NYWIFT Blog

WEEKLY ROUNDUP: THE FEMALE FORCE, YEAR-END LISTS & FUN ADVICE

Star Wars (finally) opened. The female cast members discuss being part of a new history. The end of 2015 marks the beginning of lists. Here’s a range of fun lists to enjoy. We expected more from these movies this year. These were some of the best movies directed by women in 2015. 2015 had great new tv...

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Terry’s Picks: The Zookeeper’s Wife, Rock in the Red Zone, Lifetime Job Offer

Jessica reports: Jessica Chastain, writing from the female-dominated set of The Zookeeper’s Wife, says, “When you have both genders represented, then you have a healthier point of view.” Laura rocks: Filmmaker Laura Bialis talks to IndieWire about her documentary feature Rock in the Red Zone, about the thriving music scene located less than one mile...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP: NOMINATIONS, GENDER ISSUES & GREAT COMPANIES

Photo via Wilson Webb / The Weinstein Company Tis the season to be nominated. SAG & Golden Globes nominees lead the way. Ladies, the force may soon be with us. Hollywood’s gender inequality may be due to…daddy issues? A post Mad Men Elizabeth Moss is keeping it light and taking Gayle King’s advice. Looking for...

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Terry’s Picks: Muse Honorees Blythe Danner, Lizz Winstead, Sarah Barnett

As we look forward to this Thursday’s Muse Awards, here are some of our honorees: Blythe Danner talks to The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast about her 50 year career and taking on her first leading film role at age 72 in I’ll See You in My Dreams. Lizz Winstead’s Tinder parody app Hinder, created...

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Follow #nywiftmuse on Twitter for Muse Awards Buzz on December 10

The buzz about the Muse Awards is that it’s all about the speeches. It’s not a surprise as the event is an intimate gathering of women in entertainment and those who support them. It’s a safe place for women to talk openly about their experience in entertainment. This 2012 acceptance speech from Muse winner Mariska...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP: HISTORY, INSPIRATION & THE “F” WORD

Photo via Variety / Evgenia Eliseeva With a female director, writer, composer and choreographer, “Waitress” will make Broadway history! ”It’s just bad business.” Hollywood finally agrees, gender discrimination needs to be addressed. Now. Watch Edie Falco give a one-minute explanation of why & how she became an actor. (VIDEO) Have your “original” story ideas been done before?...

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Terry’s Picks: Women Speak Out, Jessica Jones, Carol

Speak out: The New York Times published a comprehensive look at women directors and executives, taking aim at the vicious cycle of sexism that pervades the industry. Super woman: This weekend’s big binge watch was Marvel’s new Netflix series, Jessica Jones. Many are calling it one of the best superhero shows ever, and it has...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP: A SUPER HEROINE & FUNNY GIRLS

Marvel’s Jessica Jones releases on Netflix today! Female lead, lots of key female crew… #NetflixAndChill Lena Waithe of Aziz Ansari’s Master of None is the new favorite Lena on the block. Meet Marylou Lim, the woman who literally dresses funny. From Reno 911 to Scream Queens Niecy Nash is still the funniest thing in uniform. “I’m...

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Negotiating Your Next Move: Employment and Consulting Agreements Recap

Do Women Earn Less Because They Ask for Less? November 18th, 2015 – by Terisa Thurman Jennifer Lawrence fueled the fire over the conversation of the gender pay gap in Hollywood after she published an essay titled, “Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?” The actress learned how her wages compared to her...

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Terry’s Picks: The C Word, Gabourey Sidibe, Advice

Watch out for The C Word by Meghan O’Hara at DOC NYC Fest, a daring and intimate film that seeks to change the way we think about cancer. NYWIFT is proud to co-present five films by women filmmakers at this year’s festival. A Muse inspires: 2015 NYWIFT Muse honoree Gabourey Sidibe’s confidence has sparked a...

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KEEPING THE CREW SAFE

On Set Injuries, Tips and Proper Safety Procedures – by Ana Breton Sarah Jones on set. (Photo via The Hollywood Reporter)   Earlier this year, New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) produced a “Safety on Set” panel in light of the death of Sarah Jones, the 27-year-old camera assistant who was struck and...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP: PAYCHECKS, STUNTWOMEN & PERSONAL CHOICES

Photo courtesy of MARVEL Scarlett Johansson’s Avengers: Age of Ultron paycheck matched her male counterparts. #Babysteps Sexism, culture, politics… Lena Dunham’s LennyLetter blog has it all! Based on this interview with Mollie Gregory, her book STUNTWOMEN: The Untold Hollywood Story is a “must-read!” Should you stay or should you go? Read this before quitting your...

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Terry’s Picks: Moana, Lifetime Directors, Sundance Fellows

Moana with Sound: November 13-19, Film Forum will screen a newly restored version of Robert Flaherty’s groundbreaking 1926 documentary Moana. Flaherty’s daughter Monica added sound 50 years later to this look at Samoan life. Lifetime ladies: We’re 6 months in to Lifetime’s Broad Focus initiative to hire more women and already the network’s five most...

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Moving Forward: Women in Comedy

November 9, 2015 – by Margarita Sophia Cortes and Destiny Lilly I remember watching the Emmy’s when Jon Stewart and a sea of white men in suits filled the entire stage to accept their award. The screen panned out just far enough to fit all the men on stage. I think Jon even joked about...

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She’s Got Funny Tales From The Dark Side

Comedy Makers: Tale From The Dark Side November 9, 2015 – by Margarita Sophia Cortes Get ready for another fun-filled night with a mixed panel of women writers, producers, directors and show runners in “Comedy Makers: Tales From The Dark Side” presented at Carolines on Broadway on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 New York Women in...

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WEEKLY ROUNDUP: SARAH GETS SERIOUS & WOMEN DIRECTORS GET TWEETS

Photograph by Robyn Von Swank Bedwetting led Sarah Silverman to her confidence in performing and her darkest role yet, in I Smile Back. “Novels can be art; screenplays are mainly craft” Brokeback Mountain screenwriter Diana Ossana gives excellent writing insights. The League of Professional Theater Women (LPTW) released their very interesting 2015 statistics. #WomenCount! Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is...

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Terry’s Picks: WIFV Wins, Stuntwomen, Notorious R.B.G.

Congrats, WIFV: Our sister chapter, Women in Film & Video of Washington, DC, won the Award for Outstanding Service to the Arts at last week’s 30th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards organized by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities! Listen up: Novelist, screenwriter and film producer Mollie Gregory speaks to NPR’s Rachel Martin about...

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First Shoot Day

5 TIPS TO SAVE SANITY AND TIME ON THE FIRST DAY OF PRODUCTION – by Claudine Marrotte Your actors, crew, schedule and locations are locked and now it’s time to actually shoot. From my experience the most exciting part of filmmaking is being on set making the script come to life. The first day of...

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