Our Mission Statement

Women in Film & Television-Florida (WIFT-FL) is charged with building positive images of media-makers (both women and men), empowering them to achieve their highest professional/creative potential, and helping create more job opportunities throughout the State of Florida. As an organization, we will continue to search for and retain members who have a minimum of two years experience working in the film, television and digital media industries.

History of Women in Film & Television-Florida

Women in Film was founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by Tichi Wilkerson Kassel (former publisher and editor-in-chief of The Hollywood Reporter) and a group of women who represented various facets of the film and television industry. It was created to recognize, develop, and actively promote the unique visions of women in the field of communications.

The Central Florida Chapter of Women in Film (WIF/CF) was established in 1989 by a dynamic group of independent producers looking for camaraderie and support. In 1999, the chapter's name was changed to Women in Film & Television-Florida (WIFT-FL) to better reflect the chapter's membership and sponsor base. WIFT-FL's members are qualified women and men in a variety of categories - performers, producers, directors, writers, agents, publicists, photographers, and administrative and managerial personnel. WIFT-FL is part of an international network (Women in Film & Television International or WIFTI) of 40 chapters around the world. WIFTI's membership base exceeds 10,000 working professionals.

WIFT-FL is headquartered in Orlando with branches in Tampa Bay, South Florida, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Melbourne and Clearwater.

FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN (2023-2028)

Mission

• EDUCATION

• Our regular Member educational programming will continue and also develop further.  We will aim to hold at least 1 educational workshop per branch each month. 
• WIFT-FL will strive to partner and continue developing relationships with the top manufacturing and production vendors to bring Members enhanced opportunities to further their professional goals.
• We will continue to offer and expand upon Member discounts to participating film festivals, screenings, and other opportunities.
• WIFT-FL will continue to promote and elevate our current and future Members, by including them in our social media announcements (#membermonday, website features, and the like), newsletter inclusions, etc.

We'll continue to include these opportunities in our newsletter and on the Events Page on our website, so please check both for regular updates on what events and workshops we’ll be offering.

    DEVELOPMENT

• Our Development programs will continue, with high school programs throughout the state signing on as members to further the educational background and professional enhancement of their students.
• We are also creating the Project: “Two Minute Short Film Lab “created by our Daytona Beach Branch. Providing a Grant for a film festival entry.

    YOUTH PROGRAMS
    We will continue to offer our mentorship program to our partner high schools in our Branch areas by providing digital on-demand      filmmaker talks and master classes.

WIFT-FL performs its many duties equipped with A Board of Directors and approximately 400 members, with six branches throughout the state - Orlando (Chapter HQ), Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa Bay, South Florida and Melbourne.

OUR KEY GOALS:

Provide our members global competitiveness for business, investment, talent, innovation. Assist our members in economic growth and prosperity.

QUANTIFIABLE OBJECTIVES:

Objective 1: Improve employment in Florida. Create, grow and sustain a statewide database of members viable for multi-media which showcases each region’s strengths and opportunities in support of the film and entertainment industry.

Objective 2: Foster opportunities for prosperity. Support industry events, activities, festivals and film related activities.

Objective 3: Employ innovations in education to lead to increased availability of skilled, permanent workforce and higher paying jobs. Work to retain and attract top industry-skilled professionals to teach at Florida institutions. Partner with high schools and higher education institutions to offer industry exposure and experience to students.

Quarterly and Annual Industry Activities

• Workshops/Training
  
• Seminars
  
• Panel discussions
  
• Branch development
  
• Continue to identify areas throughout the state that can support a branch location
  
• Industry production support
  
• Industry business and workforce development
  
• “WIFT- Wed’s” Recruiting Events
  
• Industry marketing and promotion
  
• Business recruitment and retention
  
• Industry government liaison & training support
  
• Program development
  
• Industry communications, education and liaison services
  
• Student Membership Programs
  
• Develop school branches
  
• Scholarship support
• Student Film Festivals