Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1382552
A screen grab from the Women's History Month event. 24 C I N E M O N T A G E C O M M I T T E E N E W S editing to directing. WSC Co-Chair Josie Azzam followed with an interview of Kate Hackett, Emmy recipient and ACE Eddie Award nominee for her editing work on the popular Netflix documentary series, "Cheer." While the recently released MPEG Diversity Survey was top-of-mind for many speakers and listeners, Hackett pointed out that the latest study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University shows that only 35% of docu- mentary editors are women. Still, the various perspectives allowed for attendees to learn more about the storytelling process from beginning to end—and how the women of the Guild play important roles at every step. There was a sense of pride in their collective achievements, evidenced by the enthusi- astic comments and questions in the chat box on Zoom. "I confess I did not know exactly what a story analyst did!" one member wrote, while Levy later added, "Joan you are a natural interviewer! And Robin, your clip was perfect! It showed how nuanced the addition of music is to the emotional tone," as Joan Sobel, ACE, interviewed Robin Whittaker about her music editing on critically-acclaimed projects such as the 2015 Academy Award-winning docu- mentary, "Amy." Other fascinating insights came from VFX editors Sharon Smith Holley, Foley artist Alyson Dee Moore, and sound ed- itors Bobbi Banks and Ivonne Loyola, who also provided the graphics and backgrounds for the event. The WSC closed the event with Whit- taker's interview of Anna Behlmer, the first woman to be nominated for an Acad- emy award in the Sound Mixing category and an artist whose work has received a total of 10 Oscar nominations. "I think that the future is bright for women," Behlmer said, adding that a push for diversity and more opportuni- ties in streaming are helping to change t h e p a t h fo r wa rd fo r o t h e r u p - a n d- coming re-recording mixers and other editors in the future. Mollo closed by saying she hoped this would be the first of many more events like it. Given the high level of engage- ment, the WSC hopes to make this an annual event that would bring even more women from diverse backgrounds and classifications together in conversation and celebration. " V i s i b i l i t y i s s o i m p o r ta n t ," s h e s a i d . " S t e p p i n g i n t o t h e l i m e l i g h t doesn't come easily for everyone, but by shining that light on each other, we help other women to see us, and find their own way." ■ Kristin Marguerite Doidge is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.