I just realized I haven’t formally invited the entire internet to a panel I’m putting together at this year’s NAB Show. After reading my Sexism in Post article, Adobe reached out to see how they could help the visibility of women in the industry. Long story short, I’ve been working on this for the last two months.

So hear this: if you’ll be coming to Vegas this April, please spend an hour and a half of your time at this discussion. It will be open to anyone holding any NAB badge even though its home is within the Post Production World conference, and I’m thankful to PPW for making arrangements to allow a wider audience into the room. Seating will be limited (as it is at every conference), but please put this on your schedule and make it a priority.

“Working Together to Close the Gender Gap in Post Production”

Monday, April 13th | 5PM – 7PM | Room N252

The first hour(ish) will be a panel discussion. The next hour(ish) will be a mixer and meet-up with drinks and such (thanks to Adobe!) where attendees can meet panelists and other attendees and continue the conversation.

Moderated by Amy DeLouise, the panel features me, Ellen Wixted (Adobe Senior Product Manager), Megan McGough Christian (Production Manager, PBS Frontline), and Siân Fever (UK-based freelance editor).

Just 18% of editors in Hollywood and beyond are women, yet media programs are approximately 50-50 male-female. The visibility of women in producing and coordinating roles is often cited, but there is an undeniable gender gap in technical roles — editing, visual effects, or sound design — and that gap has only widened since the 1970s. By working together to understand the root of these issues and committing to make changes, women and men can make a significant impact that will move our industry forward. This panel will discuss the impact of gender equality in the post workplace, strategies for recognizing and un-learning our own internalized sexism, and how we can all work together to adjust hiring practices and erase gender biases in order to ensure the future of women in all post production roles.

Topics include:
• The gender gap in video post-production – why did it happen and how can we work together to fix it?
• Casual sexism affects everyone in ways they don’t realize and it’s difficult to detect. How can we recognize the patterns and work to eliminate it?
• Committing to hiring and mentorship practices: what can both men and women do to ensure the future of women in post?
• The visibility of women within the industry, and how it affects the next generation
• Discovering your own gender bias – how women can avoid selling themselves short in the workplace, and how men can support them