Women in Film- a Focus on its Mentorship Program

Originally founded in 1973, the non-profit organization Women in Film is a leading professional organization in the entertainment industry that encourages and promotes the success of women in the film, media and communications industries. Headed by Academy Award Winning producer, Cathy Shulman , the organization provides numerous resources to its members that include mentorship programs, grants and scholarships for film, network opportunities and many other programs geared towards help with women in the industry achieve their goals.

With 40 chapters across the country, the organization’s reach represents over 10,000 members.  Featuring a speaker series and monthly independent film series, the program offers endless resources to help women progress in their careers in the film industry. One of the very valuable programs the organization offers to its members is its mentor program.  In the New York chapter, members are able to apply for an internship allowing them to explore their area of interest in the field and gain hands on experience.  Upon successful completion of the internship program, the candidate is then assigned a mentor in their desired career path to help guide and provide inside insight to what it take to be successful in their field.  Based on the intern’s interests, the organization matches them with a mentor who is specialized in their area.  The mentor and intern are then to meet once a month during the internship and advises him/ her on their professional and personal growth.

The advantages of Women in Film providing programs, such as the mentorship program, prepares women today for successful careers in entertainment tomorrow. Encouraging enthusiastic women of all ages to make their mark only helps create a more experienced/ talented pool of potential job candidates for productions. Women in film today are hugely underrepresented and do not hold nearly as many positions in the industry that men do. Resources such as a mentorship program help promote the integration of women in the industry and serves as a support system that few other programs are able to achieve.