Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1359892
16 C I N E M O N T A G E C O M M I T T E E N E W S GUILD COMMITTEES AIM TO HELP NEURODIVERSE FAMILES Full Spectrum By Su Fang Tham T he women's committees of various IATSE guilds have long wanted to organize shared events that would benefit members across the 13 Holly- wood guilds. Last year, production designer Mi- randa Cristofani, a board member of the Art Directors Guild Local 800, contacted MPEG National Executive Director Cathy Repola and Women's Steering Com- mittee Co-Chair Dorian Harris, ACE to discuss possible ideas. After months of planning, the first such collaboration bore fruit Feb. 21 with the panel "Brain Work: Industry Parents on Raising the Neurodiverse Child." A panel of clinicians, special educa- tion advocates and psychologists shared valuable insights with more than 70 participants who joined the two-hour discussion on how parents can best navigate the various support systems w h e n i t c o m e s t o r a i s i n g c h i l d r e n with autism spectr um disorder and other neurodiversities. Production designer Denise Pizz- ini, – representing the Art Directors Guild women's committee, hopes this will be the first of many such collabora- tive efforts. "One of our goals at Local 800 is to unite the IATSE Hollywood Women's Committees," she said. "We're all part of the same community and face the same 'We're all part of the same community and face the same issues.' Participants on a IATSE Zoom call in February for neurodiverse families. P H O T O : S H A R O N S M I T H H O L L E Y