The Toronto ACTRA Women’s Committee (TAWC) is committed to advancing gender equity through the creation of programs, partnerships and initiatives that foster, support and recognize women* of all diversities in key creative and leadership roles in the Canadian recorded media industry.
*Where the word female or woman is used throughout TAWC communications, this includes cisgender women, transgender women, women-identified, gender non-conforming women and others who identify themselves within the spectrum of the gender identity of a woman that may be fixed or fluid.
Co-Chairs
Heather Allin is an actor, filmmaker, artist and advocate. She is the Producer and Executive Producer for the short narrative advocacy film, Reel Women Seen. Allin is a member of both ACTRA Toronto and National councils and a past president of ACTRA Toronto. Allin served as a producer for the TAWC video, Get Women Working, and the TAWC Toolkit video series.
Tonjha Richardson is an actor, writer, activist and dance mom. Tonjha is an inspiring and passionate Speaker and Advocate of Mental Health and Sober Living. Living life to the fullest one day at a time.
Initiatives
The Nell Shipman Award honours a female producer, director, writer, showrunner, mentor or program administrator who has advanced gender equity in the Canadian film and television industry through their crew hiring practices and/or on-screen representations of women.
Developed by the Flexible Childcare subcommittee of the TAWC, the Flexible Child Care program provides ACTRA Toronto parents with flexible childcare services at the Summerhill Club at a discounted rate.
Presented by the TAWC in association with Women in View, this video provides a series of actionable steps you can take to foster representation and gender equality in the Canadian screen industry.
TAWC introduced a series of TAWC-kies, or short interviews, that celebrate inspiring women who have made/are making an impact on our industry. Watch the entire playlist by clicking the videos above.
Get Women Working: This public service video takes the entertainment industry to task for failing to represent women as they truly are and calls on women to tell their own screen-based stories.
Resources
The TAWC Toolkit Incubator was designed to give women the tools and opportunities to make films.
TAWC Toolkits
Toolkit 4.0 Marketing/Packaging Your Film for Funding: This panel discussion asks guests Katherine Barrell and Scott Cavalherio how to market and package your film project in a way that optimizes your funding raising efforts.
Toolkit 5.0 Producing Your Film: Producers Mariah Owen and Kristina Esposito walk us through the many steps of producing a short film, including exploring producing resources, ACTRA production agreements, the importance of planning and comprehensive budgeting, location scouting, hiring key crew and equipment, editing and music rights and film festival submissions.
Connect with us
Email Us Interested in joining or have a question? Please email us at: tawc@actratoronto.com.
