Celebrating the women of Silverback #IWD2024

8th March 2024

On this, International Women’s Day, we recognise the contributions of the incredible women at the heart of Silverback Films and Studio Silverback. We couldn’t tell the incredible stories we do, without the leadership, passion, and unique perspectives of women.

This year’s theme is #InspireInclusion, while the official theme of the UN observance of the day is ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’. We asked a few of our team, what this year’s theme means to them and to share advice for other women working in TV and film…

Name: Elly Salisbury
Job title: Deputy Director of Production
Company: Silverback Films

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

For me, it’s a simple message about recognising and celebrating the work we have done, whilst acknowledging that we still have a way to go on our journey towards gender equality. That work is a shared responsibility and can, and should, begin now.

Reflecting on your journey, what barriers or challenges have you encountered due to gender bias, and how have you overcome them? What advice would you offer to other women facing similar obstacles?

Like all women, I’ve been on the receiving end of office ‘banter’ and casually sexist remarks in previous roles and am acutely aware that I have often been the only female of influence in a room or during a meeting… I think it’s important to remember that you can only ever control yourself and the actions you take; how other people perceive you, or treat you, is often beyond your influence. However, I would suggest it is essential to constructively challenge outdated, illogical, and openly sexist behaviour. There is never an excuse for it and the world, at last, is beginning to cotton on.

I also think it’s hugely important to encourage, support, advise and create pathways for other women and I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do that in my current role, but women influence women (and men!) wherever they work, in whatever position. I’d advise any woman in the workplace to recognise their power and use it positively – this absolutely isn’t about closing the door to equally brilliant men but recognising that everyone deserves to have a seat at the table. And we all benefit from that.

Name: Mae Dorricott
Job title: Underwater Researcher
Company: Silverback Films

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

This year’s theme recognises we are still waiting for the true blossoming of our society. Women bring unique perspectives, knowledge, and innate skills to the table, but access and attitudes to that table still need to change. To thrive, we need bespoke spaces and opportunities that empower women to access their full potential.

I’ve grown up within the scuba diving community which is a male dominated industry. I’ve been on shoot locations as the only female and there have been occasions where I’ve been underestimated or had my opinions shut down. The way I deal with it – prove them wrong. Whether that be subtly cracking on with the task or standing up firmly against bigotry. No doubt, it’s frustrating that the default isn’t instant respect that my male peers receive – but my advice to others is to believe in yourself and be a rallying voice for other women around you. By cultivating a supportive community, we can engender confidence, reinforce that our voices are valid, and our presence is vital.

Name: Jane Hamlin
Job title: COO and Director of Production
Company: Silverback Films

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

For me this is about actively putting processes in place within the company such as flexible working hours, removing the pay divide, to enable women to have a family if they wish AND a great career. To do this, we need to take down barriers that make career progression hard for women in the industry so that they don’t have to choose between having a career or a family or having to work doubly hard to have both.

Things have moved on considerably since I started my career but there’s still a long way to go and as a woman in a position to do that within Silverback I will keep empowering and helping women to move up as far as they wish to go.

During my career I have worked in roles that were mainly male dominated so I would always spend the first part of the job gaining the trust and respect of the male members of the location crew around me – something sadly a man in that position, at that time, didn’t need to do.

Things are so much better now but I would advise any woman facing situations like that to remember they deserve to be there so rise above, stand proud and do an amazing job. The very reason you are in that position in the first place.

I would also say don’t be afraid to call out any gender bias behaviour. Thankfully the world is moving forwards but to continue in that direction we all need to work together to create a fair and equal space.

Name: Helen Healy
Job title: Head of Production
Company: Studio Silverback

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

To me, investing in women, means prioritising a robust support network, providing tailored resources and ensuring equal opportunities in both the workplace and beyond. It involves recognising their potential, empowering women with a network of safety and fostering environments where their voices are heard, and everyone’s contributions are valued. By doing so, we enable women to surpass previous generations and help level up the playing field in the workplace.

In my leadership journey, I’ve faced gender bias challenges including underestimation and lack of recognition, from both men and women. However, I’ve remained resilient and sought supportive environments, aligning myself with companies and leaders committed to diversity which has been crucial for my growth. Women face many challenges through their career and it’s important that they have the support and recognition they deserve to maintain their invaluable contribution to the industry. My advice to other women facing similar obstacles is to seek supportive networks and remain confident in their abilities. Together, we can overcome these challenges and create and foster a more inclusive workplace.

Name: Tawana Gandiyah
Job title: Logger
Company: Studio Silverback

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

Investing in women to me means providing trusting and supportive environments for women to grow, feel confident in their abilities and to strive for their dreams that may conventionally feel inaccessible. This will be positively reflected in young girls of the future who will feel empowered to do the same!

As a young woman, I have faced challenges growing up when it came to deciding what I wanted to do career-wise. I often found that studying Zoology, men did not always take me seriously, questioned my academic ability and assumed that I was not ‘outdoor-sy’ enough. This created a lot of self-doubt, meaning I struggled to believe I could strive for a career in natural history.

However, having an amazing network of family, friends and people in the industry has really helped to constantly remind me of the importance of breaking stereotypes, and that my skills are a testament to how far I have come so far. My advice to other young women would be to not be deterred by a lack of representation in your dream career, especially within creative industries or STEM. Having the courage to pursue your passions is so powerful and will inspire more people than you know to believe in their abilities and create positive changes moving forward!

Name: Claire Sharrock
Job title: Producer / Director Team Impact
Company: Studio Silverback

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in women: Accelerate progress, what does this mean to you?

Along with the more obvious types of investment, I would hope it also means investing time. Time to understand how the women on your team operate, how they communicate their ideas and how that can affect the dynamic of your team. Investing in women means developing a culture where they can flourish alongside their male colleagues.

Like most women, at many times stages of my career I’ve been talked over, talked down to, underestimated – and had to stomach a lot of sexist language and unconscious bias.
Early in my career, I bit my tongue, put my head down and just tried to crack on and ignore it. But over time and as my experience grew, I learnt that it is serving no one to do that.

Thankfully things have changed a lot over the last two decades, but there are still a lot of challenges for women, particularly as leadership in many companies is still very male dominated.

My advice is to speak up for yourself – and, just as importantly, for other women. It’s not about confrontation, but about clearly and articulately raising an issue if it’s something that you feel strongly needs to be addressed. It can be scary to do so, but it is usually worth it. Change comes when we speak up.