NYWIFT Blog

Weekly Film & TV News Roundup

Photo by Joe Pugliese Finally, a truly diverse actress roundtable. New York Film Academy’s article on gender inequality in film. Wow. HBO’s getting a show created by Diablo Cody and someone named Oprah. Winona is back. And starring in an action flick. Meet director Dennie Gordon, made in the USA—in demand in China! Indie producer Alison Owen controls the only...

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NYWIFT December Programs: Pitch Fest, Muse Awards + More

December programs are filling up fast so make sure to RSVP soon. Bullets, Bios, Resumes, and Interviews Monday, Dec 2, 6:30 pm, NYWIFT Offices (6 East 39th St) Learn to write, pitch, and interview for high impact. TV Pitch Fest Wednesday, Dec 4, 6 pm, NYWIFT Offices (6 East 39th St) An amazing opportunity! NYWIFT members...

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Terry’s Picks: November 26, 2013

How far do we still have to go? Check out NYFA’s infographic (link below) STILL PORING OVER: This incredibly comprehensive infographic about gender inequality in film sent to us by the New York Film Academy. From pay rates and movie portrayals to awards and ages, this is a definitive tool for understanding the state of women in...

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Out of 300 Scripts, Only 30 Written by Women

That number comes from a fascinating infographic created by a script reader who says they’ve covered 300 spec scripts for 5 different companies. See the full infographic. Given the record-breaking success of female-protagonist-led Hunger Games and Twilight series, we hope stats like “out of 300 scripts, only 77 had a female hero” will be changing soon. What do you think of...

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Wendy Williams & Andy Cohen to Co-Host 2013 Muse Awards

Wendy visits Andy at the Bravo clubhouse during season 6 of What Happens Live! (photo via Bravo). What’s better than one groundbreaking television host emceeing our 2013 Muse Awards? Two of ‘em: friends Wendy Williams and Andy Cohen have just confirmed for this year’s event. We feel like the luckiest folks in the world! Order your ticket for the 2013 Muse Awards on December 12.

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Road to Muse 2013: Flashback to 1983

Meryl Streep rocks her embroidered NYWIFT jacket as a Muse Award nominee in 1983. Who else thinks we should bring back the NYWIFT jacket?! Fun fact: The early Muse Awards in the1980s often only had one honoree, sometimes two. It wasn’t until 1989 that there were three Muse honorees, and the number has grown ever...

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Road to Muse 2013: Meet Awards Show Organizer Susan Steiger

Susan Steiger (third from the right), the rest of the NYWIFT board, and Muse honorees take the stage at the 2012 Muse Awards. At the 2001 Muse Awards, Dede Allen — the first editor to get an exclusive credit on a film — received a standing ovation from a packed house. It’s those moments that make Susan...

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Female Presence at the Urbanworld Film Festival

//player.vimeo.com/video/71992175 DuVernay | SAY YES from @AFFRM on Vimeo. September 18th through the 22nd, the 17th annual Urbanworld Film Festival presented some of the most interesting feature films, shorts, documentaries, readings, and panels.  Although many of the films shown were by male directors, there was a large female presence, both in front of and behind...

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Tweet of the Week

“Afternoon Delight” director Jill Soloway talks on Lena Dunham, unlikeable characters, and women behind the camera http://t.co/OM4mmXeXOS — Northstar Pictures (@NorthstarPics) August 31, 2013 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js -@annelabarba

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Film News Roundup

How do you feel about the low percentage of women film critics? Image courtesy of them0vieblog.com This Julianne Moore interview is definitely not “boring.” Six resources indie filmmakers should embrace. Tika Sumpter has exciting new gossip surrounding her. Get to know actress and NYWIFT member Anna Van Valin. Comedy Central came to their senses. Congratulations, Amy Schumer!...

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NYWIFT Recap: 2013 Designing Women Awards

On the left, Julianna Margulies (right) with Andrea Miller (center); on the right, Nora Jones and Mandy Lyons. Photo credit: Ben Hider. NYWIFT’s Designing Women Awards last Thursday, May 23, sponsored by People magazine, was a terrific event. It was a pleasure to see so many talented women — including Deborah Scott (costume designer, Avatar), Mandy Lyons (hairstylist, Moonrise Kingdom), and Andrea...

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Road to Designing Women: Honorees’ Closeup

Countdown to Designing Women 2013! Only three days until the big event, but you can still buy tickets. I was lucky enough to chat with the honorees for Designing Women 2013, to be held on Thursday, May 23, at The McGraw Hill Building in NYC. Here’s what I learned: Makeup artist Andrea Miller moved from Jamaica to...

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Road to Designing Women: Meet Our Emcee, Valerie Smaldone

She’s a five-time Billboard Magazine Award winner known for her unprecedented success holding the No.1 on-air position in the New York radio market. Now, Valerie Smaldone can add emcee of NYWIFT’s Designing Women Awards to her long list of accomplishments. We’re thrilled to welcome her to our May 23 event. As a media personality, Smaldone has handled...

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Road to Designing Women: The Beginning

Designing Women 2012 presenter Tina Fey (center) with honorees Jenn Jorge Nelson (left) and Julie Teel. (Photo credit: Eileen Miller) “The inspired work done by each honoree bringing to life unforgettable characters on the big and small screen serves as a shining example of the incredible creative vision of women in the entertainment industry.” That quote, from NYWIFT’s...

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Tribeca Prize Honors Nora Ephron

Photo from Oprah magazine. Writer and director Nora Ephron, a woman of brilliance, warmth, generosity and wit, has inspired the creation of an award at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. “The Nora” is a $25,000 prize, which will be awarded annually to the woman filmmaker whose voice and vision best embody Nora Ephron’s spirit, and whose film makes its...

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What Can We Do About the Under-representation of Women in Screenwriting?

There has been a very thoughtful and extensive conversation going on over at the The Black Board (community of the Black List and Go Into The Story). It arose from this: The Nicholl’s website reveals a startling stat: 1 in 4 of their applicants are women. They’re referring to the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, of course, which is accepting...

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