Women in Media Celebrates Catherine Hardwicke, Cynthia Pusheck, Kathryn Bostic, and Shawn Holden at Annual Holiday Brunch in Los Angeles

    LOS ANGELES, CA, December 13, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Women In Media is hosting their annual holiday brunch at The Sportsmen's Lodge in Los Angeles on December 15th. It will be a luncheon and panel Q&A toasting Catherine Hardwicke (Director / Production Designer), Cynthia Pusheck (Cinematographer), Kathryn Bostic (Composer), and Shawn Holden (Production Sound Mixer).

Toastmasters include John Simmons (Cinematographer), Allison Kelly (Cinematographer), Tamika Lamison (Producer / Director / Writer), and Starr Parodi (Composer).

Catherine Hardwicke is a Sundance Film Festival Directing Award winning Director and Production Designer. Her credits include Twilight (2008), Thirteen (2003), and Lords of Dogtown (2005) among many others. When asked if she felt a shift in the industry towards inclusion and diversity, Catherine said, "Percentages of women directors are up in television, film, and film festivals… but now we need higher quality opportunities with adequate budgets and more support so that more women will be nominated for top awards like the Golden Globes and the Oscars. Onward!!!"

Cynthia Pusheck is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers and is a co-chair of the ASC Vision Committee. Her credits include Sacred Lies (2018), Good Girls Revolt (2016), and Revenge (2011-2015). "It's an amazing time in the industry right now, with so many more opportunities for women and people of color as producers and others push to diversify the work force. But we still need to prove everyday that we've earned our place by coming in trained and ready for those opportunities. That's the best way to fight things such as backlash and pay parity issues, and it helps pave the way for others! And that's one thing that I really love about Women in Media — they work hard to train, encourage, inspire and give a helping hand to their members so that they'll be ready to make the most of every opportunity. The many events they hold help both those just starting out and also those looking to expand or grow their skills and contacts. I wish I'd had a resource like this back when I was starting out!"

Kathryn Bostic is an award-winning Composer whose credits include Clemency (2019), Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019), and Dear White People (2014) among others. Kathryn was recently nominated by the SCL Awards (Society of Composers & Lyricists) for both Outstanding Score for an Independent Film and Outstanding Original Song ("High Above the Water") for the documentary, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I am. Kathryn said, "I so look forward to being in the company of women I admire, brought together by an organization, which strives to champion and lift us up, and to increase our visibility and our opportunities. An event such as this gives us the chance to reflect on the past year; on the hurdles we have overcome, and the ones we still face. I am proud to have my individual achievements recognized, but more than that, I would like us to acknowledge and celebrate our collective force in this industry."

Shawn Holden, CAS (Cinema Audio Society) is a Production Sound Mixer known for her work on The Mandalorian (2019), Nightcrawler (2014), and But I'm A Cheerleader (1999) among many others. When asked what needs to be done for women to have equal opportunity, Shawn stated, "First and foremost we need to get more women interested in the "non-traditional" below the line jobs. At the very least educating women that these jobs are an option for them. Grips, electrics, dimmer board operators, visual effects, sound people, etc... More women are joining the sound department, as well as these other departments everyday but we still need access to more training and practical experience for those coming up."

For more information on this event, please go to https://womennmedia.com/event/holiday-brunch-2019/

Women In Media is a 501(c)(3) that encourages gender balance in film and entertainment industries by providing networking, professional development, and advocacy for above and below the line women and all genders that love making movies with them. Women In Media is an intersectional group of women and woman identifying crew members in the film, television, and new media industries. They are known for their female crew list, #HireTheseWomen lunches, and their CAMERAderie Initiative. For more information on Women In Media, please go to www.womennmedia.com.

# # #