About Us
Founding
Women of Cinematic Arts (WCA) was founded in 2005 by a group of students, faculty, and alumnae who felt that female filmmakers were grossly underrepresented in the entertainment industry. This was before the current media spotlight on inequality in Hollywood, so efforts to make a change were not as visible. Our founders felt that real change would have to come from the root — film school. If women were able to find and make connections there, they thought, they would be more likely to have a network once they graduate. SCA’s current undergraduate population, for example, is fifty percent female.
Since then, WCA has held regular events such as workshops and screenings, and invited guest speakers. Our goal is to support diverse voices and to create a feminist community of filmmakers.
Mission Statement
Women of Cinematic Arts is a collective of female and gender-nonconforming graduates of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Through an engaging slate of professional and social programming, we offer opportunities for our members to band together, support each other from graduation to retirement, and dismantle inequality in the entertainment industry.
“The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.”
Values Statement
As intersectional feminists, our mission is not limited to dismantling gender inequality, but all forms of inequality that impact our membership. We are committed to the equal hiring and pay for creators of underrepresented backgrounds, including race, color, nation of origin, citizenship status, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, and socio-economic status.
We support a living wage and improved conditions for all workers. We support unionization. We support anti-gatekeeping efforts and the removal of barriers of entry to the entertainment industry.
We support sustainable and environmentally friendly production practices. Our mission is for our membership to band together to find success and to change the industry for the better. Every member must feel welcome and included, and we are committed to consistent education and improvement to achieve this mission.