The CAMERAderie Initiative

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Today's Entertainment industry is one of the largest in Los Angeles, worth $504 Billion. [Gitnux] Film and Digital Media comprises 17% of Los Angeles County's total workforce, generating 640,500 direct and spillover jobs. [LAC Film Commission] In 2022, despite being 51% of the population, women occupied 24% of the creative positions of directors, writers, editors, cinematographers, and producers of the top 250 domestic features. Only 9% of films employed 10 or more women, while 77% of films employed 10 or more men. 7% employed a woman cinematographer. The overall percentage of women in behind-the-scenes roles has increased only 7 percentage points since1998, from 17% to the current 24%. [2022 Celluloid Ceiling Report] Historically women filmmakers faced systemic discrimination to the point of invisibility. They were paid less than their male counterparts. Women still struggle to maintain consistent career growth, which contributes to the misconception that they are under-qualified.

Through targeted initiatives, we are reshaping how the industry sees and hires women. Our strategy is to provide tailored training programs to embrace emerging technologies, cultivate advanced skills in a timely manner, and establish pathways to union membership. The Crew List, a key benefit of pro-level membership, dispels the erroneous idea that no women work in those “male” jobs. Our programs include Hire These Women events where we actively connect our members with prospective employers. We facilitate internal networking including via the WiM Lounge and support groups within our diverse member community such as Proudly Wim for our LGBTQIA+ members, Pioneering Producers’ Collective, and Writers’ Groups. New initiatives include the Altitude Awards with Zeiss for women/women identifying artists working as Cinematographers, Camera Operators, and Gaffers, and our Developing Filmmaker Fellowship, a two year-long education and mentorship program for aspiring young adult filmmakers, made possible with support from the California Arts Council. We consciously seek to understand how we may better serve members with education and networking. For example, members expressed a need for clarity about pathways to union membership, so we responded by inviting Contract Services to participate in a workshop event.

We currently have over 950 women/women identifying Pro members and Associate members allies of all genders, most living in the LA County and the SoCal region. Our membership has grown 35% over the last two years despite industry disruptions, with our goal being similar growth rates. To this end we participate in local conferences and expos to further amplify our impact and outreach. Crew members continue to be offered jobs, including at major studios, join IATSE locals, and to hire each other, creating a positive ripple effect. About 68% of our members report noticing more women/woman identifying workers on production crews since 2017.

We conduct surveys of participants. The latest shows most have gone on to find paid work in multiple areas of the industry including 48% in commercials, 62% in television (broadcast and streaming), and 69% in feature films. 65% have found work in new media content. No participants report having left the industry or been unable to find any work. 52% of participants report being hired by someone they met on CAMERAderie, with 72% reporting being recommended for work. 48% have themselves hired someone they met through the program, while 79% have recommended someone they met through the program. More than half of the respondents are now working in a higher-level position since working on a CAMERAderie project, with 76% reporting an increase in their skills level from participating in the program. One director now works in a writer’s room at NBC.
83% of the finished films submitted to festivals including Tribeca, Slamdance, and Cannes, have won two or more awards. One was Oscar short-listed.