They Create Films

Access to Creative Industry Employment (sponsored by Snap Foundation)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

We are committed to increasing underrepresented female voices and empowerment in the film industry behind the camera with the goal of eradicating gender disparity in the industry. Annenberg Institute confirms the problem: “Hollywood movies perpetuate a lack of inclusive representation of those from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, girls and women, the LGBTQ community, and individuals with disabilities.” In Variety, Dave McNary wrote, “Men comprised 68% and women 32% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on films in festivals in 2018-19.” He added that on films directed by women 72% of writers and 45% of editors were women as opposed to 11% & 21% on male directed films. To end the gross underrepresentation, we train and support youth early in order to penetrate the odds that are stacked against them. As future content leaders they will inspire more girls, shape the stories told and help define our culture.

We increase the power of women in the film industry by creating a pipeline connecting, educating and preparing them to win jobs that typically go to men in technical positions and leadership roles such as directing, writing, producing and cinematography. As future content leaders these underrepresented students will gain access to industry jobs, inspire more girls, shape the stories told and help define our culture. To attain equity, we include diverse groups of girls and non-binary youth ages 12-18 and provide financial hardship scholarships. Our workshops and 3-week summer film intensive are taught by top professionals, some Emmy-winning, who volunteer in all areas of production providing crucial training. Students form groups in a safe, virtual, collaborative environment and use smart phones and cutting-edge tools to create festival-ready films that are screened at our virtual global festival. This underserved demographic gains exposure and participates in a Q&A with the audience. Many of our alumni are currently studying film at top universities and most serve on our Youth Advisory Board, which is open to all alumni and serve as mentors and producers along with our Board of Directors creating networking opportunities at an early age. Using skills learned during our 3-week intensive and our teacher training, several alumni, including one from Mexico will be teaching film classes for and funded by our partnership with LAUSD Steam Collective enrichment program (LAUSD SCEP).

In the short term our scholarship film intensive impacts girls and non-binary youth from all economic strata giving them a voice and critical filmmaking tools as they create their own festival-ready films. Training in this safe space and receiving professional mentorship early aids in their quest to become employable in the industry, gain entrance into prestigious universities and prepares them for lifelong careers as leaders. Our alumni may produce our films, earning professional credits during our female only fast-paced educational summer film intensive. In the long term, we will continue our summer intensives hoping to reach a class of 50 girls for 2023. We will also expand our new Steam Enrichment program through LAUSD which allows our alumni to teach our film curriculum educating even more students, both male and female, expanding our demographic and reach across all of Los Angeles. Our GIF monthly workshops are another tool that train the next generation of minority filmmakers.

Our high school alumni, who chose to, are attending university film programs and a youth board member is working as an editor. Our programs, which include racially diverse girls and members of the LGBTQ community help train students with the skills they need to obtain jobs in the film industry and are accessible to those with disabilities. A socially relevant feature screened at 2 festivals and along with 4 poignant shorts from our two intensives screened at our virtual festival. All received critical acclaim from industry professionals and the audience proving their high caliber and help measure progress. Alumni will be paid to teach summer and beyond at LAUSD through funds given to GIF from the Steam Collective (SCEP). Alumni may join our Youth Board, become producers on our films and pay their knowledge forward as LA community leaders to end gender disparity in the industry. Surveys and a new program app serve as macro indicators, tracking progress from LA middle schools to jobs.