Tema Staig is the Executive Director of Women in Media, a non-profit organization that promotes gender equality in the film and TV industry. Tema is also a production designer, an art director known for her work on feature films such as Kissing Jessica Stein and American Splendor. 

Allison Vanore is the secretary and treasurer of Women in Media. Allison is also the Emmy Award-winning producer of the digital series After Forever starring Kevin Spirtas.

TEMA STAIG

I started Women in Media in 2010 as a sort of community group. We talked about women above and below the line because there weren’t any organizations or conversations really happening about women in the below the line positions, meaning women in the crew who are in the camera, art, grip and electronics departments. There were only conversations happening about more women directors and, being a scenic artist and production designer, I knew that there are so many women in the crew and there’s only one director. So if we only aimed for one, we would never get to parity and there would never be room like myself who wanted to advance from these crew positions.




This interview was conducted by Mia Funk & Jackie Lamb with the participation of collaborating universities and students. Associate Interviews Producer on this podcast was Jackie Lamb. Digital Media Coordinator is Hannah Story Brown.

Mia Funk is an artist, interviewer and founder of The Creative Process.