COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks & Tema L. Staig Sarah Whelden Sarah Whelden’s cinematography aims to capture the emotional tonalities that fall beyond the limited scope of human language, serving story above all else. Sarah’s work has been screened at major festivals worldwide. She was named a 2025 Rising Star of Cinematography by American Cinematographer […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks & Tema L. Staig Johanna Coelho, AFC Johanna Coelho has led a versatile path as a cinematographer, shooting narrative, documentary, and reality. A graduate of AFI, she has gleaned wisdom from the best of the best and has brought that into her exceptional work on hit shows such as The […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks & Tema L. Staig Amy Ward You have heard Women In Media member Amy Ward’s music before. The songwriter has had songs in over one hundred television shows and films. A singer and producer as well as writer, Ward has performed at large venues such as Madison Square Garden and […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks & Tema L. Staig Jesse Averna, ACE Women In Media Advisory Board member, Jesse Averna, ACE has cut for film and television, live action and animation. His work on Sesame Street landed him five Emmy wins. Most recently, Averna’s work on The Bad Guys 2 has garnered him an American […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer Patti Lee, ASC Born the youngest of five girls in a traditional Chinese-American family, Patti Lee did the unthinkable and went into show business. She debated between a medical career and one in the Arts, but after enduring a chemistry class, Patti quickly chose the latter. Following […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer KELLY MASON Kelly Mason, is an award-winning cinematographer, producer, and transformational guide with over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She has worked on major productions for Netflix, Warner Bros., Disney, Apple TV, and the CW, collaborating with A-list talent and visionary creators. As a […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer Natasha Braier ASC, ADF Natasha Braier ASC, ADF is an award-winning cinematographer known for her bold visual style and emotionally charged imagery. Originally from Argentina, she gained international recognition with XXY and THE MILK OF SORROW (Golden Bear winner and Oscar nominee), and went on to collaborate […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer Fernando Argüelles, ASC, AEC Fernando Argüelles, ASC, AEC is a renowned cinematographer whose journey began in Madrid, Spain, where he studied visual storytelling at Complutense University. He later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Cinematography from the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles. A respected […]

Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer CAROLINA COSTA, AMC Originally from Brazil, Carolina Costa studied at the University of the Arts, London, where she was mentored by Sue Gibson, the first female president of the British Society of Cinematographers. Costa then moved to Los Angeles and earned her Masters in Cinematography from the […]

In 2024, Director of Photography Alicia Robbins became a major contributor to the Developing Filmmaker Fellowship, serving as a mentor to budding cinematographer Emma Forthofer, who is eager to follow in Alicia’s footsteps. Alicia holds the record for being the first female cinematographer to become a full time DP on a Shondaland series. She lensed […]

Questions by Idit Dvir, Developing Filmmaker / Fellowship Program Administrator ID: Do you have any thoughts on the importance of working writers mentoring females aspiring to succeed in their field? BC: My mom was a great writer, and an amazing storyteller with a wonderful way with words. When she was a kid, she was at […]

Deborah Pratt is a Director, Writer, Producer, Actress, and Women in Media Advisory Board MemberQuestions by Sayla U’ilani Whalen SW: You started as a performer. What inspired the expansion to work behind the camera? DP: Coming from a background of high school plays, summer stock, and college conservatory theater, I had my professional career break […]

Fellow Emma Forthofer is a native of Southwest Harbor Maine, whose love of nature led to her job at the National Park Service, documenting preservationists. She is working on translating her videography skills into a cinematography career in the narrative realm. Fellow Sayla U’ilani Whalen is from Livermore CA. She’s passionate about bringing portrayals of […]

Questions by: Emma Encinas, Women in Media volunteer and pre-entertainment law student. Emma has also written for Ms. Magazine and Water Inequity Network on Medium. Two time Emmy award-winning MARY LOU BELLI has been directing television for over 30 years. She was recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Comedy Directing as well as another […]

Ellen H. Schwartz has produced and contributed to some of the highest-grossing and beloved films of the past few decades. Schwartz began her career as a DGA trainee working in New York – one of the few women assuming such a role at the time. The first feature film she worked on as a trainee […]

Jeannine Oppewall grew up near Boston and moved to Los Angeles after college to work with the Office of Charles and Ray Eames; at that time the Eames Office was the pre-eminent design team of the United States, known for furniture, exhibitions and their many small personal films. Jeannine learned design at the feet of […]

A seasoned beauty makeup artist and prosthetics expert, Geneva Nash Morgan has worked on major feature films, TV shows, and live performances. With her cosmetology license and a BA in Technical Theater Design from California State University, Long Beach, she became an expert at wig-making, which was her way into the entertainment industry. Geneva was […]

An accomplished camera operator of 45 years with ten Emmy nominations and one win for Norman Lear and Jimmy Kimmel’s LIVE IN FRONT OF A STUDIO AUDIENCE: “Good Times” and “All in the Family” episodes. Helena’s many credits include the daytime dramas THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, GENERAL HOSPITAL, and DAYS OF OUR LIVES and […]

Written by Tema L. Staig What lead you to PR for the entertainment industry? The day after graduating UCLA in Communications Studies, I walked into the office of the only company I knew in the business, Cinema Products. I was hired as a secretary. I worked hard and learned about cameras, lenses, and all the […]