Think Pieces, Help Guides, and More
Our editorial pieces are all written by female and GNC filmmakers, providing perspectives that aren’t often featured on typical film websites. From help guides, an advice column, to think pieces, these contributors each utilize media to make connections to their identities and lives in unique ways. To pitch to The Light Leaks, go to this link.
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On Screen: Analyzing the Male Gaze Present in ‘the Queen’s Gambit’
The Queen’s Gambit, follows Beth Harmon, a prodigious young woman who attempts to enter the male-dominated sphere of competitive chess. Critics have praised it for its cinematography but Dhara Patel explores how feminist a show can be when it’s still created in the male gaze.
Golden Globes History: Race and Gender Across the Years
The Light Leak is all about sharing information, inspiring, and supporting women and nonbinary filmmakers. So we took a critical look at how the Golden Globes has amplified (or not) the voices of women and BIPOC communities.
The Hustle: 6 Tools Our Team Uses to Work Remotely
At the Light Leaks, we use different virtual tools to keep us on schedule for our editorial site, graphics, social media, and events! From what we use to track graphics to how we communicate as a team, check out the apps we use to ensure we’re making TLL the best it can be.
The Hustle: What should I do if I don’t think my job is a good fit anymore?
In this edition of The Hustle, feminist career strategist, Cynthia Pong, answers the question “What should I do if I don’t think my job is a good fit anymore?” with real tips and an action plan that anyone can follow!
The Hustle: Basic Editing Tutorials
If you’re a beginner editor, check out these tutorials ALL BY WOMEN (!!!) to learn more about video editing. Each video is free, hosted on youtube, and a great place to start if you’re new to the craft!
The Hustle: Basic Screenwriting Tips
The Hustle is an advice section from the Light Leaks. If you’re a beginner in screenwriting for fiction short films, or going back to revise an old idea- this is the article for you. This easy breakdown was written by our founder, Kim Hoyos, and includes tips she’s learned from studying film, reading film books, and personal experience.
Free PDFs and Resources on Screenwriting, Film Production, and More
We created this master list of free PDFs for download because one major barrier, especially for students, women, BIPOC, and people living with a disability, is the financial barrier of higher education dedicated to film and tv. Education should be accessible. This list will be updated as more books are found and if a link is broken please feel free to reach out to us at kim@thelightleaks.com)
How Seeing Nonbinary Representation on Screen Allowed Me to See Myself
Anita Markoff is a freelance journalist and published poet, who is currently doing a Creative Writing MA in Scotland. They were able to view the premiere of Ashley by Jamie Crewe at the Glasglow film and it was the first time they’ve been able to see nonbinary representation by a nonbinary director.
The Hustle: Ways to Make Online Branding Feel Organic
Online branding doesn’t have to be intimidating, read some tips from our founder on how to make it more approachable.
The Hustle: 5 Questions Every Aspiring Producer Should Ask Themselves
Maya Korn is an NYC based producer who’s sharing her tips on what every aspiring producer should ask themselves before going into the field.
On Screen: Why Tami Taylor is a Fan Favorite on Friday Night Lights
Think you can’t find a feminist icon in a soapy teen drama? Think again- Friday Night Light’s Tami Taylor is a fan favorite for that very reason. Read Sophie Hayssen’s debrief on Tami’s influence.
My Take: Asian Representation Isn't Representing Me Yet
Marissa Domantay writes about her experiences as a Filipina creative and how Asian representation in Hollywood oftentimes means just one ‘type’ of Asian.
On Screen: Fleabag’s Portrayal of Loneliness and Spirituality
Fletcher Peters examines her own views of death and spirituality through the show Fleabag.
Creating Art in the Face of Censorship
Arsal Asal breaks down how her creativity survived through the production of a short film, filled with taboos, while in her home country of Turkey and its’ restrictive media.
The Second Life of Desert Hearts and the Difficulty of Telling Queer Women’s Stories
Queer films are overwhelmingly male- both behind the camera and on screen. Queer film criticism writer Ryan Coleman breaks down the historical importance of female directed and female focused Desert Hearts and its’ influence on Queer cinema.
Big Little Lies and the Complexity of Public Personas
Film writer Sophie Hayssen discusses the intricacies of Big Little Lies’s domestic abuse plot line through the lens of the Me Too movement’s ousting of public figures. With the manipulative tendencies of abusers to appear like good people, Sophie breaks down the complexity of public personas.
The Hustle: Starting and Finishing the Script In Your “Free Time”
Starting and completing a script can be so difficult. Who has the time to sit and write? How do you even pick what to write about? For this edition of the Hustle, Alex Hanson helps us out with her best tips for writing in your free time.
My Take: Mentorship has Changed the Way I View Collaboration
Mentorship can be tricky to find, and even trickier to keep up. Alexa Jordan shares how her relationship with filmmaker Catherine Filloux grew into a creative partnership as well. Incredible things happen when women help each other.
Merci beaucoup, Agnès
Film student, Grace Bennett writes about her love of the late Agnes Varda. Inspired to find beauty, honesty, and a story in the world around her, Grace thanks Agnes for her work and trailblazing influence for women in film.
The Hustle: Ten Things No One Tells You About Making Your First Short Film
Branded video director extraordinaire Blair Waters is used to challenges. But learning how to shoot her first short film came with it’s own unique struggles. In this edition of “The Hustle” she shares with us the 10 things to keep top of mind when shooting a short film.