or


[12/09/15 - 11:00 AM]
Lifetime Joins Forces with AFI to Put Female Filmmakers to Work
The AFI DWW is a workshop that has for over 40 years, committed to increasing the number of women working professionally in screen directing.

[via press release from Lifetime]

LIFETIME JOINS FORCES WITH AFI TO PUT FEMALE FILMMAKERS TO WORK

Groundbreaking Alliance with the AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women Will Place Women in Production Positions Throughout the A+E Networks' Portfolio

Los Angeles, CA (December 9, 2015) -- Lifetime and the AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women (AFI DWW) will join forces next year to create and offer production jobs for each graduate of the Institute's acclaimed program throughout the A+E Networks' portfolio of platforms. The AFI DWW is a workshop that has for over 40 years, committed to increasing the number of women working professionally in screen directing. As part of Lifetime's Broad Focus initiative dedicated to cultivating and supporting women behind the camera, the alliance with AFI symbolizes the network's commitment to make significant changes for women in the media industry. The goal of the program is to align the skills and career aspirations of each woman with an opportunity that begins to build for them solid industry experience to help launch their professional careers.

Sarah Gertrude Shapiro's success as a result of her experience within the AFI DWW provides the backdrop and the inspiration behind the alliance. Her short film, Sequin Raze, was a product of her time at AFI and the driver for Lifetime to pilot and green light the hit drama UnREAL, the network's most critically-acclaimed scripted series ever.

In addition to Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, AFI DWW alumnae and their projects created during the program have received many accolades this year. Pippa Bianco (AFI DWW, Class of 2014) was awarded the Cinéfondation First Prize at the 2015 Cannes International Film Festival for her AFI DWW short film SHARE. Sian Heder's (AFI DWW, Class of 2005) first feature film TALLULAH, based on her AFI DWW short MOTHER (also a Cannes Cinéfondation winner), will premiere in dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.

"To address what seems like an endless cycle of gender inequity in media, I believe we need to think beyond what our industry has already tried to do through mentorships and internships. We need to stop talking and start moving the needle, and one solution is to simply give women jobs. Our unprecedented alliance with the AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women is just a first step and I and hope it will inspire others to join our charge," stated Nancy Dubuc, President and CEO, A+E Networks.

"AFI has been a proud force in training female directors for more than four decades," said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. "Our graduates to date have seen great success and made great strides for women in the community, and we are honored to join with A+E Networks' Lifetime in furthering the careers of the next generation of great storytellers - in a world that needs them now more than ever."

Since announcing the Broad Focus initiative, this year to date, 42% of Lifetime's original movie directors have been women, accounting for the top five movies on the network in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54. Lifetime movies directed by women also account for three of the top five original movies in ad-supported cable with Adults 25-54, Women 25-54, Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49.

ABOUT THE AFI CONSERVATORY DIRECTING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN

Founded in 1974, the innovative and tuition-free workshop is open to women with three years or more of professional experience in the arts, providing them an immersive opportunity to learn by doing - with each participant required to complete a short film or series by the end of the program. Bios for the AFI DWW Class of 2015 can be found here. For more info visit: AFI.com/DWW.

ABOUT THE AFI CONSERVATORY

AFI Fellows make four to 10 films during their training. Graduates of the Conservatory are part of an elite group of 4,845 alumni - with 81% of AFI alumni working in the field according to a recent survey. Artists from the Conservatory have received a total of 133 Academy Award(R) nominations and 27 wins. Throughout the completed 2014-2015 academic year, AFI alumni have been nominated for 202 awards by 38 major guilds, academies and other professional associations - with 72 award wins. The AFI Conservatory offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. Aspiring artists learn from the masters in a collaborative, hands-on production environment with an emphasis on storytelling. Esteemed director, producer and screenwriter James L. Brooks serves as Artistic Director of the AFI Conservatory where he provides creative leadership for the elite film program. Proud supporters of the AFI Conservatory are American Airlines, the official airline of AFI, and VIZIO, the official home theater sponsor of AFI.

ABOUT BROAD FOCUS

Further positioning Lifetime as the industry leader in hiring and supporting women in creative roles, Broad Focus is a movement to identify and develop entertainment's best and up-and-coming creative talent with a specific lens dedicated to developing content dedicated to the female experience. The initiative's mission is to encourage and cultivate women's talent in media, scout content leaders who are creating the best female-focused stories for television and advocate and raise awareness about the need for more women in influential content making roles throughout the media landscape.

ABOUT LIFETIME

Lifetime is a premier female-focused entertainment destination dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. As a result of the network's aggressive programming strategy that has doubled the hours of its original programming, in 2014 the network reached its strongest ranking among the key Women 18-49 demo in six years and its youngest median age in 18 years. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.





  [december 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/07/25 - 03:52 PM]
FOX Sports' ALDS Coverage Up 14% Year-Over-Year Across FOX and FS1
3,187,000 viewers tuned in on average for the first four games of the 2025 ALDS across FOX and FS1.

[10/07/25 - 03:10 PM]
"College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Delivers Second Most-Watched Regular Season Episode Ever; ESPN & ABC Score Three of Week 6's Top Four Games
ABC's telecast of Vanderbilt at Alabama on Saturday averaged 6.4 million viewers.

[10/07/25 - 02:54 PM]
College Football on FOX Scores Big in Week Six
In Week 6, "Big Noon Saturday" scored 4,627,000 viewers for Michigan's 24-10 win over Wisconsin on FOX - the most-watched noon game on any network.

[10/07/25 - 02:54 PM]
ESPN Scores Most-Watched Game 1 of the WNBA Finals in 28 Years
Coverage averaged 1.9 million viewers, up 62% from last year.

[10/07/25 - 02:40 PM]
"America's Game of the Week" on FOX Roars in Week 5 as Most-Watched Telecast of the Week on Any Network
20,333,000 average viewers on average tuned into the network for Week 5.

[10/07/25 - 01:41 PM]
NBC Sports' 2025-26 Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Schedules Announced Featuring 75+ Games Exclusively on Peacock
Peacock Big Ten men's basketball schedule tips off with a non-conference tripleheader on Friday, November 7.

[10/07/25 - 12:49 PM]
FOX Sports Acquires U.S. Rights to the 2026 World Baseball Classic
FOX is set to air seven games, including three Pool B games featuring the United States team, two Quarterfinals games and the World Baseball Classic Championship Game on Tuesday, March 17 from Miami's loanDepot Park.

[10/07/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of September 29: "French Lover" Swoons at No. 1, "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" Chills in Top 10 Debut
Plus: "Wayward" reached No. 1 on the TV list for a second consecutive week, with 14.1 million views.

[10/07/25 - 11:31 AM]
Video: "Molly-Mae: Behind It All" Series 2 Part 1 - Official Trailer - Prime Video
A new chapter in her story begins.

[10/07/25 - 11:08 AM]
Friends Furrever: Prime Video Announces Cast for Upcoming Animated Series "Kevin" from Aubrey Plaza, Joe Wengert, and Dan Murphy
Series regulars include Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, Whoopi Goldberg, John Waters, Amy Sedaris, Gil Ozeri, and Aparna Nancherla.

[10/07/25 - 11:01 AM]
Netflix Gives Fans a First Look at Laboon in "One Piece" Season 2
Netflix's epic high-seas pirate adventure returns for Season 2 - unleashing fiercer adversaries and the most perilous quests yet.

[10/07/25 - 11:01 AM]
ESPN Unveils Prolific 2025-26 SEC Men's Basketball Schedule, Beginning Nov. 3
More than 200 linear games will air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network, ESPNU, ESPNews and the all new ESPN app.

[10/07/25 - 10:23 AM]
First Look at Catherine Zeta-Jones in Prime Video Revenge Thriller "Kill Jackie"
Zeta-Jones stars as Jackie Price, the glamorous art dealer whose lethal past as an international drug smuggler resurfaces when a squad of the world's most terrifying assassins, The Seven Demons, come after her.

[10/07/25 - 09:12 AM]
ESPN and the ACC Announce Men's Basketball TV Schedule for 2025-26 Season, Tipping off November 3
More than 215 games will air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, ESPNU and the all new ESPN app during the regular season.

[10/07/25 - 09:11 AM]
Kate Scott Named USA Network's Lead Play-by-Play Voice for Upcoming WNBA Coverage
Scott, who enters her fifth season as the TV play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia 76ers, will anchor USA Network's season-long coverage of the WNBA through the Playoffs and WNBA Finals.