Resources

Women in Film & Video DCResources

Women in Film & Video is a valued resource for Connections, Opportunities and Advocates.  This section of the WIFV website provides you additional information on health and safety, regional resources, and industry reports.

Copyright Resources

Resources provided by the Copyright Alliance.

Copyright Law Explained

The DMCA Notice and Takedown Process

How To Register for a Copyright

How To Get Permission To Use a Song

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Copyright

The Copyright Claims Board (CCB) Explained (A cheaper alternative to federal court for copyright holders)

COVID-19 Resources in Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia

A collection of resources related to emergency funding, loans, freelancers and artists, mental health, and general info.  Click here.
Dunlap. Ludwig & Bennett has resources for small businesses and freelancers on their website

COVID-19 Makeup Protocols

Information coordinated by Carolyn Marie (www.makeupbizz.com).  Click here Carolyn Marie has COVID-19 Certification from Barbicide and COVID-19 Certification from Safe Sets International.

THE SAFE WAY FORWARD

A Joint Report of the DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and Teamsters’Committees for COVID-19 Safety Guidelines.  Click here.

Worldwide COVID-19 production guidelines

Compiled by American Film Market (AFM) – click here

Doc Society’s Safe & Secure Checklist

Developed on behalf of the Documentary Funders Group the checklist is designed to anticipate the risks film teams and participants face – physical, digital, journalistic, reputational, and legal – and prompt early awareness and planning.  To see the checklist and Safe+Secure Handbook click here

Understanding the Signs of Age Discrimination

Women in Film & Video of Washington, DC (WIFV) provides our members with information about legal issues of interest and import.  Below is information relating to the sometimes subtle signs of age discrimination in hiring as well as resources to assist if one experiencing this form of discrimination. Click here.

Resources to Report Sexual Harassment

Women in Film & Video provides our community with information about legal issues of interest and import.  Below is information relating to sexual harassment laws and enforcement, including links to the abundant (and free) resources available from federal, state, and county agencies in the DMV Metro area.  Click here.

Resources from HelpingSurvivors.org for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse.  Click here.

Assessing Hostile Work Environments

In the wake of recent high-profile sexual harassment claims, many employees (and employers) are asking: what constitutes a “hostile work environment”?  Women in Film & Video of Washington, DC (WIFV) endeavors to provide our members with information and resources about legal issues of interest and import.  Click here for some basic information regarding the law on employment discrimination and hostile work environments.

Best Practices for Emailing Job Postings

Women in Film & Video is always happy to post job listings that may be beneficial to our members. The following templates should be used when sending this information to our office or directly to the listserv. Special thanks to WIFV member Ryan Pratzel and Mikael Manoukian for helping to develop this. Click here to download the templates.

Best Practices for Internships

The WIFV Board of Directors has approved guidelines for unpaid internships to assist WIFV members who are considering offering or accepting such situations. WIFV took this action in response to repeated and ongoing discussion of this topic on the listserv and recent high-profile class-action lawsuits. WIFV’s interest is for those of our membership seeking internships to have internships to find, and for those of our members who provide internships to offer them with confidence that their internships meet the Department of Labor’s and other governing bodies’ requirements.  Best Practices for Internships are available here.

Fair Use for Filmmakers

Fair Use is an important right for filmmakers.  We are lucky to have the AU Center for Media & Social Impact leading the discussion on this subject. A page with info on fair use for documentarians is here.  The Infographic: Can I Employ Fair Use In My Documentary? is available here. A handout, Documentarians, Fair Use and Best Practices is available here.  Pat Aufderheide, Director of CMSI, provided this powerpoint at a recent presentation, Making a Living in a Fair-Use-Friendly World.

Screenwriting Contest Transparency

Women of Color Unite demands transparency and accountability in TV and feature film screenwriting competitions, labs, fellowships, and coverage services. This includes making information about the demographics of readers and the judging process readily available, as well as requiring readers to receive sensitivity training. These steps will allow writers to make informed decisions regarding which competitions to enter and services to use. Additionally, we hope that these steps will decrease the odds of readers’ critiques coming from a lack of cultural competency, or worse, racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise biased perspectives. More info on the Screenwriting Contest Transparency hereRead the Screenwriting Contest Transparency Paper here.

Financial Resources

If you are support staff, an assistant, or anyone else on the first rung of their industry career in need of resources, visit payuphollywood.com/.

If you are an entertainment industry worker looking for emergency financial assistance, visit https://entertainmentcommunity.org/am-i-eligible-help

Statistics about Women in Media Industry

If you are looking for statistics about women in the film industry, we suggest the Celluloid Ceiling reports by Martha Lauzen, PhD.   Click here for the most recent report

Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative prepare the most comprehensive intersectional analysis of directors of motion pictures.  See their research reports here.  Inclusion in the Director’s Chair: Analysis of Director Gender and Race/Ethnicity Across the 1,600 Top Films from 2007 to 2022 has just been released.  You can read it here.

Inequality Across 1,600 Popular Films: Examining Gender, Race/Ethnicity & Age of Leads/Co Leads from 2007 to 2022 Read full report here

Despite the high profile inclusion of films written and directed by women at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, a gender gap still persists in the American independent film industry, according to a study conducted by researchers at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism that was commissioned by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles. Only 24% of all movies programmed for the Festival between 2002 and 2012 were directed by women, the study found, and women are more likely to direct documentaries than narrative films. “Female directors are more likely to feature girls and women on screen than male directors,” said study authors Stacy L. Smith, Katherine Pieper and Marc Choueiti. (“Sundance 2013: Women lag men even in independent film, study finds”)

The International Women’s Media Foundation’s Global Report on the Status Women in the News Media reveals that men occupy 73% of the top management jobs and 64% of reporting jobs of the over 500 companies in almost 60 countries surveyed. The study provides more evidence supporting the challenges of women worldwide, in all fields of media, as well as identifying both glass ceilings and companies with model gender-parity policies. The full report is available here.

The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media is leading the largest research project ever undertaken on gender in children’s entertainment. Dr. Stacy Smith and her team at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication carried out several discrete studies, including ones on children’s television and film.  Full reports are available here.  Summaries can be found here:

Key Findings of Changing the Status Quo: Industry Leaders’ Perceptions of Gender in Family Films

Key Findings of Gender Disparity On Screen and Behind the Camera in Family Films

Key Findings of Gender Stereotypes: An Analysis of Popular Films and TV

Navigating the Challenges of Women in STEM & Gaming by Sarah Perowne

Inclusion of Disabled People in Media

Here are some resources and readings for people with disabilities in the screen industries, and what you can do to support:

  • The Film Event Accessibility Working Group harnesses  community power to increase accessibility at film festivals and events throughout our industry. FREE accessibility resources including an event accessibility checklist, vendor database and more to help organizations create more accessible film festivals and events.
  • 1IN4 is an intersectional coalition of disabled creatives currently working in Hollywood, focused on long-term institutional shifts to increase employment and authentic representation of disabled people, formed by talent manager Eryn Brown
  • RespectAbility has put together the Hollywood Disability Inclusion Toolkit
  • The Media Access Awards has produced a Best Practices Guide for Hiring Writers with Disabilities, as well as a Disability List curated in partnership with The Black List and the Writers Guild of America Disabled Writers Committee
  • FWD-Doc is a group of filmmakers with disabilities working in documentary film
  • The Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge is a contest that gives filmmakers with and without disabilities the opportunity to tell unique stories showcasing disability
  • The Ruderman Foundation’s research and resources on inclusion in entertainment
  • Amazon Studios announced a new inclusion policy and playbook that intends to increase representation of people with disabilities in its productions
  • The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is a national civil rights law and policy center that can offer advocacy and support for those with disabilities
  • Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity (TTIE), a collaborative project of WIF, has created a #WriteInclusion factsheet with tips for accurate representation of disabled people

Intimacy Coordinator Resources

In case you were unable to attend the WIFT-US hosted Intro to Intimacy Coordinators event featuring Nikki Tomlinson, find the replay and helpful links here – Replay Link
Access Passcode: Fn4!E*#i

Professional Links:
https://www.idcprofessionals.com/
https://www.intimacyprofessionalsassociation.com/

SAG-AFTRA resources:
https://www.sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/workplace-harassment-prevention/intimacy-coordinator-resources/quick
https://www.sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/workplace-harassment-prevention/intimacy-coordinator-resources-0

On set resources:
https://ganosales.tv/products/cock-sock-modesty-cover?_pos=1&_sid=db586ce13&_ss=r
https://bratenders.com/collections/mens/products/bthoudini
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lingerie-Solutions-Silicone-Skin-Adhesive-Backless-Strapless-Bra/696373705
https://unclockable.com/products/flawless-tuck-kit?variant=28527354183759

Go Green With Your Production

Want to “green” your production?  The School of Communications at American University has issued: Code of Best Practices for Sustainable Filmmaking.

The PGA published a Green Production Guide & Toolkit.  You can access a zip file with those resources here.

Speaking of “green”: Want to know which production studios in the DC/MD/VA area have a green screen? Click here.

Podcasting

The Ultimate List of Movie Podcasts

Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative

Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative recently published a report entitled Inequality in 700 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race, & LGBT Status from 2007 to 2014. The full report can be read here!

Permits for Filming in DC

Film permits are issued by the Office of  Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME). Please read the Film Permit Application Instructions prior to completing a Film Permit Application. You can also contact OCTFME directly at 202-727-6608 with any questions or concerns.  Complete the Permit Application (download PDF version)

The Mid-Atlantic Production Guide combines resource people from across the region.

Resources for Youth

Expand your learner’s skills in communication, creative thinking, and self-expression with a range of highly engaging and hands-on classes. Communications & Language Arts Courses for Kids

The Young Actor’s Glossary

Journey to Success

A Guide to Making Hollywood Less White, By the Filmmakers Who Have Done It

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct

A.C.L.U., Citing Bias Against Women, Wants Inquiry Into Hollywood’s Hiring Practices

Can She Pull It Off? (Or, How to Hire Women Directors)

Examining the Prevalence and Portrayal of Girls and Teens in Popular Movies 

J.J. Abrams Created a Hiring System that Considers Women and Minorities in Proportion to the US Population

Media Arts Resources – For Individuals

Oscars: Examining Gender Bias in the Documentary Categories

SAG-AFTRA Code of Conduct

Barriers and Bias: The Status of Women Leadership

Exploring the Careers of Female Directors: Phase III

Gender & Short Films: Emerging Female Filmmakers and the Barriers Surrounding their Careers

Inclusion or Invisibility? Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment

Seniors on the Small Screen: Aging in Popular Television Content

The Gender Wage Gap – All You Need to Know in 2022

Inclusion in the Director’s Chair 2019

Supporting Women in Business Resource Guide

Women and Careers in STEM

In an effort to make information focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education and careers more accessible to women, we at BestColleges.com have curated a Women and Careers in STEM series for those considering the field. Included are degree overviews, job boards, and perspectives from female professionals already in the industry. Take a look here:

Where Women Study STEM:  https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/where-women-study-stem/
Women in STEM:  https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/women-in-stem/
STEM Careers:  https://www.bestcolleges.com/careers/stem/
Resources for Women in Computer Technology from Purdue University Global: https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/information-technology/resources-women-computer-technology/
History of Women and Computers by Jonathan O’Brien (recommended by Kids Cause): https://www.certstaff.com/classes/history-women-computers.html

Women in STEM – Closing the Gender Gap from Master’s in Data Sciences: https://www.mastersindatascience.org/resources/a-guide-for-women-in-stem-closing-the-gender-gap/

Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM with Remote Work from remote.com: https://remote.com/blog/bridging-the-gender-gap-in-stem-with-remote-work

A Guide for Women in Tech by TechGuide: https://techguide.org/resources/women-in-tech/

An Entrepreneurship Guide for Women in Technology Fieldshttps://www.fairviewmicrowave.com/t-tips-and-resources-for-women-in-tech.aspx

Career Resources for Women in Tech and Finance: https://tipalti.com/career-resources-for-women-in-tech-and-finance/

Guide to Scholarships for Women in STEM: www.madisontrust.com/client-resources/articles/scholarships-for-women-in-stem/