About a few years ago I had an idea for a show. I'd never made a film and my professional life had nothing to do with the arts but I wrote the pilot and somehow someone added me to the [PANO] group and just the mere fact of being exposed to such an active and passionate supportive group of filmmakers propelled me towards believing that I could actually make this script come to life. Skip to a few years later, I won a grant to finish the first season of my show and I found an incredible team through NYCWF! Couldn't have done it without y'all! Thank you for the workshops, the supportive community, and the amazing moderation!

Because Cidney Hue shared a screenwriting submission opportunity on [PANO], my first feature screenplay was chosen and optioned by an LA based production company. The film is currently being packaged by a Top 4 agency, and production is adhering to WGA rates and standards. I couldn’t be more grateful for this career changing opportunity, which wouldn’t have been possible without Cidney’s support and constant desire to push women forward in this industry.

I gained so much from this community such as: 1. working on a film set with all female identifying women for the first time. 2. hiring and befriending more female crew members. 3. gained a lot of work and insight through our shared resources including those of their monthly workshops and meet & greets. 4. co-hosted my very first writer's roundtable that helped me seperately co-found a writing group called, "Black Out Writers". They have an exceptional team ensuring that everything is fair, clear, fun and most of all respectful. Meeting with other like minded serious filmmakers has aided me in my career in unexpected ways. I love this community and continue to advocate and spread their mission and love to anyone I know.

Having been in the film industry for over 20 years, I can honestly say that there has never been a resource like [PANO] before. Not only does it offer a network for finding crew and resources, but it gives women filmmakers and crew members a community to lift each other up. Early on in my career there were so few successful women in the industry that the competition was cutthroat and women didn't support each other for fear that they would lose out themselves. This group is proof that that attitude has changed and we are now shifting the future of gender balance in filmmaking for the better, together.

When I was working in NYC for a production company, I always sourced my freelance crew members first from this group and the women I hired were always reliable and amazing. Because of this group, my sets were primarily women; and on top of closing the gender gap behind the screens, my crews always enjoyed working on my sets because of the set culture I fostered, and what I knew about pleasant, lovely and open set cultures were from members and posts from this group!

I am beyond grateful for the community, opportunities, and workshops that [PANO] has created. I cannot express the inspiration I have gained from being around such a diverse and empowered group of women. Within the group, there is no question too small, no challenge too great, and no dream too big. For a long time, I never conceptulaized that I could be the one behind the camera telling stories. Not even a year after participating within the community, I had the courage and vision to start my own production company. I am beyond grateful for the generoisty and the tenacity of the [PANO] Community. Thank you.

I love how the [PANO] group has helped me grow my network. During a recent 72 hour film challenge, I put out a call in the group and had hands raised from a DP, Editor, Composer, PAs, Gaffer, Grip, and more who were excited to join our team. I loved working with our amazing female crew and the film we created “olivia wears a bear hat” took home 3 awards for the challenge! Since, my company has brought in numerous [PANO] collaborators on projects from corporate video shoots to short films. I truly appreciate the professional community [PANO] has built and continues to foster. I cannot wait to work with more talented group members in the future!

I had a wonderful experience at the Writers Roundtable! The feedback I got on my script from writers of all different genres and backgrounds was very valuable, as was getting to hear everyone else's work. Most importantly, the sense of community is profound. After the Roundtable, a few of us connected and we have been having informal weekly meetings at coffeeshops to write together, chat, and support each other.

Just a quick note to say thank you for all you have done for female and non binary filmmakers in NYC. I'm quickly approaching maternity leave and I won't be working for 2 months, and this is something I didn't allow myself with my first child. But because of your community, and because of the opportunities you provide us, I'm not scared of missing out, or of claiming the time I need to heal. Once I'm able to join the workforce again, I find comfort in knowing that I can always look to the [PANO] Network and begin applying for positions and collaborating with other artists again. So, thank you. I'm so glad you exist!

I became friends with two women from the group who became close collaborators of mine. They have become pillars of my creativity and vice versa, and I can't imagine the projects I shot this year without them. One of them even DP'ed a dance series I directed with all women of color! Something I'm constantly looking for are WOC artists -- I feel like [PANO] is rife with us. There are so many WOC filmmakers in this group that aren't given chances elsewhere to thrive, but on the sets I've created and attended from this group, I've watched all of us grow to our full potential.