Women in Film and TV Podcast

When it comes to keeping an audience on the edge of their seat, the precision of the edit is everything. In this WFT Podcast acclaimed New York-based editor Julia Bloch spoke with WFT Ireland member Amy O’Connell about their craft, Bloch’s career, and on cutting thrillers and drama that make a mark on the film industry.

Julia Bloch: Julia is a New York-based film editor who has worked on a wide range of projects, including Terrence Malick’s Palme d’Or winner The Tree of Life and Doug Liman’s war drama The Wall. Films she has edited have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, TIFF, The Venice Biennale, The Berlinale, and Cannes; her work on “The Mosquito Coast” recently aired on Apple TV+. She also edited three films for director Jeremy Saulnier, starting with Blue Ruin, which premiered at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and was awarded the FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) prize in 2013. Before studying Film at the European Film College in Ebeltoft, Denmark, Bloch received her B.A. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University and a Master’s degree in Literature at the Université de Haute Bretagne in Rennes, France. In 2011 Bloch received the Sundance Institute’s inaugural Editing Fellowship in honor of Sally Menke.

Amy O’Connell: A lifelong horror enthusiast with a passion for storytelling, Amy is an experienced editor with a varied portfolio. Her work ranges from lighthearted food and travel documentary, to bone chilling drama. Her most recent short, ‘Shadowban’ (Best Irish Short, 2023 Shark Awards) tells the story of a woman driving through the countryside alone in her car at night… Or is she?

This podcast has been made possible thanks to the Screen Ireland Stakeholder Fund.

This year at the Galway Film Fleadh Women in Film and TV Ireland and TG4 announced a brand new partnership. This live event, which took place in the Pálás cinema saw TG4 celebrating the women-led creative work they supported at this year’s festival, nodding to a long history of leading the way in representation in front of and behind the camera.The event was MCed by Caitríona Ní Chualáin, and saw Director General of TG4 Alan Esslemont and WFT Chair Dr. Susan Liddy discussing the great strides and initiatives that TG4 has led in the past few years.

We also caught up with WFT Member and Chair of the Board of Galway Film Fleadh, Annie Doona.

And we also spoke with TG4 Commissioning Editors Proinsias Ní Ghráinne and Laura Ní Cheallaigh about the brave work that has been developed and broadcast at TG4.

To support the work we do, make sure your membership is up to date at WFT.ie. Or you can buy us a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/WFTIreland https://www.buymeacoffee.com/WFTIreland/

In this episode of the WFT Ireland podcast, crowdfunding specialist Eileen Jerrett shares invaluable insights on fundraising strategies. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or a seasoned professional, learn how to finance your film and bring your vision to life. During the event, Eileen talks about marketing techniques, how to make your campaign stand out, and, most importantly - what not to do.

Download the free crowdfunding guide for artists at https://entrepreneur.indiegogo.com/education/article/creative-campaign-handbook/

This podcast has been made possible with the support of Screen Ireland.

https://wft.ie/

Earlier this year, Catalyst International Film Festival in association with the Writers Guild hosted a very special panel discussing the importance of the short film script as a calling card and how writers can break through into longer forms. Introducing the 5 selected finalists in the Short Screenplay Award, 2023, the panel featured WGI Chair Jennifer Davidson, Sinéad Collopy, Ken Harmon, Aisling Walsh and Robert Higgins.

This podcast release has been made possible with the support of Screen Ireland.

https://wft.ie/

\https://catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com/

In this podcast, WFT Ireland celebrates the release of 'Women, Ageing and the Screen Industries: Falling off a Cliff?', an academic collection edited by our chair and incoming WIFT International President Dr. Susan Liddy.

WFT Ireland Project Manager Gemma Creagh talks to Dr. Liddy about this significant work which delves into the intersection of gender and age, shedding light on the challenges and contributions of women in the screen industries.

https://wft.ie/

Learn more about the academic resource Women, Ageing and the Screen Industries: Falling off a Cliff? at

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-18385-0

This online event has been made possible by Coimisiún na Meán.

Every year, Catalyst International Film Festival presents a programme that prioritises stories and storytellers currently under-represented on screen and behind the camera. In this New Voices: New Industry - recorded at this year's festival in March filmmaker and Catalyst Programme Assistant Aisha Bolaji moderates a panel of up-and-coming creatives within the Irish film industry. The lineup features Actor Martin Mahon, Director Rehan Ali, Writer/Director Elizabeth Adewusi and Director Nell Hensey.

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https://catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com/

2023 marked a very special year for Women in Film and TV Ireland. Our Chair, Dr. Susan Liddy has been elected as the Incoming President of WIFT International, an appointment that was celebrated at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.

This podcast section was recorded live at WIFT International's Future of Storytelling event. Nadean Rawlins, President of Women in Film and TV Jamaica takes to the podium, and talks about how, and why, we can do better when it comes to inclusive storytelling. During the event,

Susan caught up with Kissy Duggan. A writer, producer and activist for gender equality, Kissy is the founder of Women in Film, Television & Media Italia, where she currently sits on the board. During this discussion, Kissy gives her tips on making the most of the festival in question.

Finally, Producer & Green Film Production Expert Alissa Aubenque spoke about the future of filmmaking, how can we make it as sustainable as possible and why we as an industry need to put the environment first.

This podcast has been made possible with the support of Coimisiún na Meán.

https://wft.ie/

At Catalyst International Film Festival this year, WFT held a very special panel comprised of respected film critics working nationally and held in partnership with Screen Ireland. This talk was moderated by Gemma Creagh (Film Ireland/Arena) and featured Ruth Barton (Arena); Roe McDermott (Hotpress); Mohamed Tarek (Egyptian Film Critics Association); and Chris Wasser (Sunday Independent & Irish Examiner), reflecting on the role the critic has in the industry. Are they drawn from too small a pool? Does this impact the films reviewed and the perspective of the reviewer?

https://wft.ie/

https://catalystinternationalfilmfestival.com/

Today's podcast is from the WFT Ireland Archives and features a masterclass on Directing with Neasa Hardiman. This talk covered the editing segment and was recorded in the RTE studios in 2017.

About Neasa Hardiman

Neasa is a BAFTA-winning Director and Writer for film and television drama. Born in Dublin, she began her creative career with a First Class Honours degree from the National College of Art and Design Ireland, winning a scholarship to the Universität der Künste Berlin. Her unique engagement with art and politics led to a Master’s degree in Politics and Aesthetics at NCAD, and a PhD in Film Theory at Trinity College Dublin. Neasa deployed her potent storytelling in theatre and in award-winning documentaries, she was the youngest ever director of RTÉ’s serial drama. The creative invention of her work quickly led to award-winning dramas for the BBC, Channel Four, Amazon and Netflix.

Neasa’s currently directing Amazon and Sister Pictures ambitious political sci-fi The Power. Her most recent work, international thriller Hit & Run, reached Number One on Netflix USA. Her feature début Sea Fever screened to critical acclaim on the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival 2019. A sci-fi thriller grounded in the realities of trawler life, the film’s theatrical opening was hindered by Covid. It was released digitally across the US on April 10th 2020, becoming one of America’s top five digital downloads, then across Europe April 24th 2020, before its release in Russia, China and Australia. Neasa was recently commissioned by Dreamworks to adapt a noir thriller for the big screen. In 2017, Neasa was awarded a BAFTA for the gritty murder drama Happy Valley (BBC / Netflix), before directing the finale of noir superhero drama Jessica Jones (Marvel / Netflix). Neasa teamed with Killer Films and Amazon to direct the 1920s story of Zelda Sayre and her troubling life with F. Scott Fitzgerald, Z: The Beginning of Everything, starring Christina Ricci. Her earlier works include the two-hour story finale for BAFTA-nominated homicide thriller Scott & Bailey and acclaimed BBC six-part drama In The Club. While she was still at college, Neasa founded creative design consultancy Language Communications with Adam May. In 2015, she determined to create a pathway to the global industry for young writers and directors in her home country of Ireland, founding major new national initiative Big Stories on the Small Screen. Neasa is bilingual in German, she speaks French and Irish as well as her native English.

What opportunities are there for women writers over the age of 40? WFT Ireland is excited to present the WFT Writers Room Podcast, a space where our members can engage in conversations about the art and craft of writing. This discussion is led by WFT Chair and WIFT International Incoming President Dr. Susan Liddy, spotlighting the great work of the Writers Lab, an initiative created by Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon in 2015 to support female screenwriters over 40. But hurry with those applications – the deadline is the 15th May!

Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon co-founded The Writers Lab with Kyle Ann Stokes in 2015, and co-produce it with New York Women in Film & Television. Elizabeth and Nitza are also founding Partners of Women in the Script Trade (WIST), where they work individually with exceptional women screenwriters, and ran script development labs in NY and LA for the Athena Film Festival 2016-2020.

Elizabeth previously served as Head of Development at Tangerine Entertainment, an independent production company that produces films directed by women, and has mentored at Stowe Story Labs. A former theater and film critic and graduate of Princeton and the Yale School of Drama, she lives in New York with her family.

Nitza was formerly an actor, journalist, and magazine and book editor. She earned her BA from the Annenberg School of Communications at UPenn. In addition to her work advocating for women in film, Nitza is a writer and voice actor. She lives in New York City with her family.

This is the only program in the world devoted exclusively to script development for women writers over the age of 40.