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Resources for women (and beyond) in the film and entertainment industry.
This women's history month...er...herstory month, we've shared a scattering of resources and opportunities for women in the entertainment industry, and now we've gathered together an unofficial list of resources we're collected that aim to support women+ in film and television.
Before we get to that, Roadmap Writers is proud to champion historically underrepresented voices through a variety of opportunities, including but not limited to:
- Our free Initiatives aimed at specific demographics of writers to support and market their work.
- Our free quarterly Coletta Preacely-Garcia Diversity Fellowship, which provides the winner with a full ride through our Career Writer Program, through which most of our Success Stories are signed.
- Programming, panels & bundles highlighting underrepresented voices in the industry. Examples:
- International Women’s Day bundle
- "A Week of Animation," a four day webinar series, including a day highlighting discussion around Diversity in Animation.
- Year of the Woman? In 2024, 14 out of 15 of our writers signed have identified as women+!
With that said, until equality and equity are achieved, there is always more work to be done. Here's our official unofficial list highlighting organizations and opportunities that serve to uplift women+ in media, entertainment, film, and TV industries.
Our non-definitive list of resources for Women+ in the Entertainment Industry (in alphabetical order):
Alliance of Women Directors: With a calendar of events, labs, mentorship and fellowship programs, any budding or established women+ director should check this fantastic organization out. A list of some of their programs for career advancement can be found here.
Alliance of Women in Media: With over 70 years of existence, this organization serves to provide coaching, a mentorship program, events, and the Gracie Awards, which recognize exemplary programming created by, for, and about women.
Black Women Directors: An expanding digital library of film by Black women and non-binary filmmakers.
Black Women Film Network: Offers scholarships, events, screenings, workshops, festivals and honors to women pursuing careers in film, broadcast and related areas.
Breakthrough Reading Series: Monthly reading series in Los Angeles that supports women and diversity in the entertainment industry by sharing 12 pages from 5 submitted scripts each month, read aloud by actors who come for a chance to read. You can submit scripts that are written by or uplift women and diverse voices here, or attend the monthly event to meet the community. (Editor's note: Our Director of Digital Marketing, Raina Pratto, is a co-producer for this event!)
Chicken & Egg Pictures: A production company that serves to shape a "more equitable and just world with the catalytic power of documentary films by providing funding, mentorship and industry access to a global community of women and gender-expansive filmmakers."
Cinefemme: Touts itself as the first fiscal sponsor on the west coast specifically for women. They also aim to help every step of the way from conception to exhibition. Established 21 years ago, they’ve helped produce nearly 60 films, shorts, festivals and other activist initiatives put on by women-identified, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, mothers, and other underserved talents. It doesn’t hurt to have Paul Feig as an advisory member.
Femme Frontera: Femme Frontera is a Latine-fed filmmaker organization founded by and aimed at women and non-binary filmmakers from the U.S.-Mexico border region of El Paso, Texas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, México.
Film Fatales: "Film Fatales supports an inclusive community of women feature film and television directors who meet regularly to share resources, collaborate on projects and build an environment in which to make their films."
Future of Film is Female: Helps with screening opportunities for women in the industry.
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media: One of top global research organizations, the Institute was founded by Geena Davis in 2004 to “mitigate unconscious bias while creating equality, fostering inclusion and reducing negative stereotyping in entertainment and media.” They specifically research to direct guidance and thought leadership in six areas: gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, disability, age, and body type. Their research is fascinating, eye-opening and available to all. They also hold virtual and in-person events for their members.
Gold Comedy: A membership-based organization that includes sketch comedy classes, workshops and teams for their members: women, non-binary and others in comedy. Rachel Dratch serves as an advisor and pop-in guest. They’ve also started digital teams, and the next round of applications is due by the end of March. They have scholarship opportunities for those in financial need.
La Femme International Film Festival: Women-created media for global audiences, in existence for 19 years.
Moonshot Initiative: From their website: "Moonshot Initiative, formerly known as Women’s Weekend Film Challenge, is a nonprofit that promotes gender equity by creating opportunities for women and non-binary people to bring their leadership, talents, and stories to the forefront of the film and television industry. We aim to empower and support underrepresented voices and promote a more inclusive media landscape." They have a free film challenge where strangers make a film in a weekend, and they have the Pilot Accelerator, which helps get emerging TV writers in front of executives, which has a final deadline of April 14th, 2024.
New York Women in Film & Television: Events, programming, film fest, and resources for women in the film & television industry based in New York.
Resources for Women Filmmakers - A Guide: In addition to organizations it includes some film festivals and female-focused film publications: https://editshare.com/post/resources-for-women-filmmakers-a-guide/
WhoHaha: "WhoHaha is a creative community and digital content studio that celebrates and elevates women and gender-expansive creators in the comedy space." WhoHaha can be a great resource and community for women+ seeking to elevate their comedy voices in social media, webseries and other digital spaces.
Women and Hollywood - Databases: A list of databases for women in the industry
Women in Animation: WIA brings "together the global animation community to empower and advocate for people of underrepresented gender identities in the art, technology, production, and business of animation, inspiring excellence and justice in all facets of the industry." Fantastic for connecting with animation people throughout the world.
Women in Entertainment: They organize speaker and screenings series to share tactical advice, cultivate conversation, collaborations and networking opportunities for women, predominantly in Los Angeles and New York City.
Women in Film: Has been advocating for women in the industry for 50 years now, and along the way they’ve expanded their cause to non-binary and trans people as well. They’re incredibly active in the industry, which can be seen clearly in their advocacy and career programs (like their mentorships and fellowships). We regularly partner with them to provide workshops for writers. You can find your local chapter here.
Women in Media: They promote gender balance in the film and entertainment industries through networking, professional development, and advocacy for filmmakers above and below the line. What started as an informal networking group has since become a full non-profit org. They organize a variety of social media initiatives aimed at highlighting gender disparity. They host a crew list for women in the industry to find work, and access to a network of women, which you can connect with based on interest and location.
Women Make Movies: They're another juggernaut in the space for women, also having grown over the last 50 years. They’re the leading distributor of independent films by and about women (including 27 with nominations for Academy Awards), with a catalog of over 700 films. They aim to help women producers and directors from the very beginning. They’ve supported 2,883 filmmakers through their Production Assistance Program. They also hold regular workshops and webinars. Funding comes from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Academy of Motion Pictures & Sciences, The Golden Globes Foundation and other major cultural financiers.
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A further list of resources
We understand that the list above is by no means exhaustive. We know there are many wonderful organizations that we’ve missed. We also acknowledge the numerous smaller, local or unofficial groups putting in the work at the grassroots level, behind the scenes, and on an individual basis.
Additionally, many organizations not exclusive to women+ in the filmmaking community have opportunities and grants geared specifically for or with a preference for women and underrepresented voices, so we encourage you to do your due diligence when searching for production, funding and community events.
A few examples of resources not geared specifically at women, but that intersectional writers may find useful:
Center for Asian American Media: In January, they were awarded a $4.5 million by the Doris Duke Foundation, for a US Muslim documentary fund, which will support 10 projects a year for the next 3 years solely from U.S. Muslim documentary filmmakers. They also have a festival and fellowships.
Essence Film Festival: We are proud to have partnered with Essence Film Festival to provide informative webinars about their fest and submission process. "Curated and presented by ESSENCE Studios™, the Essence Film FestivalTM highlights global Black stories, as well as storytellers throughout the diaspora, by showcasing original films, episodic projects, animation, podcasts, and new media, as well as panel discussions, workshops, celebrity talks, events and more."
Filmmakers without Borders: If you’re in a career transition, need a break from the usual daily grind, have the time and resources, one of the absolute best ways to inspire yourself is to help and inspire others. Filmmakers are sent all over the world to help teach the next generation of filmmakers skills and the ways in which film has the power to change their worlds.
Hillman Grad: A full service production company curated by Emmy-award winning creator Lena Waithe, it serves to "empower underrepresented artists and amplify the stories of diverse, historically marginalized communities across all industries." The Hillman Grad foundation is their non-profit arm, which provides mentorship and opportunities to people from underrepresented communities who may otherwise not have access to the industry.
Hire Survivors Hollywood: "Hire Survivors Hollywood is working to end career retaliation against survivors of sexual violence in the entertainment industry by encouraging those in positions of power to pledge to Hire Survivors and Silence Breakers." We've partnered with this organization to talk about their mission and how every day film industry people can support. They have a tool kit, crew list, and a Pledge filmmakers can take to provide opportunities to survivors in the industry,
Intimacy Coordinator Resources: Thanks to women's movements and survivors speaking out, intimacy coordinators are seen as increasingly vital to a safe operation on set, especially with scenes requiring physical closeness, nudity or any kind of intimacy. Even actors married to their scene partners benefit from their presence and guidance on set. We could spend an entire blog on it, but for now, check out this list of resources that's been so graciously compiled for your benefit: https://www.xploringgender.com/resources.
Library of Congress Research Guide: Latinx Representation in Film - Resources for Aspiring Filmmakers: A collection of resources for Latinx representation in the film industry, women and beyond could find something useful here:
https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-film-guide/resources-aspiring-filmmakers#s-lib-ctab-31066742-1
Studio Binder: Has a resource of grants for filmmakers, including but not limited to women and non-binary and underrepresented groups.
Sundance Inclusion Resource Map: Resources for underrepresented communities in film powered by Sundance.
UCLA Library Latinx Media Resources: https://guides.library.ucla.edu/latinxmedia/resources
WGA Foundation List of Resources that support Black Creatives: https://www.wgfoundation.org/organizations-supporting-black-creatives
This list is completely non-exhaustive and we encourage all writers and creatives to do their own research in seeking opportunities that most align with their voices. We are also always open to highlighting new opportunities for demographics that may not have seen the spotlight and will continue highlighting opportunities for all filmmakers who have historically been marginalized in the industry.
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Roadmap Writers encourages common sense, curiosity and compassion when exploring new communities and opportunities. Not every organization or event will be the right vibe for every person, but we encourage you not to give up should you find challenges on your journey as there are many resources and opportunities to explore.
Have resources you’d like to share? E-mail raina@roadmapwriters.com to add something to the list.
Happy Women's Herstory Month!
-RP