On episode 44, we spoke with Katrina Medoff and Tracy Sayre, co-founders of the Women’s Weekend Film Challenge and got a crash course in how a great idea blossoms into launching a collaborative film project. The film challenge, is a women-in-film initiative that’s less a contest and more a hybrid networking creative event that places professional filmmakers on crews that write, shoot and edit a short film in just one weekend. WWFC has produced 24 films -- with over 500 professional female filmmakers in New York City. To date, some of the films have been selected for 60 film festivals and counting. The project has grown rapidly and Katrina and Tracy will be launching the film challenge in Los Angeles in 2020. Today’s Guests: Katrina Medoff, Tracy Sayre https://womensweekendfilmchallenge.com @womensweekendfilmchallenge @katya_m22 @sayretracy Host & Producer: Jim Kamp https://sugaredstudios.com

As a response to COVID-19, Women's Weekend Film Challenge launched a virtual workshop series featuring the top women of Hollywood. This series brings career development opportunities to filmmakers all around the world — plus, since it's pay-what-you-can, we're breaking down the financial barriers to the film industry. Many of these workshops include live critiques of audience-submitted work samples, meaning that filmmakers have the opportunity to get feedback from successful women in the industry. Register for our next workshop at womensweekendfilmchallenge.com/virtualevents. Want to be notified about our next virtual pay-what-you-can event? Sign up for the WWFC mailing list here: https://bit.ly/3baY6oS Our virtual series guests have included: - Kasi Lemmons (writer/director, "Eve's Bayou," "Harriet") - Alma Har'el (director, "Honey Boy") - Karyn Kusama (director, "Jennifer's Body") - Catherine Hardwicke (director, "Twilight") - Stella Meghie (writer/director, "The Photograph") - Elle Johnson (co-showrunner, "Self Made") - Leslye Headland (creator, "Russian Doll") & Inga Brege (graphic designer) - Lynn Shelton (director, "Little Fires Everywhere") - DeMane Davis (director, "How to Get Away With Murder") - Terilyn Shropshire (editor, "The Old Guard") - Emma Norton (producer, "Normal People") - Akilah Green (screenwriter, "A Black Lady Sketch Show") - Nisha Ganatra (director, "Late Night") - Linda Mendoza (director, "Never Have I Ever") - Meshell Ndegeocello (composer, "Queen Sugar") - Nancy Schreiber (cinematographer, "P-Valley) - Mimi Leder (director, "The Morning Show") - Shannon Baker Davis (editor, "The Photograph") - Ita O'Brien (intimacy coordinator, "I May Destroy You") - Alexandra Rushfield (co-showrunner, "Shrill") - Susan Johnson (director, "To All the Boys I've Loved Before") - Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (writer/director, "Someone Great") - Tayarisha Poe (writer/director, "Selah and the Spades) and actors Lovie Simone and Celeste O'Connor - Andrea Bunker (casting, "Big Little Lies," "Sharp Objects") - Luci Romberg, Michelle Lee and Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (stunts) - Julia Kots, Caitlin Gold and Márcia Mayer ("Inez & Doug & Kira") ABOUT WOMEN'S WEEKEND FILM CHALLENGE: Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) works for gender equity by creating opportunities for women to bring their leadership, talents, and stories to the forefront of the film industry. WWFC places professional filmmakers on crews to write, shoot and edit a short film in one weekend and provides top-of-the-line equipment, insurance and workshops. This career-building opportunity is free for participants. Since its first challenge in January 2018, WWFC has worked with over 700 women to produce 30 short films, which have been accepted to more than 80 festivals. This grassroots, bi-coastal movement combats the gender imbalance of the film industry by providing an intensive networking experience and telling women's stories on screen. As a response to COVID-19, Women's Weekend Film Challenge launched a donation-based virtual workshop series to bring career development and networking opportunities to filmmakers around the world.

Applications are now open for the first-ever Los Angeles-based Women's Weekend Film Challenge, taking place Feb. 20-23, 2020. Apply by Jan. 26, 2020, at womensweekendfilmchallenge.com/apply

In February 2020, Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) launched in Los Angeles, working with 180 professional filmmakers to produce 6 short films. The films premiered to an audience of 400 at ArcLight Hollywood. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the process of making a short film in just one weekend with a crew of total strangers! Shot and edited by Eden Martinez / sound by Ash Knowlton / produced by Tracy Sayre, Katrina Medoff, Eden Martinez, Ash Knowlton and Cory Choy ABOUT WOMEN'S WEEKEND FILM CHALLENGE Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) works for gender equity by creating opportunities for women to bring their leadership, talents, and stories to the forefront of the film industry. WWFC places professional filmmakers on crews to write, shoot and edit a short film in one weekend and provides top-of-the-line equipment, insurance and workshops. This career-building opportunity is free for participants. Since its first challenge in January 2018, WWFC has worked with over 700 women to produce 30 short films, which have been accepted to more than 80 festivals. This grassroots, bi-coastal movement combats the gender imbalance of the film industry by providing an intensive networking experience and telling women's stories on screen. As a response to COVID-19, Women's Weekend Film Challenge launched a donation-based virtual workshop series to bring career development and networking opportunities to filmmakers around the world. Workshop guests have included Alma Har'el, Kasi Lemmons, Karyn Kusama, Catherine Hardwicke, Stella Meghie, Elle Johnson, Mimi Leder and many more.

Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) works for gender equity by creating opportunities for women to bring their leadership, talents, and stories to the forefront of the film industry. WWFC places professional filmmakers on crews to write, shoot and edit a short film in one weekend and provides top-of-the-line equipment, insurance and workshops. This career-building opportunity is free for participants. Since its first challenge in January 2018, WWFC has worked with over 700 women to produce 30 short films, which have been accepted to more than 60 festivals. This grassroots, bi-coastal movement combats the gender imbalance of the film industry by providing an intensive networking experience and telling women's stories on screen. Visit womensweekendfilmchallenge.com to learn more. INSTAGRAM: @womensweekendfilmchallenge TWITTER: @WWfilmchallenge

Araksya Karapetyan interviews the founders of Women's Weekend Film Challenge, Katrina Medoff and Tracy Sayre, as they launch their groundbreaking women-in-film initiative in Los Angeles. Aired live on Good Day LA on February 28, 2020.