Expensive friends-
A bit of over 15 years in the past I had a loopy thought: to attempt to begin a dialog asking the place the ladies have been in entrance of the digicam and behind the scenes in Hollywood. I referred to as my weblog Girls and Hollywood as a result of to me, Hollywood is all over the place. My exploration grew right into a calling that I by no means anticipated. It allowed me to journey throughout the globe talking with others who have been passionate about this problem. The work helped start the Athena Movie Competition, which is now a full-fledged teenager at 13 years previous.
Fifteen years later, the dialog is totally embedded in our tradition and is roofed by mainstream shops. Girls, a few of whom bought their begin at Girls and Hollywood, are working in all kinds of roles throughout the trade. It was not too way back that it was all the time a shock when a sequence had a girl director as a part of its season. Now, it’s unacceptable in the event that they don’t. The work shouldn’t be executed, removed from it, however in an effort to proceed the revolution, evolution is critical.
It’s time for Girls and Hollywood 2.0.
As of April 1, The Girls and Hollywood weblog will now not be publishing authentic tales. We’ll preserve the location stay as a result of it has turn out to be an incredible useful resource, notably for college students of the trade.
Don’t have any concern: I’ll nonetheless be launching the reality bombs and amplifying girls’s voices. However it will likely be another way. In Her Voice: A Girls and Hollywood Podcast will launch in April and it will likely be a spot the place I’ll cowl information and interview creatives. I’m excited to get again to speaking to the ladies who’re effecting change and effectively as these whose artistic visions are coming to our screens.
We’ll proceed the weekly publication of the Girls and Hollywood E-newsletter of content material by and about girls and non-binary folks opening in theaters and streaming. The Women Membership, our group for ladies and nonbinary creatives to attach and help one another, is flourishing.
Over time, notably by way of my work within the Artistic Growth Program on the Athena Movie Competition, I’ve realized that I not solely need to talk about the change that we have to see, however I need to be part of it. To that finish, I will probably be launching the Artistic Doula Program. Half strategic marketing consultant, half doula, we would be the artistic advocates for these gifted voices and initiatives written by girls or non-binary writers which have girls/women on the heart of the tales.
There are lots of folks to thank for the success of Girls and Hollywood. First thanks goes to the Dobkin Household Basis for its continued help. There can be no Girls and Hollywood with out the Dobkin Household Basis. The group – writers, editors, fellows, interns, social media experts. No person does this work alone. I’ve been so fortunate to have individuals who cared in regards to the work as passionately as I did, notably Laura Berger, who satisfied me nearly a decade in the past that I wanted an intern and is now in command of every part that goes on the location. Everybody who has been part of the work over time has had an immense contribution in maintaining girls entrance and heart within the narrative.
I wouldn’t have the ability to make this shift if I didn’t consider that I’d achieved what I got down to do 15 years in the past. I couldn’t be extra thrilled that the dialog is flourishing and sturdy and {that a} new era has taken up the mantle and is pushing for increasingly change. I’m so excited to proceed to be part of this motion.
Onward,
Melissa
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