ABOUT WIFT VICTORIA

In 1988 a group of women, Sue Maslin, Merle Thornton, Cate Kelly, Jo Lane, Deborah Boerne, Kay Hart, Deborah Verhoeven, Gretchen Thornburn, founded Women in Film and Television Victoria. This organisation developed into a hub for women in the film, television and media industry for education, networking and advocating for women’s issues in the industry.

To this day WIFT VIC is overseen by a volunteered board. The elected WIFT VIC Board, all volunteers, meet each month to plan and organise events, with one goal in mind, to support women in film, television and other screen related media.

Benefits of joining

Access to:

  • A range of relevant events; panels, Q&As, forums, short film screening events, feature film nights and more
  • Members only FaceBook page
  • Networking / collaborating with other leading women in the industry
  • Members only Newsletter
  • Discounts to most WIFT VIC events
  • Film and event ticket giveaways
  • Being part of a network that celebrates and promotes women in the screen industries
  • 20% ongoing discount with Lighthouse Rentals
  • 3 members per month recieve 30 mins free legal guidance thanks to Holding Redlich

Your membership enables our team of WIFT VIC volunteers to organise all these benefits.

Meet the WIFT VIC Board

Lauren Simpson WIFT Vic President

Lauren Simpson

President

Lauren’s film story started with a specialist study in film at California State University Long Beach. She backed that up with a Bachelor of Film and Television from Swinburne University and a MBA from the Australian Institute of Business. Her work in the industry has been varied and rewarding, working with  FilmInk Movie Magazine, Event Cinemas on George Street and, as an accomplished Service Producer, Lauren has produced high-level international content for companies all over the world. Today she’s the CEO and co-founder of Iris Arc Pictures – where she’s producing and developing several high-concept feature films, series and podcasts across the fantasy, thriller and horror genres.

Emily Booth

Secretary

Emily is a senior media and technology lawyer whose clients include film and television producers and other industry stakeholders. She advises clients in the creative and technology industries on a range of matters including their commercial and corporate needs, funding agreements, contracting of talent and protection of intellectual property. Emily is keen to contribute to WIFT given its goal of raising awareness around the representation of women on screen, something which she is very passionate about given the flow on effect it has through society as a whole.

Katie Page

Events

Katie (she/her) is an event manager in the wonderful world of film exhibition, and works alongside film festivals, film distributors and local businesses. Having worked and volunteered with a number of arts organisations and film festivals, as well as freelancing as a graphic designer and copywriter, she loves all forms of creativity but has a particular love for film and television. Katie joined WIFT Victoria as Communications Director with a passion to grow the WIFT community in a way that is inclusive, accessible and united in its enthusiasm for all aspects of the screen industry.

Laura Davidson

Treasurer

Laura is a Chartered Accountant with over 12 years experience. Previously, she sat on sporting incorporated associations and was a founding board member for a mental health not-for-profit in Sydney. Laura is keen to contribute to the financial success of WIFT Victoria for its members. She is passionate about female representation on Boards and helping women succeed.

Bec Caldwell

Website Manager

Bec moved across the country from Perth, WA in 2017 where she had worked primarily as an actor and emerging producer – she has a large body of short film and webseries work including the upcoming horror feature ‘The Unhallowed’. Bec’s day job is Search Engine Optimisation Strategist and has many years experience as a website administrator and project manager. She is looking forward to using her expertise to give back to the film community for WIFT Victoria.

Monique Mulcahy

Events Coordinator

Monique is a writer and producer from Melbourne. Having built a thriving career in commercial and scripted content production, Monique has produced a variety of live action, animation and stop motion projects. Monique co-founded the Original Content department at Pixel, a Melbourne based production company, where she has a number of animated projects in development. Monique’s love of film and flair for bringing creative people together has culminated in her heavy involvement in the local screen industry, and she recently joined WIFT Victoria as their Events Coordinator, where she’s thrilled to help bring dynamic and enriching events to female screen practitioners.

Alex Riches

(She/They) Membership Administrator

Alex is an independent filmmaker who has written and directed short films, music videos, and promotional videos for not-for-profit organisations. Since graduating from Victoria University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Screen Media, she has focused on making content that elevates the voices and celebrates the stories of the LGBTQIA+ communities. She has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 15 years in various administrative roles for Oxfam Australia and Amnesty International. She sees her work as an extension of her values and has enjoyed volunteering for the Australian Red Cross, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival over the years.

Jessica Hutchinson

Board Member

Jessica Hutchinson an award winning actor, writer, director and producer based in Melbourne, Australia.

She co-produced the international series Strings Attached, and is busy developing a number of feature films and series for 2024. She has worked as an actor for almost two decades across theatre, film, television, motion capture performance and voiceover for video games. Jess trained under Sue Maslin (Executive Producer, The Dressmaker, Japanese Story) at the Compton School’s Creative Leadership program in 2019 and participated in AiF’s UNTAPPED program in 2021. With a background in marketing, communications and events, Jess joined WIFT Victoria with a passion to give back to the industry with positive impact. She is looking forward to supporting and helping make 2024 WIFT Victoria’s best year yet.