On July 20, ahead of their online meeting, the Women’s Steering Committee (WSC) hosted the discussion, Take Charge of Your Creative Destiny Part 2: Funding Your Indie Feature. The event featured Howard Cohen, the Co-President and Co-Founder of Roadside Attractions; Gerren Crochet, an Associate at Endeavor Content in the Film Advisory practice; and Jessica Smith, an Agent in the Independent Film Group at United Talent Agency; in a conversation moderated by UPM/WSC Co-Chair Liz Ryan.
During the discussion, the panelists spoke candidly about the state of financing indie films in the era of streaming. They shared that episodic television continues to be the most lucrative, however there has been a large demand amongst the streaming platforms for movies for television in a variety of genres, and that during COVID the deficit of documentaries led to more sales of inspiring and uplifting films that are representative of various communities. They also express that more women are becoming the financiers which has greatly impacted the type of films being picked up and that this is an area that must continue to grow.
Following the moderated portion of the conversation, the panelists fielded questions submitted by the online audience. The first part of this special panel discussion, Distributing Your Indie Feature, took place on June 15.
ABOUT THE COMMITTEE:
The Women's Steering Committee (WSC) was created to advance the professional interests of its members, and to heighten their visibility and career opportunities in the entertainment industry. The WSC currently promotes diversity through sponsoring net-working events, screenings and seminars, and fosters relationships between the members to provide support, mentoring and networking opportunities. The WSC’s current Co-Chairs are Maria Burton, Hanelle Culpepper and Liz Ryan.
