Groups | Footlight Studios

Promoting the collaboration and education of female & gender non-conforming creatives

ORGANIZATIONS & GROUPS

African American Women In Cinema

Our mission is to expand, explore and create business opportunities for minority women filmmakers throughout the entertainment industry.

Alliance of Women Directors

AWD is committed to substantially increasing the number of working women directors in film, television, commercials and new media.

Alliance For Women Film Composers

Through advocacy, support and education, the Alliance for Women Film Composers aims to increase the visibility of women composers active in media scoring.

Alliance of Women Film Journalists

AWFJ was founded in 2006 to amplify the voices of women critics, provide a platform for women’s perspectives on film and support women working in all aspects of cinema in front of and behind the cameras.

Array Crew

ARRAY CREW provides film and television hiring managers access to crew members with diverse backgrounds. A database founded by Ava DuVernay.

Brown Girls Doc Mafia

Brown Girls Doc Mafia (BGDM) is a collective of women (and non-binary) filmmakers and industry representatives of color.

Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film

Dedicated to producing extensive and timely research, reports generated by the Center provide the foundation for a realistic and meaningful discussion of women’s on-screen representation and behind-the-scenes employment.

CineFemme

Cinefemme is a 501-c3 c non-profit charitable organization that provides fiscal sponsorship, real project support, mentorship, community, and other programs empowering female-identified and non-binary filmmakers, artists, and key creatives.

Diverse Women in Media Forum

NALIP’s Diverse Women in Media Initiative (DWIMI) seeks to empower, inspire and advance women of diverse backgrounds to influential positions in media to improve diverse representation on and behind the camera.

Film Fatales

Film Fatales advocates for parity in the film industry and supports an inclusive community of hundreds of women and non binary feature film and television directors around the world.

Free The Work

FREE THE WORK is a 501c3 non-profit talent-discovery platform for underrepresented creators.

Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media

The Institute is the first and only research-based organization working within the media and entertainment industry to engage, educate, and influence content creators, marketers and audiences about the importance of eliminating unconscious bias, highlighting gender balance, challenging stereotypes, creating role models and scripting a wide variety of strong female characters in entertainment and media that targets and influences children ages 11 and under.

Half Initiative

We believe diversity fosters creativity. We value the importance of inclusion and equal opportunity by ensuring underrepresented groups are considered for all positions on Ryan Murphy Productions, and continue to be conscious of hiring with parity in mind.

NBCU Female Forward

The NBCU LAUNCH TV Directors Program | Female Forward’s goal is to increase authentic storytelling by providing opportunities for directors who have distinct points of view and diverse lived experiences, including but not limited to those who are from historically underrepresented backgrounds, such as directors who are ethnically diverse, directors with disabilities, LGBTQ+ directors, female directors, and directors who identify as non-binary.

New York Women in Film & Television

New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) advocates for equality in the moving image industry and supports women in every stage of their careers.

PANO

Connect with and hire within our community of thousands of filmmakers experiencing gender marginalization including women, trans, and gender-expansive creators.

Women in Animation

WIA is the only organization dedicated to advancing women in the field of animation. They envision a world where women share equally in the creation, production and rewards of animation, and they provide resources and connections to make it happen.

Women In Film

Women In Film, Los Angeles advocates for and advances the careers of women working in the screen industries—to achieve parity and transform culture.

Women In Media

Women In Media promotes gender balance in the film and entertainment industries through networking, professional development, and advocacy for filmmakers who work above and below the line.

The Writers Lab

The Writers Lab is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women screenwriters and strives for a new landscape where audiences have access to stories and characters from the perspective of the female gaze, where the female narrative is heard in equal proportion to the male narrative.

More Resources for Female & Gender Non-Conforming Creatives

Events

Amongst events that we are a part of, sponsor, and/or support, Footlight Studios is also proud to host Southern California Female Filmmaker Meetups.

FURTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT

Even if you do not identify as a female creative we need your support! Here are some ways everyone can help uplift women-identifying and gender non-conforming creators:

MAKE OPPORTUNITIES

Give women more opportunities in the workplace and/or collaborate with women on projects, trainings, consulting, networking, etc.

WATCH FEMALE-MADE CONTENT

And not just Patty Jenkins, Katherine Bigelow, Ava Durvernay (but yesss them too) but the up and comers, especially.

There are so many women that are groundbreaking creatives with amazing stories that haven't had their "big break"... YET!

SUPPORT FEMALE-FILMMAKER GROUPS

From the Geena Davis Institute to Women in Film and Alliance of Women Directors there are incredible organizations doing amazing work for gender parity (see above). But just like female-made content, there are also smaller groups and companies that need you to share, promote and genuinely champion for them!