Goodbye, winter caps—hello, summer hats! It’s that glorious time of year where many of us can switch from content creators to content consumers. NYWIFT members Mellini Kantayya and Kathryn O’Kane have put together #SummerHours, a series of fun summer books, movies, and TV shows by or about women.
By Kathryn O’Kane
“Start with a yes and see where that takes you.”
— Tina Fey, Bossy Pants
Tina Fey (NYWIFT Muse Honoree ’05) is a triple threat: writer, producer and performer with a cutting sense of humor. In 1999, she became the first head writer on Saturday Night Live. She created and starred in the Emmy award-winning comedy 30 Rock. Her portrayal of Sarah Palin during the 2008 election was an instant classic. Ms. Fey most recently created and starred in the show Great News on NBC. Her film Mean Girls has been adapted for the stage, which is currently running on Broadway.
In her 2011 book Bossypants, Ms. Fey recounts stories of her childhood; from her tough father, for whom most of the worlds ills can be described as “defective” and “inexcusable,” to her awkward teens and college years, which no doubt shaped her sense of humor and weltanschauung. She also recalls her rise to head writer on SNL, her connection to Sarah Palin, what she learned from Lorne Michaels (producing is about discouraging creativity) and the differences between male and female comedy writers (the men urinate in cups).
Ms. Fey’s advice to women in the workplace:
“As a female producer I have a tacit ‘No Hotheads’ policy. For years to be considered a genius in comedy, people had to be considered dangerous and unpredictable…I hire the most talented of the people who are the least likely to throw a punch in the workplace. I don’t ever want to get punched in the face over a joke.”
And those, my friends, are words to live by.
(Cover photo by Bridgette Matthews)
Related Posts
NYWIFT at Tribeca 2025: In Conversation with Producer and Casting Director Lois Drabkin
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) is proud to spotlight member Lois Drabkin, a dynamic force in the world of independent cinema. As the Co-Producer and Casting Director of Ride or Die, premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Festival as part of the prestigious U.S. Narrative Competition, Drabkin continues to champion bold, character-driven storytelling. With a career spanning acclaimed features such as Nancy, Colewell, and Glass Chin, and casting credits on groundbreaking projects like HBO’s The Wire and Showtime’s Years of Living Dangerously, Lois shares insights into her creative process, the evolution of Ride or Die, and her enduring commitment to supporting women in film.
READ MORENYWIFT at Tribeca 2025: In Conversation with Producer Marcella Steingart
Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer Marcella Garcia Steingart is making waves at the 2025 Tribeca Festival with the world premiere of her latest project, Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything, directed by Jackie Jesko. Produced in collaboration with ABC News Studios and Imagine Documentaries, the film offers a compelling and intimate look at the pioneering career of broadcast journalism icon — and 1997 NYWIFT Muse Honoree — Barbara Walters , the first woman to break into network evening news. With rare archival footage and powerful insights from cultural figures like Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric, Andy Cohen, Joy Behar, Bette Midler, Connie Chung, and Cynthia McFadden, the documentary not only charts Walters’ trailblazing path but also explores deeper themes of sexism, ambition, and the high cost of public success. A proud NYWIFT member, Steingart brings her signature emotional depth and narrative artistry to the project. Her journey as a celebrated storyteller has earned her accolades across the industry — and Tell Me Everything may be her most powerful work to date.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Angelica Marciano
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to our new member, Angelica Marciano. Angela is a location manager and producer who has worked in several different states on narrative feature films and TV. She just recently moved to New York after living in New Mexico, and Boston. She is the person behind the scenes of queerfilmbk and prides herself on being a person who excels at bringing community together. She has a cat named Lewis who acts like a dog. She’s an enthusiastic extrovert who can talk to any stranger and is a self-proclaimed freak in that she hopes that the person sitting next to her on an airplane wants to chat. In our interview, Angelica discusses her winding career path, advice to women filmmakers, and what excites her about the locations department!
READ MORENYWIFT Program Recap: “Daughters” at Hamptons Doc Fest
In December 2024, NYWIFT was proud to co-present a screening of the new documentary "Daughters" at Hamptons Doc Fest, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Angela Patton and Natalie Rae moderated by NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez. In this powerful documentary, four girls prepare to reunite with their fathers through a special dance at a DC jail in this moving documentary about the healing power of love. We offer a recap of the conversation plus a video of the Q&A to watch after you've seen the film, which is now available on Netflix.
READ MORE
1 Comment