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Picture this - I’m in a club (underage) with Malibu & Coke in one hand and the other I wave about as though I’m conducting an orchestra. I’m singing along to Missy Elliot’s catchy song She’s A Bitch.  That beat, the music video – you must have seen it. Everyone…

There has been, by happy coincidence, a lapse of some four months since the time I submitted my suggested subject matter for this article, Staying Positive, and my writing it. Looking back, I can’t say I was feeling particularly positive at the time. The very fact that I had even suggested…

Last year, I broke off an engagement because I would never have been able to pursue my dreams if I married my ex.  I work in three very challenging industries (film, theatre and photography) all of which require a lot of strength, determination and support. My partner needs to be…

In 2014, ISIS invaded the Sinjar Mountains, home to the Yazidi community in Kurdish Iraq. They bombed and burned the houses, killed most of the men, and captured the women and girls to be traded as sex slaves in Raqqa. In 2017, artist Hannah Rose Thomas went to Northern Iraq…

Seinfeld is lauded to be the show about nothing, but it is everything to me. A rainy day classic, able to be repeated again and again; a perfect, genre defining sitcom with the mileage to match. It first debuted in 1989, and has been gracing our screens ever since, despite…

I just love the old Hollywood movies! The Wizard of Oz, Easter Parade, Singing in the Rain, Gone with the Wind. Stars such as Judy Garland, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth and Joan Crawford exuded a sophistication that was breathtaking and memorable. Hollywood movies made a huge…

I had been working in the UK factual industry for 15 years and was a producer of a broadcast travel programme. It had always been my dream to direct documentaries. So when I asked my then boss why he didn’t hire females as directors, his answer was, ‘Women make better…

There is a scene in La La Land that sums up my career as a woman in film and TV right now.  Mia has gone back home to Boulder City after one too many rejections and Sebastian has followed her because a real opportunity has come knocking.  One of the…

I went to international school in France and I don’t remember being good enough friends with anyone to add them on msn. So when I got to uni in the UK in 2005, I found it hard to communicate with people. I didn’t really follow their cultural references (especially from…

The TV BAFTA’s took place on Sunday evening at London’s Royal Festival hall. The event was attended by some of the stars and creators of the best comedies, documentaries and dramas and as the winners were revealed, it became clear this was a great night for women. As I’m sure you already know, BBC’s Killing Eve was the…

If you are a screenwriter (or any creative who wants to work in TV), you should make it a habit to go to as many previews of new TV shows as possible. Consider it part of the job: previews are educational and fun.  There is no better way to impress…

"There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." —Michelle Obama Female empowerment is the movement to empower women to become more involved in the social, political, economical and health sectors. Because of this female empowerment is often associated with the workplace. There are a lot of pressures…

Standing in the toilet cubicle of the Telegraph offices I was trying desperately hard to catch my breath. I’d had mild panic attacks before, but this one was rather spectacular. Having returned from maternity leave only three weeks previously, I currently found myself working late into the night to turn…

It’s tough. It’s laborious. It’s draining. It’s frustrating. It’s demanding. It’s competitive. It’s a risk. It’s lonely. It’s heartbreaking. And yet, it’s all that I am and everything I cannot live without. I always knew I’d be a writer — wasn’t sure in what capacity, but I knew how writing…

I am a theatre director and am currently 6 months pregnant with my first child. When asked write a blog exploring the empowerment of women, I thought I would use this space to think about what it means to be a pregnant woman working in the arts. Being pregnant is…

When I first started out as an actress, I had no idea where the road would take me. Unlike many my family aren't in the film industry, I don't have any ties to Hollywood or successful actors anywhere in the world. My grandma is very creative having studied fashion design,…

Every woman can look into her purse and find at least one key that gives her access to something. If asked which key was the most important, most women would say the key to their home as it represents ownership or shelter, offering a place of safety after a long…

I work in horticulture - plants, gardens, soil, design.  Traditionally a male-dominated industry, it has come on a long way, but I still encounter sexism. I was at Borough Market last week and the man behind the counter asked me what I do. I told him and he uttered the…

As part of International Women’s Day 2019, we are celebrating remarkable women working in film and TV - Amanda Foster is one such woman. Having first worked as a model and actress she went on to become Britain’s only Black Female Stuntwoman when she completing her training in 1997. She…

The 2019 Academy Awards was a great night for women – all women. With the #OscarsSoWhite campaign feeling a long way behind us, it was truly remarkable to see such diverse women being honoured. The night saw an incredible first as Hannah Belcher was not only the first black woman…

The days of rushing to the TV to behold the glory of a black face on television are thankfully, well and truly over. But the new question on many of our lips is: are we finally settling into a new era of true representations of black women in the media?…

On Sunday evening British Actress Letitia Wright won the EE Rising Star Award during the 72th British Film Awards. The award is voted for by the public and she was nominated alongside Jessie Buckley, Cynthia Erivo, Barry Keoghan and Lakeith Stanfield.  During her honest, heartfelt and emotive speech the 25-year…

When we think of a black female Director, Ava DuVernay instinctively comes to mind and rightfully so as she has had a huge impact on the film industry. However, women in film are still very much a rarity, especially black female directors with a status equal to Ava. Destiny Ekaragha…

Monday 7 January 2019 saw the 76th Golden Globes award ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. As with all major awards ceremony the day after saw online abuzz, with winners, losers, surprise snubs and who wore what on the red carpet. A hot topic of conversation,…