INSIGHTS FROM WOMEN IN VFX LEADERSHIP

by NAOMI GOLDMAN

What are the pathways for women to ascend to positions of leadership in the visual effects industry?  How can we build the next generation of leaders?  And what can our industry do as a collective to uplift and support women from diverse backgrounds?

Mentoring and guidance are all a part of having a successful career, but at the core – work your ass off.  – Chrysta Marie Burton, Senior Vice President Physical Production & Visual Effects, Paramount Pictures

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we are proud to showcase our VES panel with four extraordinary women leading the charge in visual effects, who shared their insights and ideas on the state of women in VFX leadership.  Lending their voices to this dynamic conversation: moderator Lisa Cooke, VES Board Chair Emerita; Janet Lewin, Senior Vice President, Lucasfilm VFX & General Manager, ILM; Chrysta Marie Burton, Senior Vice President Physical Production & Visual Effects, Paramount Pictures; and Kathy Chasen-Hay, Senior Vice President of Visual Effects, Skydance Productions.

Lisa Cooke:  In reflecting on your vibrant careers, share with us your pathway to leadership in the industry and your origin story in the workforce.

Chrysta Marie Burton: After graduating from USC Film School, I started in TV animation at Sony and Nickelodeon. But my life-changing event was when my resume landed on Janet Lewin’s desk at ILM…and so it is amazing to be on this panel with her today.  My first big opportunity was opening ILM in Singapore, where we built a team and grew it from the ground up.  Back then, I think we would push women off the cliff before their wings started flapping and hoped they would fly.  I was fortunate to have exceptional women role models – and because of them, I learned how to help nurture the next generation.

Janet Lewin: I just got my R2-D2 pin for being at ILM for 30 years, and I’m so proud of this achievement.  The visual effects field is always evolving with new venues for growth.  I started in the purchasing department as a temp, and since I always aspired to be in the film industry, I was happy to get my foot in the door.  I wove my way through the organization, always saying yes to opportunities. I sought out great mentors, and I could see myself in these women, who helped me to move forward.

We should lean in to the unique strengths that women can bring to the job, as consummate multi-taskers and collaborators. – Janet Lewin, Senior Vice President, Lucasfilm VFX & General Manager, ILM

Kathy Chasen-Hay:  I started my career at KCET-TV and realized quickly that I wanted to be hands-on.  As a photographer, I think I was always doing visual effects in some way.  I was a traffic coordinator at a digital production house, then a VFX editor and compositor for half of my career. I transitioned into VFX producing as a mom with three young kids – all as a self-taught VFX producer. All of the big moments in my career were thanks to women who were my champions. There are so few women VFX supervisors, so mentoring younger women is an integral part of my journey.

Lisa Cooke: What other advice would you give to young women to advance their careers and to set their expectations about working in this field?

Chrysta Marie Burton:  The reality is that these jobs are not easy.  It can be glamorous when a project reaches completion, but it is hard to get there and it takes sacrifice.  It is a competitive field and the best push through. Mentoring and guidance are all a part of having a successful career, but at the core – work your ass off.

Janet Lewin:  Our structure on the facility side is very much based on how men work, so there are barriers for women, perceived or real.  It means that women need to advocate and take a chance on themselves and rise above imposter syndrome and know what they really want.  Ideally, companies should offer stretch assignments, part-time or job-sharing roles, because family responsibilities fall largely to women.  We should lean in to the unique strengths that women can bring to the job, as consummate multi-taskers and collaborators. At ILM, I created a platform for women to convene and inspire each another, and figure out how to solve problems, together.

Kathy Chasen-Hay:  Very often, women go through their lives and careers trying to make people comfortable and happy, and apologize for their choices.  I want to tell other women to unapologetically take their seat at the table, voice your opinions and own your power. Too many of us were told to not speak up, and it is especially challenging when you are the lone woman in the room. Assert your presence and your authority.  I say – you can have it all and you deserve it all.

Janet Lewin:  It is also about developing allies with men.  It has been encouraging for me that a lot of men showed up at our ILM women forums to learn and to help.  We need that meaningful collaboration to break patterns and forge new solutions.

I want to tell other women to unapologetically take their seat at the table, voice your opinions and own your power. – Kathy Chasen-Hay, Senior Vice President of Visual Effects, Skydance Productions.

Chrysta Marie Burton: I advocate for women to speak first at the table and command that attention and authority early.  We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Not everyone has this innate skill set, to operate assertively in a system not built for women.  So I try and teach those confidence-building soft skills.  And I strategize when casting and crewing a show to factor in the lives of the professionals in our talent pool – especially those with families – to set them up for success.

Lisa Cooke: Where do we stand today with women in the industry?  What kinds of programs do you feel could help further advance women in the workforce and what are your companies doing? 

Janet Lewin:  Everyone has to be on board with investing in the future.  We need to formalize our vision and make it actionable.  That means formalizing mentorships, apprenticeships, listening sessions, stretch assignments.  At ILM, we are trying to break the catch-22 about not always hiring a supervisor who has been a supervisor before and just drawing from the same talent pool.  We aim to be transparent about what it takes to be considered for a supervisor role and then as ask our producers and leaders to take chances and give opportunities to rising talent.

Chrysta Marie Burton: Our supervisor pool is aging and we keep making the same calls.  We have tried co-supervisor situations and look to create some flexible opportunities, where women with families can bring them on location.  I know how to be a producer, because someone walked me through it – the high-level responsibilities and the day-to-day details.  We need a broad embrace of hands-on guidance for our next generation to grow our talent pool – systematically.

Kathy Chasen-Hay:  I have taken more than a few project managers and brought them up to producer, because we I was willing to take a chance on them.  Mentoring is so many things, including demonstrating how we look at things 360-degrees.  Skydance is committed to diversity and giving women directors opportunities to ascend.  Diversity of life experience and creative vision is good for the workforce and the health of our companies.

Lisa Cooke: The strong messages from our women in VFX leadership are to: invest in and hire for potential; demonstrate and formalize mentoring programs; take chances – as leaders and as aspiring practitioners; take your seat at the table and assert your voice; and forge alliances to build collaborative solutions to create a more equitable and diverse workforce.

Watch the Women in VFX Leadership conversation here: https://youtu.be/U-dmc-iok_c?si=XAwss-4U7aKfQAst