses-on-the-Move, 21 Leaders, Draft Diversity
Muses-on-the-Move: Great news from two past NYWIFT Muse Honorees: Lucy Liu will be the second-ever Asian-American woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the first was Anna May Wong in 1960), and Judith Light will receive the Isabelle Stevenson Award at the Tony’s in June in tribute to her advocacy to...
READ MOREHow I Built a Distribution Plan at Film Festivals
NYWIFT member Lara Stolman reflects on her unique path to success with her documentary "Swim Team" - using film festivals to expand her audience and find unique opportunities, even after the film's television debut.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Director Disconnect, Board Elections, Ladies’ Morning
Director Disconnect: While the call for diversity in Hollywood is getting more bandwidth than ever, the movement toward inclusion is still not reaching the director’s chair. Board Elections: NYWIFT members, don’t forget to vote in our Board Elections! Ballots have been emailed out to you and voting closes on May 1st. (If you missed...
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