By: Liz Lovern
The WIFV/TIVA Holiday party was held Monday, January 26th in the midst of awards season. Instead of “Who are you wearing?” the topic of conversation among the 180 attendees at the Harman Center for the Arts was “What are you working on?” Here’s a quick rundown:
Producer Abigail Sharon recently completed her independent documentary “Rudy & Neal Go Fishing” about an American veteran suffering from PTSD who uses fishing as rehabilitation. Abigail is on her way to the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to screen her documentary and regrets not better utilizing WIFV’s documentary resources.
Cameraman John Wetmore stays busy producing his long-running public television series “Perils for Pedestrians” that examines the issues affecting those who would rather walk than drive. A dual member of WIFV and TIVA, John tries to attend every event because it’s a great way to network with his peers and cast people for his show.
Former WIFV Board member Paige Gold is excited about starting her new style of casting agency, Triple Threat Talent. Using her former skills as an L.A entertainment lawyer, Paige wants to bridge the gap between the highly skilled actors in Washington, D.C. and producers who are casting for their projects.
As TIVA’s Government Liaison, Todd Clark works closely with WIFV Director Melissa Houghton addressing the needs of the media community when legislation is under consideration by City Council. Todd is also working on increasing the number of WIFV members involved with the TIVA-DC Peer Awards, either to receive awards or participate as judges. The Peer Awards is not a competition, but an acknowledgment and celebration of the exceptional quality work created in the mid-Atlantic region.
Instead of golden globes or bronzed statues, some attendees were awarded prizes that focused on furthering their careers. Emily Welthen received the Carolyn’s First Decade Fund award, created to advance and support the careers of media professionals working in their first decade. The Fund was established in memory of Carolyn Projansky who was a long-time WIFV member and documentary filmmaker dedicated to mentoring young filmmakers. Most notable among the door prizes was a class donated from the nation’s premier digital media training center Future Media Concepts.
Women In Film & Video (WIFV) and the Television Internet & Video Association (TIVA) are individual organizations started in the 1970s serving the needs of the media production community in the Washington/Baltimore area. When these two organizations come together, everyone wins.
