ReFrame Rise Directors
ReFrame Rise™ is a comprehensive and customized two-year sponsorship program that provides high-level endorsement and career acceleration for experienced, underrepresented directors and cinematographers who are poised to lead commercial features and high-profile television shows.
With 8 directors in its inaugural 2019-21 class, and 7 directors and 4 DPs in its 2022-24 class, ReFrame is proud to recommend all Rise fellows for current feature and television opportunities.
"They have these ambassadors, high-level executives all over the industry who’ve made this commitment to supporting this program. I credit them with helping me get the pilot for “Kung Fu.” Those people go to bat for you, make the call for you."
In sharing about the ReFrame Rise program, we aim to achieve two goals: to inform decision-makers about up-and-coming talent that should be on their hiring lists, AND to encourage the adoption of the ‘sponsorship’ model of career support across the industry.
The 2022-24 ReFrame Rise fellows include 7 directors and 4 cinematographers, all poised to level up and move their careers to the next tier with the support of their industry sponsors and the ReFrame, WIF and Sundance Institute teams.
At the ReFrame Rise site, you can view all current fellows and download information including bios, credits and representation information.
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We are very excited to support this supremely talented cohort of Directors and Cinematographers as a partnership between Women in Film and the Sundance Institute’s Women at Sundance Program. We have learned firsthand the value of the sponsorship opportunity for women artists and look forward to supporting this next group as they level up and find sustainability in their careers.
Sponsorship vs. Mentorship
Current studies show a seven to 10-year gap in the careers of women who create content. There are gender barriers at each stage of the production process that result in “drop-out” patterns that hinder women filmmakers’ traction and success in Hollywood—a pattern that has not fundamentally changed in the last 15 years.
ReFrame sponsorship differs from traditional mentorship in that it depends on a cross-company collaboration of industry leaders to select, guide, and ultimately endorse the talent—moving beyond career advice to actively landing jobs, getting director meetings, on lists, etc.
If you are interested in sponsoring a ReFrame Rise fellow, or in building your own sponsorship program for talent, please contact us.
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