|
Author:
WIF/LA Panel
Women In Film’s purpose is to EMPOWER, promote and mentor women in the entertainment and media industries.
WIF recognizes the importance of developing pathways and opportunities to encourage current and future generations of women to explore and pursue careers in all fields of the entertainment industry. WIF actively supports women in the entertainment industry in four key ways:
(1) assists independent filmmakers who have demonstrated advanced and innovative skills;
(2) funds programs which provide scholarships and internships;
(3) contributes financially and creatively to the production of PSAs which spotlight issues important to women and
(4) creates events and seminars which are educational and creatively enlight-ening.
By utilizing the skills and experience of its members and industry professionals, WIF is able to develop these unique programs and make them widely accessible to the membership and to the community at large.
WIF endorses the importance of community participation, volunteerism, and the value of the diverse workplace. WIF works to foster a creative and cultural bond among all working women, the academic community and corporations engaged in the entertainment or media business.
Women In Film increases the visibility of our members and recognizes their achievements through a variety of fund raising events, including our two signature events, the Crystal+Lucy Awards and The Entertainment Forum. The Crystal+Lucy Awards honor women in film and television whose contribution to their individual fields of expertise warrants special recognition. Past honorees have included such outstanding women as Sherry Lansing, Jessica Lange and Carol Burnett. The Forum is a weekend of entertainment industry seminars, panels and networking opportunities. Anchoring the forum events is the WIF Business Leadership Award luncheon that recognizes women of extraordinary achievement on the business side of the industry. Behind the scenes some of the most creative, passionate and hard-working people in Hollywood are bringing together the people and the deals that put resources in the hands of media makers.
|
MINORITY REPORT
ABOUT THE PANELISTS AND MODERATOR:
Mara Brock Akil serves as creator and executive producer of the hit CBS Paramount Network Television comedy series Girlfriends, now entering season 7, and its the spin-off series, The Game for The CW. Akil served as supervising producer on the comedy series The Jamie Foxx Show. Girlfriends was the fastest growing comedy on network television during the 2000-01 television season. Akil began her career in the entertainment industry as a writer on Fox's critically acclaimed South Central. She later moved on to write for UPN's groundbreaking series Moesha where she became one of the series producers after four seasons. Only comedy showrunner with two primetime series on the air simultaneously.
Stephanie Allain is regarded as one of Hollywood's top producers known for championing talent whose projects alter the landscape of popular cinema. While at Columbia Pictures, Allain became Senior Vice President of Production (the highest rank for an African American) and launched the careers of several young filmmakers including John Singleton and Robert Rodriquez. She supervised more than a dozen films including: Boyz N the Hood, Poetic Justice and El Mariachi. As President of Jim Henson Pictures she produced Muppets From Space. Her latest incarnation as an independent producer resulted in Sundance hit, Hustle & Flow. She is partnered with Craig Brewer in their Southern Cross the Dog production company based at Paramount Pictures, which just released their latest film, Black Snake Moan.
Debbie Allen is one of television's true renaissance figures: dancer, actor, singer, choreographer, director, producer, and writer. A dancer by training, Allen worked in professional theater, which paved the way to acting roles. She repeated the role she had played in the 1980 film Fame for its television spin-off, where she showed new scope to her talents, including serving as co-executive producer and choreographer In 2003 she joined the UPN series All of Us as a frequent director, and served as producer and choreographer for the reality television series, Fame. Choreagraphed the Oscars a record ten times. 3 time Emmy award winning choreographer, 2 for Fame, 1 for Motown Special. Golden Globe winner for best actress, Fame Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Debra Martin Chase is a two time Emmy nominated motion picture and television producer. Her company, Martin Chase Productions, is an affiliate of the Walt Disney Company. Her production credits include: Alcon/Warner Brothers' The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Disney Channel's The Cheetah Girls and The Cheetah Girls 2 and their platinum plus selling soundtracks, Fox 2000's Courage Under Fire, Touchstone Pictures' The Preacher's Wife, Disney's The Princess Diaries, its hit sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and the Lifetime Television series, Missing. Chase was the motion picture and television producing partner of Whitney Houston in BrownHouse Productions from 1995 to 2000. She ran Mundy Lane Entertainment, Denzel Washington's production company, from April 1992 to August 1995 where they produced Devil in a Blue Dress and the Emmy and Academy Award nominated documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream.
Angela Robinson received her B.A. from Brown University, and then went on to
study film at the NYU Graduate Film Program, where she made several short
films and assisted Spike Lee. She is a producer/writer/director for the
Showtime series, The L-Word, and directed the films, D.E.B.S and
Herbie:
Fully Loaded. She is currently developing several projects, including
Pledged at Paramount, Witches at Disney and Jenbot at New Line. In addition,
she is writing, producing, directing and editing a web series entitled
Girltrash!.
Holly Robinson Peete has been a television star with high-profile roles that cross over between comedy and drama for close to two decades, Holly landed the role of Officer Judy Hoffs on the hit series 21 Jump Street. From there, her career soared to admirable heights with starring roles on long-running sitcoms Hangin With Mr. Cooper, For Your Love and Like Family and most recently as Clea on Love, Inc. where Holly portrayed the founder of a full-service dating service.
|