The Media Mentorship for Women (MMW) program is a new initiative being offered by Women in Film and Television NSW. The need for a program like this is evident from the larger number of expressions of interest and applications we have received for Mentorship Round 1. More importantly statistics on the Screen Australia website show that there remains a great gender imbalance in the Screen Industry workforce; and in some ‘technical’ occupations, the imbalance is increasing. For example, the 2001 figures show that after 1996 the number of female Film and Video Editors decreased 5% to 21%, female Directors of Photography were at a low 4%, and only 28% of Australian Directors are women. (Source of statistics: http://www.afc.gov.au/gtp/oeoccupxgender.html)

These statistics remain not only a matter of equal employment opportunity, but also impact on the way stories are told. The Media Mentorship for Women program will help redress the imbalance in key creative areas, by contributing to the experience and confidence of Mentees. Our hope is that, this will then assist in increasing the number of screen stories presented, through the eyes of women.

Mentorship Committee 2009/10:

Ana Tiwary - MMW Program Founder & Director

Heaven Muecke - Mentorship Coordinator

Nicole Hansson - Mentorship Coordinator

Jill Dures - Regional Coordinator

Meleuka Morton-Masterman - Indigenous & Grass-roots Coordinator

Leisle Grant - i-mentoring Moderator

Heidi Tobin - Sponsorship Manager

Stephanie Mazzotta - Publicity & Marketing Manager

Helen Goritsas - Mentorship Committee member

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WIFT NSW Committee:
The 2009/10 WIFT NSW committee members are:

PRESIDENT
Dr. Jane Roscoe

VICE PRESIDENTS
Heidi Tobin
Heaven Muecke

TREASURER
Margaret Berglund
Jill Dures

SECRETARY
Helen Goritsas

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Sil-Nyin Cameron (WOW Film Festival Director)

Ana Tiwary (MMW Program Director)

Pearl Tan (Membership Manager)

Samantha Scowcroft

Raksha Burman

Nicole Hansson

Leisle Grant