June 17 – A collaboration of five women’s organizations in the film and television industry, the second annual Women in Production Summit was held at the Georgia State Auditorium.
The event was created to inform and empower women filmmakers who work in all aspects of the business, from writers, producers, and directors to technicians, craftspeople, and artists. The organizers want women and minorities to have a strong influence over the development of Georgia’s booming film & television production, particularly when it comes to content.
“We believe Georgia is in a unique position right now to be a leader in content that reflects the depth and diversity of our market. We’ve long offered diverse locations, and talent of all kinds – crews, actors, and musicians – but the success of our industry here inspires us to originate content that reflects who we are. We have an opportunity to be our own market – not just a carbon copy of existing markets,” Suzan Satterfield said, speaking for the Summit group.
Dr. Judith Williams, former Head of Global Diversity at Dropbox, opened the conference with her keynote address on “Unconscious Bias,” the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our decisions outside of our awareness – and how to work with that bias. Atlanta attorneys Deborah Gonzalez & Laura Lundy Wheale, and producer Gabrielle Pickle with moderator Angela Gomes, led a discussion “Safety Shot,” an emerging initiative to handle incidents of sexual harassment in the industry. Producer’s Guild of America WIN (Women’s Impact Network) producer Lydia Dean Pilcher talked about barrier-breaking research in the “Ms. Factor Toolkit,” an initiative by the PGA WIN, that debunks the myths that have impeded the progress of women in Hollywood and gives filmmakers tools to move women-centric projects forward.
The afternoon culminated in a networking reception for attendees at the GSU Senate Salon. Catering for the event was headed by Fran Burst and provided by Epting Events and Luv at First Bite.
