Women Talking, She Said, The Woman King. Female-driven films are at the top of this season’s awards watch list. In the words of Lizzo, “It’s about damn time.”
The slate of 2022 films showcasing female voices isn’t the only indication of the rise of girl power in Hollywood. While many focus on what we see on screen, what’s happening behind the camera is equally important and deserves an even brighter spotlight because women still make up a smaller percentage of the workforce. Nonprofits such as Women In Media promote “gender balance in the film and entertainment industries through networking, professional development, and advocacy for filmmakers who work above and below the line.”
Just before the close of 2022, WiM Executive Director Tema Staig hosted Women In Media’s annual Holiday Toast. The event honored Grammy/Emmy/Golden Globe-winning songwriter Diane Warren, executive producer/writer/director Deborah M. Pratt (Quantum Leap, The Net, Grey’s Anatomy), Oscar-winning costume designer Deborah L. Scott (E.T., Back to the Future, Avatar: The Way of Water, Titanic), supervising sound editor Becky Sullivan (The Woman King, Always Be My Maybe, The Fast and The Furious), and cinematographer/camera operator Michelle Crenshaw (The Watermelon Woman, Grey’s Anatomy, NYPD Blue).
Toastmasters included Kimberly Jimenez (Senior Vice President, Post Production Services at Sony Entertainment), Johnny Simmons, ASC (Emmy-nominated cinematographer), Deborah Nadoolman Landis (costume designer), Romell Foster-Owens, p.g.a. (producer/director/writer), and Sharon Farber (composer/music arranger). Staig also received a certificate of recognition from newly re-elected Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo.
The gathering at Television City Studios in Hollywood featured a Q&A panel with the afternoon’s honorees – minus Diane Warren. The newly-minted honorary Oscar winner had to make an early exit but stayed long enough to chat for a bit and perform a stellar rendition of her song “Applause.” While her collaborator Sofia Carson wasn’t there to join, the Tell It Like a Woman track was beautifully executed on stage by Warren, Sharon Farber, and 11-year-old powerhouse Eden Kontesz.
Additional event attendees included Bros star Jai Rodriguez, Selling Sunset’s Amanza Smith, Major Crimes star Kearran Giovanni, Nashville actress Chaley Rose, and from the new Quantum Leap, castmembers Nanrisa Lee, Raymond Lee, and Caitlin Bassett, who came to support Deborah M. Pratt. Pratt serves as executive producer for the latest installment of the show on NBC and spearheaded the original sci-fi series that aired from 1989-1993.
The entire event was presented by Gurus Magazine. Past covers include literary icon Candace Bushnell and the late Anne Heche. Founder Derek Warburton recently featured Selling Sunset reality star Amanza Smith on the cover of his other magazine, Mr. Warburton. In the interview, Smith revealed a dark chapter of her past, sparking multiple stories on the topic across various platforms.
Warburton, a strong supporter of WiM, also launched a beauty line over the summer with FACE Stockholm and GLSEN – a national nonprofit working to create a safe and inclusive K-12 school environment for LGBTQIA+ youth. Warburton’s own struggles inspired the Derek Fabulous PRIDE Collection, allowing him to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from his collection to the charity.
Just as Warburton continues to shine a light on important matters, so does Women In Media. In 2023, the nonprofit will be announcing its fellowship to boost the careers of women filmmakers, as well as its WiMLounge online forum, which is geared to further industry-related conversations, networking, and job opportunities.
In Addition, they’re planning new events that are designed to bring more women up the ladder from prep to post, including training in Utility and Camera Loading, a special event in New Tech/VFX/Editing/Color, as well as continuing the successful work they’ve done with writers groups, online jobs board, Hire These Women events and of course the next round of CAMERAderie.
Women In Media aims to create a more respectful, inclusive, and balanced workplace for all genders. To learn how you can contribute or would like to join the community in 2023, visit the WiM website.
