NYWIFT Blog

Webinar: NYWIFT Talks Casting with Destiny Lilly

Join Casting Director and NYWIFT Board of Directors Vice President Destiny Lilly for a virtual Zoom conversation. Destiny will update us on how the casting world in NYC keeps moving even while film, television, and theatre productions are on hold due to the current health crisis. We'll talk shooting delays, the impact on Broadway, online auditions, self-tape 101 for actors, why producers should always hire a casting director, and more. Casting affects more than just actors - all film and TV professionals are encouraged to bring their questions to to this insightful conversation. And anyone can benefit from self-tape 101; nowadays, working from home, we are all appearing on camera!  This NYWIFT Talks discussion will be moderated by NYWIFT Community Engagement Director Katie Chambers. 

Webinar: NYWIFT Talks Production with Kathryn O’Kane

Join Disney+ showrunner and NYWIFT Board member Kathryn O'Kane for a virtual Zoom conversation. Kathryn will discuss the COVID-19 affects on pre-planned productions and what the future holds for her current projects. This NYWIFT Talks conversation will be moderated by NYWIFT Executive Director Cynthia Lopez.

Webinar: NYWIFT Talks Distance Learning with Dr. Kimberly Greene

Welcome to NYWIFT Talks, a new weekly series to bring updated news and vital information about the impact of COVID-19 on the media and entertainment industry. Industry professionals will be in conversation discussing what you need to know about theatrical releases, digital advances, virtual tools, festival opportunities, production updates and more.  NYWIFT Talks are free...

Webinar: NYWIFT Talks: Virtual Collaborations with Liz Dreyer

Welcome to NYWIFT Talks, a new weekly series to bring updated news and vital information about the impact of COVID-19 on the media and entertainment industry. Industry professionals will be in conversation discussing what you need to know about theatrical releases, digital advances, virtual tools, festival opportunities, production updates and more.  NYWIFT Talks are free for all NYWIFT members to attend.  In this week’s inaugural NYWIFT Talk, join virtual collaboration expert Liz Dreyer for a Zoom conversation. We'll focus on tips and best practices for creating productive virtual meetings, including information on preferred platforms and the leading question of the day: "Should you wear pants on video chats?" Liz has facilitated creative digital groups for over 20 years. This discussion will be led by NYWIFT Senior Development Consultant Maud Kersnowski-Sachs.

Webinar: NYWIFT Talks: Virtual Theatrical Experiences with Wendy Lidell

Welcome to NYWIFT Talks, where every week we bring you a new stimulating and proactive virtual conversation with a dynamic array of film and television industry professionals. NYWIFT Talks are free for all NYWIFT members to attend.  In this NYWIFT Talk, we welcome Senior Vice President Wendy Lidell of Kino Lorber. We will discuss the growth of Kino Lorber and their initiative to develop the virtual theatrical experience during a time of uncertainty, while continuing to support art houses everywhere.  This discussion will be led by NYWIFT member Jennifer Wilkov. 

Virtual Theatrical Experience: 2020 S.W.A.N. (Support Women Artists Now) Day Screening – Tape

Join NYWIFT, SAG-AFTRA, FF2 Media, Women in the Arts & Media Coalition (WAMC), HerFlix, ImageNation Cinema Foundation, 2020 One Woman One Vote Festival, and African-American Women in Cinema (AAWIC) for a screening of the new feature Tape in recognition of S.W.A.N. (Support Women Artists Now) Day, an annual event on the last Saturday of March that...

POSTPONED: Women are Funny

In 2018, a frustrating study claimed"researchers found that 63% of men were funnier than the average woman" based on captions attached to a picture of an absurd cartoon. Thankfully, this claim has been shut down by female comedians since its unnecessary birth. Guess what? Women are funny. Our conversation "Women are Funny" brings together some of the funniest women in...comedy! These women have successfully produced numerous shows, are writers for Late Night folks, and starred in TV/film roles. These Queens of Comedy are champions of their craft — and the world should know that.

Webinar: Mental Health and Career Sustainability in the Doc World

To the outsider, the person holding the film camera is a story teller and change maker, living a dream life, filled with travel, awards, honor and recognition. To the documentary filmmaker, the possibility of creating transformational change through art is a calling. Yet it is a calling that exacts deep costs: financial, emotional, psychological, and physical. The documentary business is a long odds game fraught with disappointment and struggle. Underpinning these struggles is the elusive act of making a sustainable living at the career. NYWIFT and The D-Word co-host a panel discussion to shed more light on this much-needed conversation and to explore avenues of greater filmmaker support.  Moderated by Doug Block (The D-Word), panelists include Rebecca Day (Producer/ Psychotherapist), Kelsey Koenig (Impact Partner Films), Heidi Reinberg (Documentary film maker) and Chithra Jeyaram (Documentary film maker).  

The Wrong Kind of Women

Naomi McDougall Jones's new book The Wrong Kind of Women is a brutally honest look at the systemic exclusion of women in film — an industry with massive cultural influence — and how, in response, women are making space in cinema for their voices to be heard. In addition to providing an incisive, data- and human-driven look at where we are, Naomi provides clear and actionable steps to move the industry forward.  Join us for a conversation with Naomi McDougall Jones, Tanya Perez, and Jennifer Betit Yen.

Virtual Program: Individual and Small Business Planning During COVID-19

Individuals and small business owners: are you curious about the government programs available to help you during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic turbulence?

NYWIFT corporate partners Gail Linn, CFP® and Bill Fischer, CFP® from Fortis Lux Financial will host an educational workshop where they will discuss the benefits of the recently passed CARES act and answer your questions. The entire act encompasses a full 900 pages, but Gail and Bill will cut to the chase by reviewing the most important issues that individuals and small business owners need to know.

Women Behind the Brush

In "Women Behind the Brush," NYWIFT Member Victoria Bert leads a conversation with some of the most renowned makeup artists in NYC. This discussion will provide makeup artists with ideas for their own career paths including portfolio, networking, and business tips! Makeup artist speakers include Margina Dennis (Director of LA'G Magazine), Jackie Risotto (Fosse/Verdon), Nicki Ledermann (Joker - Academy Award nominee for Best Makeup, Sex and the City, The Greatest Showman, and The Irishman), DeShawn Hatcher (Editorial and Beauty Guru) and NYWIFT Member Jennifer Snowdon (Wonderama). After the panel, a Make Up Forever educator will present a live demo. More details to come.

Destination Co-Star! TV Tips for the Emerging Actor

Are you an actor transitioning from theater, independent film, background work, or just starting out? This workshop is for those seeking practical advice in booking their first television co-star role, and more importantly, building a life-long career. We’ll cover casting directors, agents, creating a network vs. networking, audition best practices (and managing those audition nerves), and more! Please note: If The Secret-power-of-attraction-manifesting approach is your thing—great! But this program offers its polar opposite and might not be for you. Though we will touch upon a few science-based items to maintain a healthy mindset, this will be a simple, no-nonsense primer to get you started on your career.

Funding Your Doc

You've locked in your subject and finished the research, what's next? Production! But, how will you fund it? No worries, we'll help you! In Funding Your Doc, Lara Stolman (Director/Producer of Swim Team), leads a discussion that will provide ideas to create fundraising strategies for filmmakers without significant industry or institutional support/relationships, working on a small budget –even on a controversial topic. We will discuss filmmakers needs including festival circuit and distribution. Guest speakers include Heather White (Director/Producer of Complict and Modern Slavery and Your Devices), Carolyn Hepburn (Motto Pictures), and Mark Rossier (Director of Grants, New York Foundation for the Arts).

2019 NYWIFT Summit: Inclusion, Equality and Safety

The 2019 NYWIFT Summit will present a series of conversations that will address vital issues of gender and pay gap, diversity/inclusion and sexual harassment. The Summit will establish forward-moving strategies to create change in these areas with an eye towards mobilizing support and leadership for the future. DOORS OPEN 3:30pm OPENING REMARKS 4:00 – 4:10pm ...

Innovation Series: The Promises of Artificial Intelligence in Media presented IBM and WarnerMedia

Join IBM and WarnerMedia for an evening exploring the intersection of technology and media. IBM and WarnerMedia will present how technology is driving meaningful audience engagement in this connected consumer era. Media companies and media makers are facing even more competition for the wallet and attention of audiences. IBM will present how artificial intelligence (A.I.)...

Web Series: From Creation To Distribution

For many filmmakers, making a web series is a calling card for getting work in the industry. For others, the series is a “proof of concept” for a broadcast television series. And yet, other storytellers prefer the web series format, and the business of creation through distribution is their primary focus. In Web Series, From...

Documentary Distribution 3.0 – The New Normal

What is the new normal for documentary distribution within a constantly evolving landscape? This panel explores the emerging "windows" of distribution/monetizing opportunities for documentary film compared with traditional distribution outlets. Join NYWIFT and panelists Kim Jackson (Co-Founder and President of Entertainment, Breaker), Christie Marchese (CEO,  Picture Motion), DeShuna Spencer (Founder/CEO, kweliTV) and moderator Karen McMullen (Film Festival Programmer, Editor and Educator) for an engaging conversation about the future of documentary distribution.

Bite Me: A Truly Independent Journey

Join the team behind the independent feature film Bite Me for a case study on the film’s journey and the upcoming Joyful Vampire Tour of America that will feature screenings, capes, and Vampire Balls! Bite Me is a unique, while universally relatable, story about outsiders and an edgy, whip-smart, funny, heart-felt update to the rom-com genre. Naomi McDougall Jones (Writer/Actor/Producer), Sarah Wharton (Producer), Joanne Zippel (Executive Producer/NYWIFT Member) and Jack Lechner (Executive Producer) are inventing a fully democratic, filmmaker-empowered model of release that will change distribution from something you “get” into something you “do.”