Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Women Making History, Part 1

01/03/2024

The month of March marks Women's History Month and, on the 8th, International Women's Day. These are important opportunities to focus on stories from women in our industry who are incredible role models. As we approached this month, I reflected on how we could amplify and elevate those stories, and I connected with women who are impacting our industry with their artistry, craft, and leadership. I asked them all a series of questions, and in the process gained invaluable insights into their inspirations, the role mentorship has played in their lives and careers, advice that shapes their decision-making, and much more.

I'm thrilled to present Panavision's Women Making History interview series. I hope you'll follow along each week throughout March to learn from and be inspired by these amazing women as we share their stories in their own words.

I am truly energized by those who have and continue to pave the way for women to be the influential storytellers they are meant to be. I'm so excited to share these special conversations with you, our community.

Sincerely,

Kim Snyder (President and CEO, Panavision): What impact do you hope Women's History Month may have over the course of time?

Chris Wairegi (cinematographer and camera operator; founder, 600 Black Women): I hope we inspire future generations to do things we never dreamed of. I hope Women's History Month gives a little girl the strength and courage to chase big dreams and to not listen to anyone about what she can't do. I hope we inspire anyone in need of a little inspiration and that our presence here shows them they can do it too.

Chris Wairegi (photo by Sophia Romulo)

Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC (cinematographer): Encouraging women to believe in their strength and abilities is important. You need to see you to be you.' That's one of the best quotes Ive heard recently in regard to women mentors today. Unfortunately some of the greatest accomplishments of women in our community or around the world are not highly publicized. Its important for women to seek out other women in their industry and get advice.

I would never have picked up a camera had I not read two words: Ellen Kuras. She is the reason I started to believe that I could one day do this job. Early on I was told by someone in the business that only men were cinematographers. Ellen's name changed that for me, and I am forever grateful for her existence and amazing accomplishments.

Kira Kelly, ASC (cinematographer): I hope that more and more we can use the frame of Women's History Month to honor the women who laid the path for us, but also look towards the future.

Terra Bliss (managing director, Panavision UK and Ireland): I hope that celebrating the achievements and contributions of women will help inspire future leaders and innovators, to see people who look like them achieving success.

Johanna Gravelle (managing director, Panavision Canada): I actually hope that by highlighting and celebrating women today, these kinds of things become unnecessary in the future. I hope there will be a time when everyone is on a level playing field with opportunities and salary, where hard work and talent counts more than gender and the color of a person's skin.

Johanna Gravelle

Patti Lee, ASC (cinematographer): I really don't know how to answer this question. I'm glad the accomplishments of so many extraordinary people get highlighted, but I'm also looking forward to a time when being a woman' isn't a qualifier we have to use.

Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC (cinematographer): I hope that as we learn to recognize the incredible achievements and contributions of women, that gender equality will become less of a struggle and we will break the barriers of inequality. I hope that women will be given new opportunities and have a chance to develop more self-respect and that we lose the idea of imposter syndrome.'

Sandy Ferguson (chief human resources officer, Panavision): When I first got to the level of leading HR teams, I was usually the only female in the executive team meeting. This has changed over time, and my hope would be that business culture continues to evolve so that traditional stereotypes surrounding female leaders continue to change. I also hope that women can continue to support each other in their career growth, and by learning about experiences of women in leadership, I hope it inspires more women to believe they can be successful.

Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS (cinematographer): I hope that more women become empowered to pursue their career goals and that the industry embraces a more equal and diverse representation on set.

Laura Merians Gon alves (cinematographer): [I hope] that there will be no more qualifiers that a woman will naturally be seen in the role as a DP.

Laura Merians Gon alves

Michele Channer (business development director, Panalux; managing director, Direct Digital and Island Studios): By acknowledging the careers and journeys of women, we can inspire others to reach for their goals, whatever route that may take them. Careers are not just an upward trajectory at a steady pace. We hit crossroads and at times go off in different directions. By highlighting in Women's History Month the various journeys we make, maybe we can inspire a few along the way. I was seriously lacking role models in my career development, but now I see fabulous role models all the time. It's exciting to see, and now we can showcase them. My daughter is already an inspiration to me, and I hope that I have had a little impact on her.

Victoria Emslie (actor; founder and CEO, Primetime Network): Women's histories have received relatively none of the attention and immortalization in comparison to men. One of the questions Primetime was founded on was, Where are all the women?' We all
LINK: https://www.panavision.com/highlights/highlights-detail/women-making-h...
See more stories from panavision

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

11/09/2026

Sony To Showcase Latest Production Technology At IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

EKT To Feature New Linux-Based ATSC 3.0 STB At IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Jimmy Kimmel Shifts Political Interview to YouTube Over FCC Worries

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Remembering 9/11: 25 Years of TV Tech Coverage

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Tiger Group To Auction Equipment from a National Broadcasting Studio

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Grass Valley Launches AVORA at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Survey: Low Latency for Live Streaming Is Industrys Top Challenge

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Atomos Debuts New HDR Monitors at 2026 IBC Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/09/2026

Grass Valley Launches AVORA at IBC2026 Bringing All in On...

New standalone solution gives production teams everything they need to create, produce and deliver live content from one flexible system. Grass Valley today an...

11/09/2026

Wave Central a Domo Broadcast Company Named Recipient of...

Recognition honors the development of FPV drone camera systems for live sports broadcast coverage Wave Central, a Domo Broadcast Company that develops advanced...

11/09/2026

Teradek Launches Bolt 7 A Unified Wireless System for Zer...

Teradek, the industry leader in zero-delay wireless video solutions, announced the launch of Bolt 7, which now includes a unified wireless video and data system...

11/09/2026

ACT Pixel Academy Announces Autumn Courses

The ACT Entertainment tvONE and Green Hippo Pixel Academy has released its autumn course schedule, with hands-on training dates in September, October and Novemb...

11/09/2026

Scientists discover a new way that a disease-linked protein comes apart

LA JOLLA, CA-Transthyretin amyloid disease (ATTR) is a progressive, life-threatening condition caused when the protein transthyretin (TTR) breaks apart and aggr...

11/09/2026

Major Update to Blackmagic Cloud

Major Update to Blackmagic Cloud Brie Clayton September 10, 2026 0 Comments Blackmagic Design has announced a major update to Blackmagic Cloud which a...

11/09/2026

Dalet Helps Media Organizations Navigate the Rise of Synthetic Content with NVIDIA AI

Dalet Helps Media Organizations Navigate the Rise of Synthetic Content with NVID...

10/09/2026

First AI-Generated Golf Announcer To Debut During New Mexico Open

Duff Foreman is an AI-generated announcer who will add color to this month's New Mexico Open...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Bitmovin Rolls Out Encoder Version 3

Bitmovin is rolling out Encoder Version 3, the next major release of the technology behind its VOD and Live Encoders. Version 3 is built on a premise every stre...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Net Insight Highlights Open Live Media for Controlled Live Services

At IBC2026, on booth 1.B47, Net Insight will showcase Open Live Media, its architecture for delivering resilient live media services across networks, partners, ...

10/09/2026

PWHL, Scripps Sports Sign National Television Deal for 2026-27 Season

The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and Scripps Sports have announced a national broadcast rights agreement for the 2026-27 season, a landmark par...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Trusted Partner Network Debuts Fix It or Risk It to Tackle Everyday Security Risks

The Trusted Partner Network (TPN), the global content security initiative powere...

10/09/2026

NFL Brings Back Creator Programs to Deliver Access, Original Storytelling During the 2026 Season

The NFL is launching its most expansive creator programming yet, bringing togeth...

10/09/2026

Sportsnet Removes 150 Blackouts for More National NHL Games Than Ever in 2026-2027 Season

Sportsnet is set to deliver its biggest hockey season ever with a national sched...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: LiveU Showcases Starlink for News and Sports Broadcast as Clarus Integrated Reseller

LiveU is now a Clarus Integrated Reseller, bringing Starlink's fast, reliabl...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Mimir Develops Single Layer for Content, Metadata, AI Orchestration

Mimir is the cloud-native media production platform built for teams that need to move media fast across live, archive, web, social, and broadcast workflows. At ...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: ATSC 3.0 To Receive Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for Significant Advancement in Television Broadcasting

ATSC is being honored with a 2026 Technology & Engineering Emmy Award by the Nat...

10/09/2026

Audio-Technica Presents BP880R Contact Transducer for Immersive Sports Broadcast, Production Audio Enhancement

Audio-Technica has introduced the BP880R Contact Transducer, a specialized micro...

10/09/2026

ESPN, ION Team Up to Broadcast WTGL Starting on Nov. 8

TMRW Sports in partnership with the LPGA, today announced multiyear U.S. media rights agreements with ESPN and Scripps Sports/ION to bring WTGL, the new women&#...

10/09/2026

SportsNet Pittsburgh Honors Roberto Clemente Day With Second-Annual Live Spanish-Language Pirates Telecast

SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) in partnership with Major League Baseball and the Pit...

10/09/2026

Tennis Channel Gives Fans Options With Premium Subscription on Roku

Tennis Channel announced today its launch as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel. Tennis Channel offers viewers a single home for Tennis Channel and Ten...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform With New Capabilities

Dolby has announced major updates to Dolby OptiView, its live sports platform, ahead of IBC 2026. The updates include new AI-powered intelligence to better unde...

10/09/2026

Dalet Names Brian Doheny as CEO

Dalet has appointed Brian Doheny as CEO. Doheny joined Dalet as President and Chief Revenue Officer in April 2026. Since joining Dalet, Doheny has led the compa...

10/09/2026

IBC 2026: Sony Demonstrates Various Creative Solutions for Attendees at the RAI

Sony, as well as its partner company Nevion, is starting IBC 2026 with a handful of announcements for attendees to see on the show floor. Sony Announces the 4t...

10/09/2026

SoFi Stadium Solidifies Production Output With Multi-Layered Tech Renovation

The six-year-old venue is expanding capabilities for NFL action, Super Bowl LXI, 2028 Summer Olympics SoFi Stadium, as well as the surrounding area known as Ho...

10/09/2026

Acon Digital introduce Acoustica 8

Editing, restoration & mastering suite upgraded Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editing restoration mastering software. Acon Digital have just launched the la...

10/09/2026

Readipop & XOX open XOX Studio

Classic synths & drum machines available to play Based in Reading, UK, Readipop are a music and arts charity with a long track record of innovative, partici...

10/09/2026

Neumann launch the KH 310 II & KH 350

Popular model updated & new addition introduced With many of the models in Neumann's KH family now boasting onboard DSP and support for the company'...

10/09/2026

Arturia launch the AudioFuse Studio Rev2

Improved desktop interface announced The latest iteration of Arturia's flagship desktop audio interface has just arrived, introducing improved preamps, ...

10/09/2026

Progress needs proof: Rohde & Schwarz showcases its trailblazing test solutions at EuMW 2026 in London

Progress needs proof: Rohde & Schwarz showcases its trailblazing test solutions ...

10/09/2026

Nielsen launches CTV ad spend data into its French Ad Intel product

France launch follows UK and Germany as Nielsen expands product across EMEA Paris, France, September 10, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measuremen...

10/09/2026

Fabric Data, TMT Insights Merge to Create Fabric Insights

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/09/2026

Leading Audio Manufacturers Join Forces on Dialog Intelli...

Leading professional audio manufacturers NUGEN Audio, RTW, Steinberg and Telos Alliance have joined forces with Fraunhofer IDMT to establish a common approach t...

10/09/2026

Setplex Introduces AI Insider for Faster Smarter Video Se...

Built Into Setplex's Zapflex Platform, AI Insider Turns Video Service Data Into Actionable Insights Setplex today introduced AI Insider, a breakthrough new...

10/09/2026

sync labs to Introduce sync productions at IBC2026 Bringi...

Managed service changes dialogue without actor-specific training or facial rigging while preserving the original performance and fitting established post-produc...

10/09/2026

ACT Pixel Academy Autumn Courses PR

The ACT Entertainment tvONE and Green Hippo Pixel Academy has released its autumn course schedule, with hands-on training dates in September, October and Novemb...

10/09/2026

Orange Polska Reaffirms Its Trust in Viaccess-Orca with M...

Orange Polska continues to Rely on Viaccess-Orca for Secure TV Services and the Next Phase of its Technology Evolution Viaccess-Orca (VO), a global leader in T...

10/09/2026

Generate and create directly in your timeline with new AI-powered innovations in Premiere and After Effects

Generate and create directly in your timeline with new AI-powered innovations in...

10/09/2026

Tedial to introduce Media Business Hub at IBC 2026

Tedial is introducing Media Business Hub (MBH) at IBC 2026, a new business enablement platform designed to help media organizations unlock the full value of the...