NBC picks ten directors to mentor finalists in 'Female Forward' initiative aimed at putting more women in director's chair
NBC is putting more women in the director’s chair with the announcement of its inaugural class for Female Forward, the network’s annual initiative founded last August by then-president Jennifer Salke that gives female directors a pipeline into scripted television.
The 10 directors selected as finalists and the NBC series on which they have been paired are Rebecca Addelman (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Daniela De Carlo (“Chicago Med”), Lee Friedlander (“Good Girls”), Heather Jack (“Superstore”), Katie Locke O’Brien (“A.P. Bio”), Ramaa Mosley (“Blindspot”), Olivia Newman (“Chicago Fire”), Monica Raymund (“Law & Order: SVU”), Lisa Robinson (“The Blacklist”) and Christine Swanson (“Chicago P.D.”). Chosen from among more than 1,000 applicants, the Female Forward finalists represent a diverse group of experienced women who have helmed a range of projects including award-winning films that have been official selections at Tribeca Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival, among others.
Launched last year, Female Forward aims to increase female representation in the director’s chair by providing talented female directors with the experience and connections they need to launch and sustain their careers. Finalists will shadow experienced TV directors on up to three episodes of the NBC series in which they have been paired, culminating with an in-season commitment to direct at least one episode.
“As executives who have consistently been working to get more female directors on our shows, it’s so meaningful that one of our first big acts as co-presidents is to officially welcome this inaugural class of talented directors to the NBC family,” said Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents, Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment.