Participating in a committee is a wonderful way to meet and work with the dynamic women of NYWIFT. Committees form the engine of the organization and play an important role in achieving an effective, progressive organization. Committee members are a vital part of operations and keep the organization running and growing.
Affinity groups are for members who would like to benefit from meeting informally with other members in related professions. There is a current list of affinity groups below.
To join a committee or affinity group, you can check off the box for the committee/group you are interested in when you update your membership profile:
Update your membership profile!
Participation in committees and affinity groups is open to all NYWIFT members. Become a member today.
COMMITTEES
Archive Project
Documents and preserves women’s contributions to New York’s film, television and digital media industries since NYWIFT’s inception (1977), through producing video/oral histories of women in the field.
Contact: Lynda Kaplan (lyndabkaplan@gmail.com)
Fund for Women Filmmakers
Solicits in-kind donations from New York post-production facilities for the Fund for Women Filmmakers. The fund provides completion funding and in-kind contributions to independent producers and nonprofit organizations.
Contact: info@nywift.org
Communications
Strategizes NYWIFT’s internal and external marketing, communications and advocacy. Finds ways to use digital initiatives to serve the organization and its members through content development, social networking, etc.
Contact: communications@nywift.org
Membership
Helps members get the most from NYWIFT membership, including creating programs to recruit and retain members.
Contact: Yvonne Russo (russo.yvonne@gmail.com)
Intern/Mentor Subcommittee: Provides professional mentors to NYWIFT interns.
Contact: Rashiek Smart (212-679-0870, ext 10; internships@nywift.org)
Special Events
Plans and executes the annual Muse Awards luncheon and Designing Women.
Contact: Katie Chambers (kchambers@nywift.org)
Women’s Film Preservation Fund
Raises funds to make grants for the restoration and preservation of women’s films.
Contact: Kirsten Larvick and Erika Yeomans at wfpf@nywift.org
AFFINITY GROUPS
Actors Alliance
The Actors Alliance is building a collective voice to counter the pervading climate of normalized discrimination that dominates our industry. Connect with a supportive community that will help create greater opportunity and safer working conditions for female performers.
Contact: Meissa Hampton (mail@onepairofshoes.com)
Career Focus
Develops programs and services for members facing career transitions.
Contact: Katie Chambers, Community Engagement Director (212-679-0870 x23, kchambers@nywift.org)
Moms Network
The NYWIFT Moms Network is a supportive community for working moms in the film and TV industry. While most of its members are moms with children of varying ages, they also have members who aren’t moms but enjoy the supportive, knowledge-sharing environment the NYWIFT Moms Network provides. Meetings are usually held during the week while the kids are in school or on the weekends, but always at kid-friendly places where kids are welcome to tag along. The group invites experts from different areas of the film and TV industry to come in and offer their insight on topics ranging from project development to distribution and everything in between. The group also brainstorms about content and works on projects together.
Contact: Tonya McCornell (tmccornell@yahoo.com)
New Works Lab
The NYWIFT New Works Lab affinity group welcomes writers, actors, producers, directors, and filmmakers. The Lab was formed to give writers a chance to hear their screenplays, plays, and TV series read out loud so they can see what works, what doesn’t, and make changes accordingly.
The Lab meets on Zoom and scenes are read by the participants. Writers are welcome to bring in 10-12 pages of a screenplay, TV series, or stage play. We also welcome look books, pitch decks, and treatments. At the end of the season, several works are selected for live staged-readings for an audience of NYWIFT members with the hopes of attracting media professionals to help get these projects made.
The group is led by NYWIFT members Desiree Rucker and Jaclyn Powell and meets 11 AM-2 PM every other Saturday on Zoom, excluding holiday weekends. Learn more.
Contact: Desiree Rucker and Jaclyn Powell: nywiftnewworklabs@gmail.com
Writers Group
Provides networking and support for NYWIFT writers. Learn more.
Contact: Jennifer S. Wilkov (yourbookisyourhook@gmail.com)
If you would like to start an affinity group, contact Katie Chambers at kchambers@nywift.org.
