So, a funny thing happened when we were seeking a trademark for our organization. We stumbled into something amazing and needed in the space of film and television production.
The first name that we sought out for House of Apis was refraME and during the application process we learned that another organization had submitted something similar only a few weeks before us. That application was on behalf of a partnership between the Sundance Institute and Women in Film, Los Angeles. Together they were building an initiative called ReFrame with a goal of “mitigating bias during the creative decision-making and hiring process, celebrate successes, and measure progress toward a more gender-representative industry on all levels.” Currently they have three programs they offer to accomplish this goal.
This is a mark of distinction for projects that have demonstrated gender-balanced hiring that is presented in partnership with IMDbPro. The criteria was developed with the ReFrame Ambassadors, producers, and other industry experts. The Stamp is awarded annually to Feature Films and Television content.
Follow these links to learn more about the criteria and winners to date.
ReFrame Rise® is co-presented with HULU and is a two-year sponsorship program providing high-level endorsement and career acceleration for experienced female directors. ReFrame shares “current studies demonstrate that there is a 7 to 10 year gap in careers of women who create content. There are gender barriers at each stage of the production process that cause “drop-out” patterns that hinder women filmmakers’ traction and success in Hollywood – a pattern that has not changed in the last 15 years.” Check out the Director Bios and the ReFrame Rise Booklet.
And lastly, they have created the ReFrame Culture Change Handbook as a guide to address bias within the film, TV, and media industry.
House of Apis® applauds the work that ReFrame is doing to address historical gender biases in this industry and recognize and reward those that take a balanced approach to hiring and casting decisions in front of and behind the camera. If we were going to lose a trademark to anyone…this seems like a pretty awesome space and organization to lose out to. Good luck on your mission ReFrame!
Also, check out the films and television suggestions from House of Apis® in the “What We’re Watching” section of The Hive. Many of our selections came from the ReFrame Stamp recipients.
