Balancing the Scales: How the ELEMENT Team Is Rewriting the Narrative for Women in Film
Every person working in the industry is wary of how historically male dominated the business once was, and in some cases, continues to be. Take the Super Bowl, for example: The Big Game doubles as the unofficial advertising World Cup, brands and agencies battling it out for the biggest commercial of the year. However, in spite of the conversation surrounding diversity and equal opportunities ramping up over the last decade, the overwhelming majority of commercials at this year’s Super Bowl were made by men. This indicates that primetime creativity at this level still remains out of reach for women, despite the fact they make up 47% of the Super Bowl audience.
Evidence of gender disparity like that of the Super Bowl serve to reaffirm the lack of female representation continues to be an issue which is why ELEMENT, the full service video content company, are determined to rewrite this narrative. The Boston-based team proudly features women in prominent leadership positions across the business in hopes of setting an important precedent for the industry – eight of the core team members at the company are strong, talented and ambitious women dedicated to their craft and hungry for change.
Attuned to the changing tides, ELEMENT’s mission has continuously adapted to the long overdue developments that have continued to level out the playing field over the course of their 30 year history. Diversifying their roster, developing female talent for traditionally male dominated roles and launching a female director mentorship program are just a few of the changes the team have accomplished so far, with many more planned for the future.
This International Women's Day, LBB’s April Summers learns about the career trajectories of the women on ELEMENT’s winning team and their plans for the future. Executive producers, Kristen Kearns, Katherine Kennedy and Buttons Pham; head of production, Meriden Estes; head of post, Kim Kelley; senior editor, Kat Baker; assistant editor, Laura Green; and account coordinator, Laura Langman, open up about their their lived experiences of the industry, the changing ways in which the advertising and entertainment world defines and measures ‘diversity’, and how they intend on supporting the next generation of talent in navigating the shape shifting landscape.
LBB> How has your role within the ELEMENT team evolved since you joined?
Kim Kelley> I came on as the only post producer when I first started at ELEMENT. I supported the post department by assisting in producing projects for our clients alongside our executive producer, two full time editors and two assistant editors. We have grown to now have four full time editors, an assistant editor, associate post producer and many regular freelance editors, designers, and animators. Managing the department allows me to take part in the day-to-day of producing projects while supporting the growth of our talent, from their skills to our numbers.
Meriden Estes> I was first hired by ELEMENT in 2007 when I was just a few years out of college. I was hired as an online sports content producer for Boston.tv, covering everything from high school to professional sports. I always loved and wanted to work in sports, but it is a very male dominated industry. ELEMENT trusted my understanding of sports and one of my first big gigs involved flying by myself to London to cover the 2008 Celtics pre-season. I have fond memories of holding a camera in one hand and a mic in the other (high enough for a basketball player) while conducting interviews with Garnett, Pierce and Allen. In 2009 I was brought over to the commercial side of the company as a producer / production manager, before deciding to go freelance in 2013, continuing to produce and production manage as a freelancer with ELEMENT and other local production companies. I made the decision to rejoin ELEMENT full time in 2022 and haven’t looked back since.
Kat Baker> I’ve always been an editor since I was hired in 2009 but I have also taken on more of a mentor role for our assistant editors in recent years.
Buttons Pham> I love how much I get to collaborate with a very supportive team - they feel more like a big family than just co-workers!
LBB> How does your experience at ELEMENT compare to other work environments and why do you think that is?
Kat> Culture. The entire team at ELEMENT is a family and there is such a lack of ego. It sounds corny but it truly is a team mentality.
Kim> I’ve found ELEMENT to be a collaborative and supportive environment in an extremely competitive industry. The team that works at ELEMENT is what makes the hard work fun and the good work better. The support from leadership allows everyone to flex their creative ideas and it keeps me driven.
Meriden> I remember my first year being freelance after 6 years at ELEMENT. They mailed me a birthday card signed by everyone at the office and it made me cry. ELEMENT has an amazingly supportive culture and as a freelancer I missed that environment.
Buttons> There is so much support at Element. The check ins are so helpful to give us all an opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other and get advice. It’s a positive experience that is really helpful especially when you need someone to help or work out anything.
LBB> What aspect of your job brings you the most joy and why?
Kat> My coworkers make it fun to go to work. If you have to do anything for 8+ hours a day, it’s got to be fun.
Kim> Getting to work with a highly skilled and collaborative team is what brings me the most joy in my job. I’m excited to hear everyone’s ideas and see how things unfold and are created throughout our process.
Meriden> My favourite part of my job is feeling like I have the support to be able to do it all. I am head of production at ELEMENT, mom of a four year old, and coach of the Tufts Women’s Ultimate team. The community at ELEMENT allows me to create a budget for a project, buy milk for breakfast, take my four year old to a dentist appointment and teach someone how to throw a frisbee – all in the same week! These are aspects of my life that were much harder to balance as a freelancer.
Buttons> Getting a chance to work with really fun directors and clients. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to collaborate with people that enjoy working together – we get to laugh a lot on set.
Katherine Kennedy> As long as I can remember, I have gravitated towards creative people. I appreciate their energy, perspective, and general intention to create beautiful or interesting things. Working in the space of creative media has allowed me the opportunity to work with artists of all kinds, at the highest level. Bringing my skill set of planning and coordination to their craft results in a very rewarding job.
Laura Green> The aspect that brings me the most joy is definitely the people I work with. I am so inspired by the women here who are leaders, who have taught me so much and who have always been there whenever I've needed advice. Having that support has given me so much confidence in my work and a belief that I can one day be a leader myself.
Laura Langman> Honestly, it’s the people I work with. As a film nerd, I definitely feel like I have found my tribe. Being surrounded by such a supportive, passionate, and fun-loving group has been critical for my growth as a young woman starting out her career in this industry. I am particularly grateful to have so many strong, out-spoken women around me as role-models and mentors. Their drive and accomplishments show me my own potential.
LBB> How has the definition of diversity and the way we measure it in the industry changed in recent years?
Buttons> The changes in the industry have been so great in recent years. I have enjoyed seeing and working with more women directors and DP’s. They just have a different approach to shoots and it’s been really amazing to see women support each other.
Kat> 15 years ago being diverse was more akin to tokenism. Today, we have so many more women in positions of leadership who are surrounding themselves with talent to not just check a box but actually drive change from within.
Katherine> It’s been wonderful to see how our industry now defines diversity beyond race. Prioritising inclusion of the LGTBQ+ community, roles available to women, creating more opportunities for the talented people living on the spectrum or with special needs; all of the above has only elevated the creative and cultural aspects of our industry.
Kim> In recent years, I have noticed the industry becoming more diverse across the creative process, as well as on camera. Through organisations like Free the Bid, advertising and production companies are pushing to be more inclusive behind the camera, and I’ve also noticed castings becoming more inclusive than ever. I see more diverse candidates reaching out about entry-level positions, and the more we can support diversity at the start, the more we can grow a more diverse field of peers and creators.
Meriden> Nowadays, people are more cognizant of the lack of diversity in our industry and are taking steps to help change it. ELEMENT started a director shadowing program with Women in Film to educate and encourage local female identifying directors, which is exactly the kind of initiative we need more of.
LBB> Have you personally been involved in any projects at ELEMENT that have changed the narrative for women in the industry? If so, which project and how did it achieve this?
Meriden> ELEMENT worked with Citizens Bank to produce videos that highlight their Small Business Community Champion Award winners, creating profiles for three minority-owned, women-owned businesses in NYC that are having a positive effect on their communities.
Buttons> I recently did a shoot with a female director who is also a photographer. She is young, full of talent and was so open to suggestions from her crew. She was a fantastic collaborator and knew exactly how to take suggestions from everyone she was working with. The clients enjoyed getting to know her and it was so refreshing to see the energy all over set. The project was for Fidelity about women and money.
Kat> There’s not a long list of female editors in Boston so anytime I’m involved in any project I feel like I’m helping to change the narrative.
LBB> What is the most impactful way to balance the playing field to ensure every team member has equal opportunity to thrive?
Katherine> Two key things could help further this goal. Firstly, fostering a workplace that is inclusive of all genders, where everyone feels valued and supported, will inherently ensure women have equal opportunities. Second, addressing unconscious bias, by providing training and processes that reduce bias in hiring, promotion and overall performance review practices would also make a huge difference.
Kat> One of the most impactful moments I’ve had in an editing room was in 2005, my first year as an assistant, when I was working on a project where not only were the agency creatives women but so were the agency producer and editor. It had an enormous impact on me as a 23 year old aspiring editor, witnessing first hand that an all female group in advertising was entirely possible. It’s happened more and more in the years since, and every time it does I’m thrilled.
Kim> It would be most impactful to support and encourage women entering the industry for the first time. The more we can teach from the ground floor, taking the time to advise and mentor, the more we will find ourselves surrounded by women who want to be in our industry and who will continue to thrive in it, with the support of both men and women.
Meriden> I think it is important to recognise that many women are set back in their professions after having kids. For me, the best part of being a working mom at ELEMENT is that they understand you aren’t working and then a mom. You are doing both of those things at the same time, every day.
Buttons> Giving more women the chance to showcase their talent and not assume that anyone identifying as female should be pigeonholed into a specific genre. There are a lot of women that can shoot cars, comedy, tech, etc. – they just need to be given the chance.
Laura G> I believe the most impactful way to do this is to create an environment where women feel empowered and even have a mentor within the company that can help them navigate the pitfalls women typically face. It's not only important to give women an opportunity to thrive but also make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in those opportunities.
Laura L> While we are unlearning gender biases, as a society, we must make a conscious effort to encourage women’s voices by providing more opportunities to participate as leaders. The pressure shouldn’t be on women to speak up, but on everyone else to provide a supportive space that lets them know their voices are heard and valued.
LBB> Kristen, how do you ensure your leadership approach is supportive and encouraging of all team members equally?
Kristen> I like to think that we are a very open company. We do not like for anything to fester and we openly take on conflict and challenges in order to resolve them quickly. We have regular check-ins and, with more remote working these days, I feel that technology has made it even easier to connect than ever before. However, there has to be a balance with remote work, so we make sure to have in-person events with everyone, to give us a chance to connect as a team. A positive team culture is very important to me; I want the team to grow within their career, feeling supported professionally as well as personally.
LBB> Can you tell us a bit more about ELEMENT’s female director mentorship program and the impact it has had so far?
Kristen> We worked with Women in Film and Video New England to develop a female director shadowing program. They received many applications and we narrowed it down to two candidates. Those two women then had the opportunity to shadow a couple of our directors on projects as well as several learning sessions about our industry. Directors need a reel to get work and when starting out you either have money to make spec work or you need to know someone. Unfortunately, this excludes many people from pursuing a career in filmmaking. Thanks to the evolution of technology, producing work has become more affordable, but it is up to us to open doors and make connections, so that these new women in the industry are presented with the same opportunities that the old “boys club” used to.
LBB> In what direction would you like to see the industry expand and evolve in 2023?
Buttons> The direction that the industry is going in has been a lot more inclusive and in the last few years, I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented women directors, DP’s, gaffers and a more equally balanced crew overall. I would like to continue seeing more ethnically diverse crews going forward!
Kat> I’d like to see the industry reach out to not only colleges but high schools to show students what an exciting industry this is. We’ve all heard about the push for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in schools, why not do this for creative based industries as well?
Katherine> It would be fabulous to finally see high value corporate clients and agencies recognise the importance of supporting the true cost of production crew, equipment, locations and support materials and overhead. It would be a mutually beneficial evolution.
Kim> I want to see more diverse candidates and more diverse peers being supported in creative roles. This will allow us to tell new stories and express new ideas, and this will be reflected in the work we do and the people we partner with.
Laura G> I think the industry really has evolved so much in the last few years, I've seen so many more women in leadership roles or positions typically held by men, it feels like there are more opportunities for women and I would love to see that continue in 2023.
Meriden> We recently created a commercial for a client that casts the most diverse group of talent: people of different ethnicities, sexualities, ages, and abilities. I hope to be able to work on more projects that showcase the entirety of society in such a positive light.
Laura L> As our company is more than 50% women-led, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many projects driven by teams of women. I’m excited to see even more of this in 2023 as the industry continues to evolve and place more women-identifying individuals in leadership roles.
Kristen> I would love to see greater representation across all genders and races in this industry – we have made steps forward but we still need to do better. A lot of that change will need to come from the brands. Brands are all about diverse representation in front of the camera, but that needs to extend to what happens behind the lens as well.
