NYWIFT Blog

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Janet Hyojo Oh

Welcome to NYWIFT Janet Hyojo Oh! Janet Hyojo Oh is an independent producer and screenwriter with a passion for rom-coms and storytelling. Janet shares insights into her creative process, the impact of events she organizes for women in the arts, and overcoming challenges in her career. Janet emphasizes collaboration, kindness, and the importance of balance in the business of producing. She also reflects on winning her first screenplay award and offers advice to aspiring producers and screenwriters: embrace kindness, collaboration, and curiosity.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Gabrielle Fox

Welcome to NYWIFT Gabrielle Fox! Gabrielle Fox was born into show business as the daughter of an actress and a businessman, immersing herself in rehearsals with her mother and learning business skills from her father. She delved into producing shows, and leveraging her networking and marketing expertise, culminating in the creation of her own website. Gabrielle's life journey advocates embracing dreams whenever they arise and relentlessly pursuing them. She believes that time is going to pass whether you take a risk, or create the project or not. Let that time pass by being creative. Create, create, create and then do it again. Read more about Gabrielle’s amazing stories from the set and upcoming adventures here!

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Stephanie Okun

Please join us in welcoming new NYWIFT member Stephanie Okun! Stephanie is a screenwriter/director and recent grad from Wesleyan University. She is currently working on a feature film that she started at Wesleyan called At Sea, as well as throwing herself into Production Assistant and other entry-level jobs. She is excited to be a part of NYWIFT and get more entrenched in the world of film and television. Previously, Stephanie was a NYWIFT intern – and even wrote a few of the pieces in this series! Now, we’ve turned the microphone on her to learn about her writing, her theatrical roots, and her dreams for the future.

6 Tips for Hooking a Reader in the First Pages of Your Pilot

The first pages of your pilot need to be solid — as in, a representation of your very best work — and they need to establish us in the world succinctly. Last year, NYWIFT Member and WWFC Co-Founder Katrina Medoff read hundreds of pilot scripts submitted for Women’s Weekend Film Challenge’s inaugural pilot accelerator, and she saw some general themes emerge for how to make the opening of your pilot stand out. Read on for her six tips, and learn how to apply to the next WWFC pilot accelerator.

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Chayah Masters

Welcome, new NYWIFT member Chayah Masters! We are happy to introduce Chayah, who has so much to offer our community. She is a producer and script consultant with an impressive 20 years of experience in the industry. We sat down with Chayah to discuss her career path, the role of mentorship in her life, and what kinds of creatives she wants to collaborate with next.

Wild Nights with Emily: A Retake on What You May Have Believed about Emily Dickinson

What happens when an esteemed comic actress like Molly Shannon, a screenwriter with a quirky perspective and a penchant for cinematic originality, political causes and literary scholarship, and a legendary American poet who some say has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by decades of academic critics collaborate?

"Wild Nights with Emily" happens. The unique film, thoroughly original and entertaining, is inspired by the life of Emily Dickinson. It’s also a creative spin on a literature professor’s reinterpretation of Emily Dickinson’s life and personal relationships. 

What’s in Your Toolkit: Caitlin McCarthy

Writer Caitlin McCarthy's strategy when times get tough? "Routine is my savior."

Notes from a Screenreader: Start by Finishing

Photo via Go Into the Story. In the same way that a recipe is not a batch of warm cookies on a baking sheet, an unfinished draft is merely an intention — and like raw dough, a story won’t show its shape until it comes out of the oven. Most contest submissions suffer from a half-baking....