
New
York Women in Film & Television includes many powerful, dynamic and diverse
entertainment industry leaders among its membership. As we celebrate our Spring Membership Drive –
with 50% off our initiation fee now through May 15 – we’re spotlighting several members this month.
First up: Annetta Marion. An award-winning
director, Primetime Emmy-nominated producer and current NYWIFT board member, Annetta
Marion’s experience in television and film includes documentary and reality
television, as well as narrative film, commercials, music videos, and internet
content. Marion is currently directing the acclaimed TV series Oprah’s Master Class, profiling entertainment icons
including Tim McGraw, Vanessa Williams, Cicely Tyson, Berry Gordy, and Lenny
Kravitz. She was the showrunner on season three of the series when it was
nominated for a Primetime Emmy, a first for the network. Annetta’s
producing experience includes ESPN’s 30-for-30
feature documentary You Don’t Know Bo,
which earned the highest-ever rating in the network’s history. She’s a
graduate of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women and a member of both the Director’s
Guild of America and the Producer’s Guild of America.
When did you join NYWIFT? Where were you in your career?
I
joined NYWIFT in 2006. I had just gotten home after a year in LA at AFI’s Directing
Workshop for Women. I was working as a line producer mostly at that point, but
working hard to transition to working as a director.
Do you feel joining NYWIFT has helped your career? What are the top things you get from being a NYWIFT member?
The
biggest thing for sure is getting to know the other members. Now that I’m more involved with NYWIFT as a Board member, I think it will help my career and professional development more and more. The best thing you
can do is work on a committee to really get to know other members. I’m currently on the membership committee and I really like what we’re doing. I like the panels
and screenings too.
Where do you see the opportunity for women in the industry today?
Our industry, as well as many others, has a long way to go. Parity is when the average woman can get as far as the average man with the same amount of effort, and we’re totally far from that.
What are your thoughts on all the recent buzz around the dearth of women in front of and behind the camera? How would you shake things up?
I’m glad there’s all this buzz, but I really want something tangible to come from it, not just more lip service. I’d take a play from the NFL’s playbook (haha sports metaphor!) and require the showrunners, networks, etc. to interview women candidates for director spots.
What excites you about the network of women you’ve met?
They
are so amazing and so accomplished. I’m learning so much.
Can you describe an important NYWIFT moment for you?
Sitting
around the table at my first Board retreat and thinking “Wow, I’m so stoked to
be a part of this group!”
– EILEEN NEWMAN
Want to join New York Women in Film & Television as we fight for equality in the entertainment industry? Meet and network with amazing members like Annetta? Visit nywift.org/join now through May 15 and take advantage of our special Spring Membership Drive discount.
Related Posts
NYWIFT Member Spotlight: Kathryn O’Kane
Today, we’re shining a spotlight on former NYWIFT Board Member Kathryn O’Kane! Kathryn is the co-director and co-writer of the short comedic film Subtext, which has been accepted into the 2025 LA Shorts International Film Festival, screening July 26 at 7:45 p.m. LA Shorts is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. The festival screens over 400 films and attracts 10,000 attendees each year, including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging undiscovered independent filmmakers. Subtext follows Eric, who is running late to his first date with Sara, and he just can’t stop texting. A feeling so many of us, unfortunately, are bound to relate to. Kathryn sat down with co-director, co-writer, and editor Christopher Raby to talk to us about their creative process.
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: Andrea Frierson
Welcome to NYWIFT, Andrea Frierson! Two-time Helen Hayes Award nominee Andrea Frierson is a Dramatists Guild Fellow, a NYSCA grant recipient, and a Library of Congress Award-winner (Ethnographic Research, American Folklife). Her plays and musicals have been produced by Lincoln Center Theater and the York Theatre Company in NYC, among others. As an actor, her Broadway productions include: The Lion King, Once on This Island, Bring in ‘Da Noise/Bring in ‘Da Funk, Eubie!, For Colored Girls, Marie Christine, and Julie Taymor’s Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass. Television appearances include: Quantico, Pose, Red Oaks, Elementary, and Harlem. Andrea was a series regular on the Nickelodeon TV series, Allegra’s Window. In our interview, Andrea discusses her experiences as a writer, actor, and singer, and her journey writing her memoir.
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
1 Comment
Inez Lobban
I have some great ideas for a sitcom. I promise, you will not regret this.
Please call me at 3016052638.
Thank you
Inez Lobban