As the saying goes: if you want success, see a need and fill it. That’s what NYWIFT member Melissa Silverstein has done with her popular blog Women and Hollywood.
It was 2007 and not many people were writing about women who work in the male-dominated film industry. To fill that void, Silverstein launched a blog, a new format to her, and one that took a while for people to notice. “I felt like I was talking to myself half the time,” says Silverstein.
Fast-forward a few short years and today, Women and Hollywood attracts close to 10,000 readers each week.
Silverstein says the blog is the greatest job she has ever had. “I love it. I can put my ideas out there and people respond immediately. I’m glad to be part of something as it’s happening, as people are talking about these issues.”
Despite her efforts, Silverstein says not much has changed in Hollywood. “There have been incrementally small shifts for women behind the scenes,” she says, but points out that there hasn’t been a visible increase in women-directed films. That number is almost the same as in 1998.
In front of the camera, women haven’t faired much better. “Women are still a small minority on screen,” she adds.
Silverstein sees the Women and Hollywood format as part of a broader discussion about the difficulties women face in general. “I describe it as pushing a pebble up a hill against a boulder coming down—push, push, go around, go underneath, do everything you can.”
Her blog has become a treasure trove of information about women’s issues, and led her to write a well-received new book, In Her Voice: Women Directors Talk Directing. Silverstein is already working on volume two — single-handedly making a dent in a subject dominated by books on male directors.
And that’s not all Silverstein is currently up to. She also co-created the Athena Film Festival with Kathryn Kolbert, director of the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College. Just completing its third year, the festival celebrates women and leadership in the film industry, whether in front of or behind the camera. Four thousand people attended the February 2013 festival, up from 3,300 in 2012. Silverstein calls it a great opportunity to stimulate conversation about women’s leadership in society.
That’s also a role she sees for New York Women in Film & Television. “It’s a body, it has members, it can take positions,” she says. “Women in Hollywood are basically a constituency without representation. Someone has to step up and lead.” Many NWIFT members join the organization to take an active role in advocacy for women in the film and television industry.
Silverstein points out that the issue is not just one for women in the industry. “I think about the kids watching TV shows; I think about my nieces and nephews. I want them to have great role models for their future; I want people to think female-centric works are just as worthy as men’s.” — MIMI SPILLANE, NYWIFT member (@mimispillane)
NYWIFT Blog readers can take advantage of an exclusive discount offer to download the ebook of Melissa Silverstein’s In Her Voice: Women Directors Talk Directing by using code IHV-DISC at checkout.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Catherine Craig
Welcome to NYWIFT, Catherine Craig! Catherine Craig was George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic's first animation FX camerawoman, later becoming a digital artist at ILM. A highly regarded film archivist, Craig designed the Coppola film archive and implemented Zoetrope's domestic and international film distribution. As an early female entrepreneur, Craig founded her own award-winning, union and guild-affiliated film company, specializing in high-end industrial and commercial productions. Her vast experience spans all aspects of filmmaking: she's worked as a director, producer, camera operator, concept artist, storyboard artist, special FX artist, sound recordist, and more. Her screenplay OddFX was accepted into the NYWIFT-affiliated The Writers Lab. The film follows a mother living in a women's shelter, battling a physically abusive husband and a broken support system, who enlists the help of a special FX film crew. Catherine discusses her groundbreaking work with ILM, her drive to tell her own stories, and her film currently in development, OddFX!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Patricia Hess
Welcome to NYWIFT, Patricia Hess! Patricia Hess is an accomplished DGA UPM and line producer with extensive experience in feature films, TV, and streaming content. She is New York-based professional with both domestic and international credits, including Angels in America, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Philomena, and Raising Arizona, among many others. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Patty divides her time between her family farm in Virginia and New York. During our interview, Patricia shared the remarkable story of her journey in the industry. We often admire the success of individuals who achieve their vision, yet rarely do we see the humble beginnings, the sacrifices made, the moments of doubt and fear, or the times they considered giving up. Patricia’s story is a powerful reminder of the resilience, perseverance, and mindset of gratitude and acceptance that often underpin true success.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Christine Stoddard
Welcome to NYWIFT, Christine Stoddard! Christine Stoddard is a filmmaker, TV personality, and video artist named one of Brooklyn Magazine’s Top 50 Most Fascinating People. Her latest film is 5 Ways I Didn’t Marry You, directed by Tom Dunn. A 2025 graduate of Columbia Journalism School and the Columbia Painting Intensive, she creates imaginative films, deeply reported TV programs, and playful videos. Currently, she hosts the TV show Don't Mind If I Don't with Aaron Gold. She also runs the YouTube channel Stoddard Says and terrorizes the Internet with her alter ego Art Bitch. Her feature film, Sirena's Gallery, is streaming on Amazon and Tubi and was featured in The Brooklyn Rail. As founder of Quail Bell Press & Productions, her film and theater projects have been recognized by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Puffin Foundation, the Brooklyn Arts Council, and other organizations. Get to know Christine, her roots in the film industry, and her experiences as a TV host!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Laci Joseph
Welcome to NYWIFT, Laci Joseph! Laci Joseph is a graduating senior at Temple University, earning her B.A. in Film and Media Arts in Spring 2025. She is passionate about production design and visual storytelling, with a focus on African American culture, history, and uplifting marginalized communities. Her creative interests include themes of love, romance, identity, and global exploration. Laci aspires to design for music videos, short films, and documentaries, while also bringing her own passion projects to life. Through her work, she aims to build immersive visual worlds that inspire connection, celebrate culture, and reflect powerful, underrepresented stories. Laci discusses what brought her to film, projects she is currently working on, and the themes she conveys through her work!
READ MORE