Earlier this week, the AFI Conservatory lost a dedicated faculty member and Hollywood lost a trailblazing writer with the passing of D.C. Fontana.

She was the first female writer for STAR TREK and wrote 11 episodes of the original series, which ran for three seasons from 1966-69. She co-wrote the pilot for STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION and also penned episodes of STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE.

In addition to STAR TREK, Fontana’s credits include writing for such shows as THE WALTONS,  BONANZA and THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, among others. Fontana was honored for her years of service to the WGA with awards in 1997 and 2002. She will be missed dearly at AFI and will be remembered for paving a way for women in early television – particularly in the male-dominated world of science fiction – and for the enduring legacy she leaves behind.

Here, AFI alumna Barbara Stepansky (AFI Class of 2005) remembers Fontana in her own words:

“I’m signing up for D.C. Fontana’s Development Class,” said my friend, a producing Fellow at the AFI, when talk of second year courses came up in 2004.

“Okay?” I replied, puzzled. “Why?”

“Because she’s the best.”

Intrigued by such impressive word-of-mouth, I signed up for Dorothy’s section, too. It was one of the most significant choices I would make in my life.

Dorothy’s filmography and achievements in TV writing exuded talent and perseverance against all odds – and are known across the world.  But Dorothy was also a fantastic teacher. She beamed with fierce positivity and wisdom. Her classes encouraged me to trust my instincts, to search for the best possible story and to love the process. In my second year, I wrote a female buddy comedy that wasn’t funny, and I eventually had to concede that comedic dialogue was not my strength. Yet Dorothy saw something in my writing that I couldn’t. She kept insisting that what I was creating was great and that I needed to keep going, which sounded absurd to me because on top of producing scripts that needed, in my humble opinion, quite a bit of work, English wasn’t even my first language. But Dorothy’s enthusiasm was inspiring more than anything else I had encountered in an industry that loves to make you feel unworthy — and so I kept going despite my own doubts. She believed enough for the both of us.

Dorothy went on to champion my AFI thesis film, and after graduation frequently took me out to lunches. She made time to find out more about me and my past, not just for her own entertainment but to connect the dots and see which other new students of hers could profit from my specific experience. I met some wonderful individuals through her. Dorothy wanted to share everything with others – and that included sharing her former students with current ones. I started to visit her classes about once a year, where I would speak to other directors and producers about making independent movies. Over time I had the pleasure to meet her husband Dennis, and we turned another corner to something I considered friendship.

What I didn’t realize at the time was how much everything Dorothy said or asked of me was building up my own confidence. She always treated me like a colleague. She rooted for my projects and thought more highly of my work than my own mother (who’s the best but, let’s face it, doesn’t understand what exactly it is that I do.) I went on to win a WGA award for a TV movie script and then to write on a TV Show, which is a path Dorothy forged with her own accomplishments for female genre writers, and showed was possible. I loved sharing those little victories with her, making her proud.

I know I wasn’t the only one. Dorothy adored a bunch of her former and current AFI students. She took them to lunch and made them feel like a million bucks; she handed out little rubber duckies to “get our ducks in a row.” That was her nature — caring, nurturing, attentive and supportive. Maybe I don’t remember every word of wisdom she dispensed, but she taught me more than anyone else that what people remember is how you made them feel. And Dorothy made you feel like an equal and like you mattered. The world is a little bit darker and a little bit colder without her in it.

Accomplished director of The Sopranos, Gossip Girl, Criminal Minds and more, Andy Wolk led the directors of the WDA in a workshop focused on “Getting the Job” pitching for a series or feature project.

The AFIC Directors gathered in Burbank on the last Saturday of January to present their prepared series and feature pitches to the distinguished director, Andy Wolk. As helmer of countless popular series, Wolk provided comprehensive feedback that echoed his extensive collaborations with networks and producers in television and film.

The focus: Pitching yourself as director and getting the job!

All of the women directors presented their current projects driven by their visions and getting the job as director. Pitching in front of Wolk and a room full of scrutinizing colleagues gave each director an edge in shaping their vision and their voice for the project they have been developing or are currently selling.  Andy challenged the hallowed “elevator pitch” to not just deposit your business card but as a chance to share your humanity and your deep connection to your work.  Allowing an executive or a room of executives to connect with you – in yes – 1 minute!

Wolk’s assertive and simple approach, challenged each director to make leaps and bounds in both development of their pitches and, whether it was their own project or an interview for a series, their power in getting the job as director. Through a tried and true ethos of developing his projects and his career, Wolk imparted the important sense of “self-reliance” in each step.  Self-reliance in that a director develops many things in their career tool box, that are within their reach, to shape the career they want in the industry.  From meetings to self-promoting to absolute preparation in everything you do, and developing work in film or for a series – it’s a holistic rigor and adventure every director can achieve!

From cutting a dynamic director’s reel to meaningful meetings, Wolk’s personal experience left the AFIC directors with a strong sense of community, preparation, humanity, and of course, self-reliance.

Thank you Andy for the unforgettable workshop and setting a foundation for women directors of tomorrow!

Andy Wolk is the director of several Emmy Award-winning episodes of television series and has been a Creative Advisor at the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriting Lab, as well as on the Directing faculty at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles.  He lives in Los Angeles.  Read more about Andy Wolk here!

Article and Photos By S. McCann

COMING SOON!

Roxine Helberg Directs for New Sofia Vergara Show!

The AFIC WDA Congratulates Roxine Helberg on her recent directing work for the Sofia Vergara-helmed series “365 Days of Love.”

Keep an eye out for this exciting new series!  Roxine directed 2 episodes and we can’t wait to see her beautiful work!  Check out the Deadline Hollywood article for more info on the upcoming series!

Congrats Roxine!

NOW PLAYING

Letia Clouston’s 2018 Holiday Movie!

The AFIC WDA Congratulates Letia Clouston on her new holiday movie “A Christmas for the Books.” Settle in for a wintry, holiday film for the whole family directed by our very own Letia! What better way to celebrate the season than enjoying an instant classic made by a woman director! Happy Holidays Everyone!

Follow up the film with a great article about it in Entertainment Tonight here!

Congrats Letia!

The acclaimed Acting Coach recently taught a fervent acting workshop at the American Film Institute – where actors and many more directors confronted the ultimate path to great storytelling: Know Thy Self and Know Thy Work!

Rebecca Kitt teaching at the AFIC WDA Acting Workshop 2018. Photo By B. Stepansky

Stanislavski, Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, Hagen.  All teachers, all with their own techniques from a core belief they have about acting.  What’s Rebecca Kitt’s technique? What do you believe is the core of great acting? What do you think is core in great directing of actors?

I love all the techniques you list above. I tend to use Uta Hagen often when teaching class. I love her book The Respect for Acting. I think it’s important for the actor to know themselves, understand the human condition and to be honest with how they interact in their own lives.

Then there is the skill of knowing how to do the work. How physical actions work as strongly as the words for example. It’s important to understand how to move a scene along. Having a strong objective and understanding the obstacles to getting what you want.

Most importantly, it is essential to break down a script. To understand what the material is saying. To know the character’s influence and involvement in that story.

The core to great directing of actors quite possibly could be for directors to take an acting class. They need to understand how actors work. It’s important for the director to have a clear point of view. The director sets the tone of the film. That tone needs to be conveyed to the actor. Also the actor does not see themselves on camera. They are working from the inside. The director can help them see what the picture looks like in the director’s mind for each scene the actor is in.

What’s important for a director to know when hiring and collaborating with an acting coach?

I think the important part of this relationship is to work together. To understand that we are in fact collaborating but the coach is working with one actor usually. We are there to help the actor understand their character and how that character moves the story forward.  We are another tool for the actor. It’s important for the director and actor to trust the coach.

Rebecca Kitt was hired by Ben Stiller and Dreamworks for the hit comedy “Tropic Thunder”

What’s the etiquette for the Director/Coach’s collaboration? If the Director is struggling getting what they want from the actor, is the coach also there for the director?

The coach is most definitely there for the director as well. When I work on set I make sure we are all a team. I’ve had times where the separation was pushed prior to my involvement. A sort of you against us approach. I clean that up immediately, because it doesn’t serve the process. We all want to make a good movie.

How close is your collaboration, are you in all rehearsals prior to shooting? When you work with actors alone – do you receive input from the director at all?

It really depends. Most often, I am quietly working with my private clients and they tell me what the director is communicating. Quite often directors don’t communicate much to the actors. Although just last week I was on the phone with a well know British director and my client who wants a part in his film. He gave us notes together so that she could do a tape and send it to him. These are some of my most gratifying experiences. His notes were incredibly smart and I enjoy that process.

How important is it for a director to know the actor’s process?

Very important – but actors tend to all work a bit differently, so I think a director can find a way that they work best and implement that on set. If you sit back and observe the actor it’s easy to see what they need. Most want to feel valued, loved, supported, cared for.

Many times directors will hire non-actors for various roles – Have you been on projects coaching non-actors? Any advice/methods for directors working with non-actors?

I recently worked with a professional wrestler. I was hired by the studio to prep him for a network test. I find that non-actors are nervous and it’s important to help them understand that the director is on their side.

I have tremendous respect for acting, so I believe the non-actor needs to understand the process. I try to give them the language used by actors and ask them to use that language. For example, objective, obstacle, beats and actions. This is what actively moves a scene along. It is important to understand that and then to use their own lives and infuse that in the moments. It’s a different world out there now and people are hired for Instagram followers and branding etc. However, I believe acting takes work and it’s important to put the work in. Actors are often born with a gift and then learn the skill. Both are important.

Actors are known to develop and use techniques in their careers – do you as a coach have a different technique entirely for coaching the actor or is it just the same as actor’s technique?          In the AFIC WDA workshop you had a specific way of giving notes – it was almost like painting a color for them to see, making a sound, describing a texture and the actor responded to it easily. Could you elaborate?

This question is interesting to me. First, thank you for your observation. I think that is part of my gift. Not necessarily something I’m consciously doing. I do not ask the actor what technique they are using but I can usually tell as I’ve studied many methods. I like methods that get the scene and the actor active. I like to see characters needing something.

The collaboration between acting coaches and directors isn’t a common industry team we hear about a lot, like a director/cinematographer for example.  Although there are many extraordinary films with acting coaches (Embrace the Serpent), is this collaboration truly uncommon or is it taboo to disclose?  With a view to breaking the taboo, what is an acting coach bringing to a director’s film and their vision? 

Unfortunately it’s taboo to disclose. I have actually cut deals with Studios to make more money and not receive a credit. We need to change this. It is rare that actors mention their acting coaches. I truly believe that we need to take the subtle shame out of this process. We are not crutches. We are needed just like coaches are needed in sports.

That’s a beautiful analogy. Athletes and coaches go hand in hand – and yet we still celebrate athletes for their individual achievement, as well as the coach. That collaboration is vital to the game.  How do you think the actor/coach team will become more accepted in the eyes of the industry?

I’m not sure about this. I know that I’ve recently become more open about who I coach and proud of that process. It seems to me that the agents are afraid to admit actors work with coaches or need to work with coaches. The producers can be afraid as well – But casting directors, actors and directors want the collaboration so we all just need to dive in.

Actors have been known to seek out an acting coach for particular projects to improve and deepen their work and process. Can you add your perspective to a situation where the director initiates hiring an acting coach for the actors – the do’s and dont’s? 

I think it’s important to be bold with this step. It’s a positive process. I always bring this back to the collaboration. Everyone’s involvement is key. The director simply needs to express the desire for a coach. Good coaches are respected.

Acting Coach Rebecca Kitt’s most recent project “Thank You for Your Service”

Have you ever had a disagreeable collaboration with an actor? For our directors, how can that strain be relieved if the director has no acting coach?

I have had actors join my class that have not liked the way I work. Quite honesty those actors have not been very talented or didn’t really want to do the work and they simply left class eventually. As far as on a project – I think it’s important for the director to be generous, open, and set an atmosphere on set of respect. If you find yourself in a situation where you and the actor don’t get along then I guess it’s best to power through and hope it all goes well in the editing room.

You spoke passionately about improving the communication between directors and actors – Is there one go-to mantra you would give directors in galvanizing their vision with an actor? 

Actors want to be directed. They want to understand the director’s interpretation of their role. I find too many directors don’t understand this. The director’s analysis of the script is essential to the actor. Notes are welcome and the back and forth is part of why the actor acts.

How do you deliver effective notes? 

I do not hesitate to be clear about how I see a particular beat in a scene. It feels like a line reading but I back it up with why I think it sounds a certain way.

You are an esteemed acting coach with years of experience and industry relationships – many of the WDA directors you spoke to are currently pulling together first and second features.  In your experience with name actors and also new actors, what are they looking for in directors and projects that our members should consider? 

Most of the actors I work with will meet with directors who are telling worthy stories. When you believe in your script – it’s easy to engage the artist. I’ve found that actors really respond to the look book when thinking about a project that has a new director and little money. Visuals are always good.

Have you worked with new directors and what is their #1 mistake in directing actors?

I have not worked with new directors but I look forward to that opportunity. The biggest mistake directors make with actors is simply not being clear. It seems that they are afraid to communicate as if they are taking the actors job away from them. AGAIN – the director must smartly understand their material and then they can communicate clearly about the actor’s job. Prep is key!

Thanks for talking with us Rebecca and congratulations on your collaborations with the recently released films Thank You for Your Service  and Jumanji!

Check out more with Rebecca Kitt here!!

Photo By R. Kitt 2018

Acting coach and teacher Rebecca Kitt has worked with actors, directors, and Hollywood studios since 2002! Whether coaching clients in the calm of her office or on a challenging location shoot, Rebecca’s persistent drive to inspire actors has established her reputation for getting results. Her keen understanding of text and ability to connect with talent allows her to partner with both actors and directors in drawing exciting performances! She has worked on set with directors such as Mark Romanek, Ben Stiller, and Joe Johnston. Among her acting clients are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Nick Jonas, Haley Bennett, Abby Quinn, Kris Higgins, and many more! In addition to her work with her private clientele, Rebecca teaches a master acting class to a select group of talent in Los Angeles, CA. She is currently developing projects for film, television and the theater through her Production/Management company, Sunnybrook Films!

Pictures by Rebecca Kitt Interviewed by Sheena McCann

I love your tagline:  “I’ll direct the shit out that film.”

Ha! Actually an executive producer for one of my films told me he specifically hired me because of that tagline. A couple years ago I was editing my reel and used it as a title card, expecting to replace it later by something more “professional” – I realized nothing else sums up my personality as accurately.

What’s the path that led to directing The Midwife’s Deception?  You are the writer as well, so did you pitch this initially to Lifetime?

The film was an idea developed by the studio, MarVista Entertainment. The producer had already worked with me as a director on a few other films and I often rewrote projects I worked on. But this was my first full writing gig so they set some parameters with genre, characters, and general story-line and I wrote the script from there.

Were there hurdles in order to direct or was that part of the deal from the outset?

Directing was always part of the deal. I had directed films for MarVista previously and we work well together.

How did your relationship with the studio start and how have you sustained the relationship to become a first choice director?

When I got out of AFI, I wasn’t quite ready to wait by the phone, so I grabbed a DP I worked with at AFI and began shooting a sci-fi web series called BROKEN TOY. We started with two actors and a ridiculous amount of fake blood in my kitchen and then each episode after that got a little more and more ambitious. It was a lot of work after our day jobs and hardly anyone saw it but it kept me directing.

Another DP, Richard Vialet, showed a producer what I had been shooting for $100 an episode (mostly spent on pizza) and I was hired for a low-budget feature that was co-produced by MarVista.

These features are typically shot over 13 days and it can be stressful on a small budget. But after that, I was hired on a few more and I often needed to rewrite the scripts due to production issues: We’d lose locations, didn’t have money for background actors, etc. After four movies shot like this were all bought and aired internationally, an Executive Producer hired me for a feature fully produced by MarVista.

I absolutely say yes to everything that is sent my way. Always. And for now, that’s really worked for me. And I can honestly say that while the producers I’ve worked with are part of a corporate machine, each one of them has shown an overwhelming commitment to make a fun, creative project that an audience will enjoy. It’s always a nice balance between financial responsibilities with artistic freedom, and that makes it a joy.

How is a directing deal structured for TV?

Contract points are confidential but there are clear steps outlined – like when I must become exclusive to the studio for prep work, shooting, and delivery. My writer’s contract is similarly set up with a timeline. And it’s great because I can clearly see how many weeks I’m unavailable for other projects and I can really plan my work around it.

For directing Midwife, what was your timeline for prep, rehearsal, shooting, delivery?

I had about a month for official prep (although I mentally prep while writing it).  We had no rehearsal time, 15 days for shooting, and about 9 weeks for post.

It was an unusually fast turnaround time due to the buyer’s schedule. There are two buying periods a year and you have to get the film finished in time for those.

What is most important for you in tackling a TV Studio project: is it pleasing the studio, developing your craft, diversifying your work?  

I think pleasing the studio and diversifying my work actually feed into the ultimate importance for me: developing my craft. Being a good director will almost always involve pleasing the studio during the project.

What do you wish you could do on these projects that you can’t?

Time is always the coveted treasure just outside the director’s grasp. I don’t care if it’s a $200 million film or a $5,000 – every director just wishes for more time. With extra time you can be a little more free with your shot selections and more open to happy accidents. But it doesn’t matter how pretty and compelling your film is if you don’t get it done.

Tell us about pitching yourself as a director for a network project and what you find important in that process?

Conveying passion and excitement for the subject matter is key. It can be a brutal process getting a film done so they need to see you are in love with it. And going in, you need to be clear in your mind why you’re the best person to tell this story and what you bring to the project.

Recently several big directors have been replaced due to disagreements or failing to meet the expectations of the Studio – Have you had a situation like that with a studio or company?

I’ve had a couple instances where I’ve felt very strongly that something should or shouldn’t be included in a film. My job as the director is to make those feelings known and offer solutions. But then you need to recognize when to back off. I can try a couple different angles on my point but if that doesn’t work, you have to move on.

Serve the story. Always. Remembering that will keep an ego out of the decision-making process. And calm, open dialogue almost always creates a balance between what I want and what the studio wants. And the number one advice is never ever lose your temper in front of people.

You seem to have a strong interest in genre – did you feel Lifetime was an opportunity to flex your genre interests?

Absolutely. My ultimate goal is to direct television, so I’ve been exercising my directing muscles in every genre to prepare for that—family comedies, rom- coms, horror, thrillers, holiday.

What are the significant differences between directing for a TV movie and a theatrical feature in terms of creative control, schedule, and preparation?

There are definitely expectations as far as genre. Lifetime has a very popular brand and they know what their audiences like. The Executive Producer and I were on the same page from day one and she was always supportive of my choices. So it struck a nice balance with the studio – letting me flesh out what I want creatively as long as the skeleton stays intact underneath.

There is definitely a time challenge, things happen very fast and there’s a tight schedule. But I enjoy it – you know it will get finished and get out in the world within a year. We started shooting last July and the movie aired on Lifetime this March.

It’s a great talking point to know that your movie will be released—it gives you a reason to call people for meetings or to find representation. You’ve got something to talk about that’s concrete.

How is casting a TV movie for a strong brand like Lifetime – are you open to cast your preferences?  Same for crewing – can you bring in your own DP?

I go in for everyone’s auditions and saw hundreds of actors. It takes a lot of my time but it’s worth it in the end. I like to see how I connect with an actor personally in the room and I can’t do that through tapes.

Ultimately the studio has the last word on cast—but they do give my choices real consideration and weight. It’s definitely a collaboration. They hire a casting director and most of the time they like to stick with the same people they’ve used before, if they are available.

As far as crew, the studio will ask for my recommendations, first for the DP and Editor. I was able bring in the DP I’ve worked with since Cycle One at the AFI Conservatory, Chris Furukawa-Burgon. The studio then does its best to hire crew members I’ve recommended, but if we are on location we often need local hires. I’ve gotten really lucky meeting some fantastic professionals in other states.

How was the collaboration with Lifetime as far as notes and drafts?

For this project, Lifetime bought it after completion. So I didn’t work with them in the filming stages but MarVista knows Lifetime’s needs so we keep that in mind.

MarVista sent me the title, the characters, and the general idea, and hired me to fill in all the beats of the story. I got hired to write it about 10 months before we went into shooting. I wrote an outline that got approved and then moved on to a first draft, got notes, then a second draft, then we waited to find out our shooting schedule before I started the final polish.

Has working for a major network and directing your own features opened up doors to streaming companies like Netflix or Amazon?

I’ve had a number of films stream on those services and love the work they’re churning out.  So I’m ready whenever they call!

Have you already or are you planning on pursuing streaming platforms that produce – I’ve heard it’s tricky to get Netflix to produce.

I’ve heard the same but after directing eight features and dozens of shorts in nine years, I’m ready to storm the streaming beaches!

What’s your advice for directors looking to direct a network movie or series?  Having made many projects, what do you believe is the best path forward?

The only way to be a better director is to direct. I made the choice early on to direct everything I could get my hands on. And if I didn’t have a gig, I’d make my own. I did a sci-fi web series and a VFX heavy superhero short on the streets of NYC for no money. It can be rough but I’ve learned so much throughout all the projects and it’s helped me prepare for anything and everything.

Demon in the Dark? You shot that for no money –you had Times Square, VFX, helicopters?!

We had a three person crew (DP, my brother-in-law, and myself) and ran around NYC at night during a particularly cold March. NYC is incredibly supportive of the arts and as long as you don’t set up sticks or lay out cables, it’s fair game.

So we shot in Columbus Circle, Times Square, Penn Station, etc.

My producing partner, Matt Clouston, was the lead actor and did all the VFX work himself. So our costs were limited to faster lenses (we had no lighting), pizza, coffee, and one green screen day. Everyone involved donated their time to the project and, honestly, eating together in Chinatown and laughing at 4am is going down as one of my favorite filmmaking memories.

I’d never ask anyone to work for free but if someone volunteers to work with us, they know we’re committed to making something fun and often expensive looking.

When we started, we had very little experience with VFX. With our first sci-fi series, we actually added helicopters frame-by-frame in Photoshop. Luckily, growing technology and the online tutorials have allowed us to create some pretty amazing things. Working with After Effects and creating a VFX heavy project like this is incredibly valuable because I’m well aware of what the VFX artists need from me on set to facilitate their work.

Did those projects between projects help your desirability with studios?

I love comic book movies and sci-fi, but not many women are getting hired to direct those genres. And, more than once, I’ve even heard “Women don’t like directing these films.” So creating these projects on my own, shows my range, what I’m capable of, and what I’m passionate about. Even if it doesn’t catch the eye of the studio, it’s still worth flexing your directing muscles.

There have been questions lately as to whether or not representation of an Agent or Manager is helpful in leveraging work – what has been your experience? 

I don’t have representation currently, I’ve always gotten directing gigs through producers that have referred me to other producers. But I do see the need for one. When I’m on set in a hurricane trying to shoot a feature in 13 days (which happened), it would be nice to have someone out there looking for the next project.

So for you – it’s a matter of partnering to set up your next project? You have a production company Forewarned Films, has that helped having a team to share the burden of dreams?

My production company, Forewarned Films, has been invaluable to my career. It’s been so beneficial to my work as a director to be able to develop scripts and ideas and see them through and get them out in the world.

What is next for you Letia?

I got hired to direct a Christmas movie in Canada in April and to write and direct a true crime feature. I also have a few other projects in development looking for a home.

Congratulations Letia – check out The Midwife’s Deception on Lifetime!

Pictures By Letia Clouston  Interviewed By Sheena McCann

How did you come to this project?

Storyline Entertainment had picked up the rights to the Time article “The Toxic Tap” by Josh Sanborn and was looking for a writer to adapt his research on the Flint Water Crisis into a TV Movie script that Lifetime was already attached to, because they liked the basic concept. My agent had sent them a couple of my work samples and after they looked through everything, I had a first interview to see if we were on the same page story-wise. Sony and Lifetime had already approved me as a potential writer based on those samples.

How did you prepare for that interview with producers?  How do think your ideas stood out?  Or as you mentioned above, was your prior work more impacting for them in hiring you?

I had obviously done my research and I knew all the players involved in the crisis, so I could speak intelligently on the topic. In my case, my prior work had impacted them already but it was still important to establish a tone and flow to the script that the producers could agree on. I’m a huge fan of “And the Band Played On”, which does such a terrific job of weaving various storylines together in a dramatic way, so that was something I heavily wanted to emulate.

Was this your first experience pursuing a writing project for TV? 

I had written TV pilots before but this was my first experience with a TV Movie seven act structure.

Working from Josh Sanburn’s article, how did you discover the way you wanted to tell the story? 

After reading Josh’s article, I had a billion questions. He was available to me as a source so we spent some time on Skype and on the phone. I did more research on the water crisis, learned the time line and read interviews. Then I started communicating with the Flint activists and residents that Josh had access to. I was able to widen that net when I travelled to Flint and found as many perspectives as I could on the subject. Curt Guyette from the ACLU, who had initially broken the story in the media, was extremely helpful as well. From the get-go I felt that I had to focus on the human angle and the residents’ perspective to tell the most honest account. There was no way I could fully cover the amount of red tape and politics involved without making my own assumptions that simply weren’t backed up by tangible proof. When I started researching, the water crisis wasn’t over, and ironically it still isn’t. In the background of the Flint residents’ continuous suffering was a very nebulous story of people in charge passing the buck. I hope that this still comes across in the script, but it had to all be from the point of view of the residents who had to deal with a health risk in their homes and weren’t being heard. There was no one “Erin Brockovich type hero” that stood out so I decided to focus on three or four women that had very early on rung alarm bells, most of whom I had talked to. I focussed the story on the beginning of the crisis April 2014 and decided to end it in October 2015 when these self-made activists achieved their first success – making national news with their citizen-run water study and having the city switch back to Lake Huron water. Once that was decided it was all about weaving the beats into the plot, which meant that sometimes I had to take some creative license with the events on the time line but not too much. I needed to stay true to what had happened after all.

Describe your experience working with the network and the producers of Flint and how you dealt with challenges.  What was the process like to reach the final draft? How did you handle their notes?

I honestly had the best development experience with producers and network. My first outline was extremely long, a bit over forty pages, packed with characters, science, politics, adhering all too closely to the original timeline – so rather than giving me detailed notes, everyone more or less had to trust that it was all going to make sense once I dove into the draft. The first draft still had a lot of details on corrosion control and plumbing, so it probably read a bit like a science paper. The biggest note was to keep chipping away at the human factor and the relationships between the residents. I felt strongly that I didn’t want to artificially create conflict between the water warriors even though of course they had differing opinions. It slowly became a story of how people had to band together in order to make change happen.

What was your experience writing under the pressure of a network deadline?  How do you deal with writer’s block under that pressure? 

I honestly don’t know how to work without deadlines. That’s what I grew up with and continued throughout all of my college years. Film school was particularly harsh with deadlines that couldn’t be moved or extended. Working under contract is therefore just a continuation of the education I had already received. When I write a spec, I even ask my manager to give me artificial deadlines. In terms of dealing with writer’s block, sure there are always good days and bad days but a few years ago I decided that writer’s block doesn’t apply to me anymore. That it doesn’t exist as long as I show up. So I would sit down at my desk every day and write five pages, come what may. I got really disciplined that way. I adjust that page-count-schedule if I’m doing rewrites or outlines. What creates pressure is a last minute rush. If you’ve arranged your schedule well, that doesn’t become an issue.

How much time did you have in total to complete the script?

I believe it was around 6-8 weeks.

Page count on the final draft?

96. My first draft had come in at 117.

Personally, how do you feel this experience impacted your own writing process – did you have any Ah-Ha moments to take away?

I definitely learned a lot about the process of putting an ensemble-cast movie together and how to keep every character in the game. Once the director came on board, I felt the script did another big jump forward dramatically. Bruce pushed me to make everything interesting rather than intellectual, and made me pull a lot of conflict into the first half. I fought a lot of those timeline changes but ultimately I realized he was right and we found great compromises. I think the biggest ah-ha moment I had was that I walked into Flint with very wrong preconceptions. I expected people to be downtrodden but they were all just angry at not being heard. I hope I captured that anger adequately, I was sure we could all relate to it.

Since you are a director yourself, how was it collaborating with another director?

I’ve collaborated with a director before on projects so it wasn’t a huge adjustment. You just have to very early on disconnect from that part of your brain. In the case of “Flint” I felt it was valuable to have another perspective because it was such dense material. I may have overlooked something because I’m too close to the research. I actually never use my directing perspective in writing, not even for specs that I do write for myself to direct. It’s just not something I believe is interesting to read. Instead of writing “ECU push-in on Tina’s eyes”, which sounds dry and boring, you write “Tina’s eyes widen in sheer horror” and everyone gets it and can interpret that however they please, but feels much more emotionally connected to the material.

What’s the best advice you would give writer/directors who are interested in creating TV content?

Best advice is probably to keep creating content, whichever way possible. If you’re interested in working in TV, all producers will tell you that what they most care about is characters. Compelling characters we love to watch is what we tune back for. They drive the plot. TV directing without controlling the creative content is a bit of a different animal and I don’t think there’s no one set way to get those gigs. You have to keep knocking on those doors and prove yourself over and over again.

Was writing this project complimentary to your career path as a director?

I think if you can work above the line in any capacity, be it as a writer or producer, and do well at it, it helps your path as a director. Developing a trust in your taste and ability to collaborate is a big deal and you can build on those relationships for the future.

Was directing Flint or any future project with this network or producers ever part of negotiations?  

Not really. I was always aware that once the script was in a good place, it would go out to notable directors the producers have worked with before. I suppose that’s the usual Catch 22 you’re up against – but you gotta start somewhere.

Without getting into specific numbers, how was your writing deal structured? Did it include number of drafts or rewrites or time available? 

It was a standard one-off deal, which includes outline, first draft, two revisions and a polish. At the time I was an unproven entity so there wasn’t all that much room for negotiation but I had an agent and a lawyer making sure that all the i-s were dotted.

Any advice for our directors in securing representation, as well as a lawyer? And what should they keep in mind when forming these relationships?

I wish I had some solid advice but I met my first lawyer while hanging out at a very crowded small bar in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival. I handed him my AFI thesis film as I was carrying around DVDs everywhere. And he actually called me a week later and wanted to represent me. You just never know where that connection will come from and who your work connects with. Just keep putting yourself out there. I wasn’t represented as a director by an agent or manager for years and yet I was working. I think that’s possible for a director, not so much for a writer. Once I had specs that were doing well in the screenwriting competitions, it was fantastic to have reps come on board and help you get those scripts into the right hands. Having a rep team is great but you can also garner a strong creative team through producers and your daily collaborators. For me it’s definitely a truism that you need to find your tribe, keep working, and an agent will find you.

What’s next?

Wherever the wind takes me!

Photo Credit: Barbara Stepansky. Interviewed By Sheena McCann.

The newest study from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative reveals that there has been no change for Women, Black, and Asian film directors in over a decade.

Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative are pleased to share our newest report: . The report is the most comprehensive intersectional analysis of directors of motion pictures to date, combining data on the gender, race, and age of 1,223 filmmakers working on 1,100 top-grossing films released between 2007 and 2017. The analysis also focuses on women in executive and leadership ranks at major media companies.

The results reveal that for female, Black and Asian directors, there has been no meaningful change in over a decade and the doors to Hollywood remain mostly closed.

Some key findings on gender from the study include:

• Across 11 years and 1,100 movies, 96% of all directors were male and 4% were female.  This translates to 22 male directors hired to every 1 female director.
• Only 4 Black female directors, two Asian female directors, and 1 Latina were hired to direct across 1,100 popular movies.
• Male directors start their careers earlier (20s) than female directors and some continue working into their 70s and 80s. The latter is not the case for women directors.
• The “one and done” phenomenon is far more likely for females than males. Most directors only worked one time across the 11-year sample, but pronounced gender differences emerged.  55% of the male directors only helmed one film whereas 84% of the female directors did.

Additional results focused on Black and Asian directors:

• In total, 5.2% of all directors were Black or African American. This represents no meaningful change over the 11 years studied.
• Only 3.2% of all directors were Asian. Across the 11-year sample, there has been no meaningful change over time.
• 81% of the films with a Black director also had a Black actor attached as one of the two top-billed talent. This finding suggests that the vast majority of directing opportunities for Black directors are linked to the race of the story’s leading characters.

In this edition of the report, we also examined the executives and Boards of seven major media companies. A few notable findings include:

• A full 82.1% of prestigious C-suite jobs were held by males and only 17.9% by females.  Among these women, only 4 were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
• Focusing on Boards of Directors, 18.8% of seats were filled by women and only 3 of these females were underrepresented.
• Among the executive film teams, only 2 of the chairs (25%) across the major media companies evaluated were women.
• Females filled almost a quarter (23.9%) of the President and Chief positions on executive film teams and roughly 41.2% of all EVPs, SVPs, and VPs.  While the latter findings are encouraging, few women are holding the keys to the most powerful executive positions in Hollywood.

The study also examines film distribution by company:

• Across the 11-year sample, a total of 997 (90.6%) of the 1,100 movies were distributed by 7 major media companies.
• Of those 997 films, the company with the highest number of female directed movies was Warner Bros. Pictures (12 movies) and the lowest were Paramount (3 movies) and Lionsgate (3 movies).
• Films with Black directors were most likely to be distributed by Lionsgate, where 15 of the 18 movies were helmed by Tyler Perry.
• Walt Disney Studios has not attached a Black director to any of their top-grossing films in the sample.
• Universal Pictures was the most likely to distribute a movie with an Asian director (13 films) and Lionsgate was the least likely (1 film).

Make sure to read the full Annenberg report, available .  Visit the AFIC WDA Facebook to find out more here!

AFIC WDA ROOSEVELT HOTEL LAUNCH PARTY!

“If the mountain doesn’t come to us, we’re here today to make that journey to the mountain.”

In the AFI Fest Vizio lounge floating just above the noise of Hollywood Boulevard, the film directors amassed. The room was lit by tinsel town’s neon streets and the huge screens emblazoned “AFIC Women Directors Association.”  These directors have worked together, attended school together, analyzed each other’s films, and some meeting for the first time are all here to launch a movement for Women Directors.

Introducing The AFIC Women Director’s Association.

The highlight of the evening was the founder of the WDA, Barbara Stepansky, expressing the reality of the glass ceiling and a vision of support for female directors:

“My name is Barbara Stepansky, and amongst a few other things I won for directing the DGA Diversity award, the Student Emmy, the Schaffner Alumni Award and my thesis was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.  I’m not telling you this to toot my own horn because in fact, if you Google me, I come up as the “woman who didn’t get a job because she didn’t have a penis”. Just like Aaron Sorkin once, I believed in meritocracy until I hit that glass ceiling real hard.  Like so many of us, all you can do is keep working. Improving. Finding chances.  Which gets really lonely. 

I’m so happy to be here today to assure you that you’re not alone. 

If the mountain doesn’t come to us, we’re here today to make that journey to the mountain.  This association is open to general membership, which includes access to panels, workshops and screening series.  But we are in the process of setting up specific initiatives and programs for our AFIC Alumnae only starting in the new year that will span quite the range:

• Shadowing opportunities. 
• Mentorship. 
• First Looks for Digital Series.
• Micro-budgets features.

Our Board of Advisors currently includes Rob Spera, Marie Cantin, Rodrigo Garcia and Robin Swicord. 

We have a website with our amazing directors that is in its infancy but please check it out and talk to us more about it.  We will always be looking for new diversity programs, new supporters and executives that have fresh ideas for bridging our alumnae into the professional working environment.

Let’s face it we’re not doing rocket science. We just have to figure out how to break down those ceilings and walls. And I hope that we can do that together from now on.

Let’s not have any more “lost” generations of AFIC Alumnae. Let’s organize and let’s connect. “

The AFIC WDA Launch was made possible in partnership with:

Richard Gladstein and Jess Tsuei from AFI, Suzanne Lezotte from SIM Group and Jenni McCormick from American Cinema Editors.

Speakers were Romell Foster-Owens, Peter Markham, Melissa Hickey, and Barbara Stepansky.

Website by Jessica Janos, Sheena McCann, Edward Flanagan and Nick Atkinson.

Check out the AFIC WDA Launch Party on Facebook.

Join us Wednesday, November 15th, at 8pm in the Vizio Lounge at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to celebrate the launch of the WDA. Special Guests (you’ll never guess who)!