AshleyMariaPhoto-255x300Earlier this week I mentioned that director Ashley Maria will screen her documentary film this weekend (read the previous post here).

Her film is titled Business and Professional Women: A History, A Movement and will screen for free at the IMAX Theatre at Marbles on Sunday, October 20, starting at 2:00 pm. Since seating is limited, you may RSVP for the free screening on their evite page: .

Ashley Maria was kind enough to answer a few questions about the film and her experience making it. Here’s some more info from the director in her own words. Enjoy!

What is the film about?

The Business and Professional Women’s Club (BPW) began in 1919 and is the oldest working women’s advocacy group in the nation. BPW focuses on educating and supporting working women through workshops, mentorship programs and advocacy for women’s rights. This documentary follows their history from its formation in the early 1900s to the members lobbying for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s to the signing of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law by President Barack Obama in 2009.

To get a more personal side to BPW’s history, we asked members from the North Carolina BPW Club to discuss their struggles and triumphs in the workplace. Dr. Lois E. Frazier, 93, joined BPW in 1945 and changed Meredith College‘s Business School from a secretarial school to a managerial school in the 50s and 60s. Judge Joyce Hamilton was the first female assistant district attorney in Wake County, N.C.

This short documentary was shot entirely in N.C. and is made up of an entirely N.C. crew.

What made you want to tell this story?

I joined BPW Raleigh when I was in college and still learning about business. The women in this organization supported me as I figured out what I wanted to do in my career and even gave me scholarships to pursue filmmaking at the University of Southern California.

When my mom became the president of our local Raleigh club, she learned so much more about the organization and its history. We knew we needed to share their story and decided to make the documentary.

How was the production of the film funded?

The film was primarily self-funded with an additional small grant from the North Carolina Business and Professional Women’s Club. The truth is, though, this movie would never have been possible had I not had amazing friends and colleagues donate their time or resources. I am very proud of this film and the crew behind it!

Tell me about the IMAX screening. How did that come about?

I first screened at IMAX back in 2011 to start off their local filmmaker series. I screened two short films from my USC film school days – “Volcano Girl” and “Friday Night Fright” and had a blast!

The team at IMAX has been incredibly supportive of NC filmmakers and was open to hosting a screening for the BPW History Film when I approached them back in July. Since then, we have worked together to finalize every detail for this screening. Actually Thursday morning at 9:00 am will be the final tech test before Sunday’s big event!

What will happen with the film after the Sunday screening?

After Sunday’s IMAX screening, the film will begin its journey in the festival circuit. We have already applied to one festival and will continue applying to more. Hopefully it will screen again soon in the Raleigh area!

We are also sharing the film with Business and Professional Women Clubs across the nation and across the world to help spread their story through this visual format.

What’s next for you as filmmakers?

We are moving on from this short documentary to make a feature-length documentary called Pioneers in Skirts. This longer documentary will focus more on the past, present, and future of working women. Our main goal for Pioneers in Skirts is to emphasize the necessity of women supporting one another to continue our forward momentum in the workplace.

What was it like to work with your mom on this film?

I was so proud of my mom as we worked together on this film. She wasn’t very familiar with the film industry but she knew she wanted to help tell this story, and she knew she wanted to support me. She learned so much every day so she could play the role of producer, and I can honestly say she was the brains behind the project. Her work as a producer — or a project manager — allowed me to be creative in the storytelling and allowed me to manage my production crew without having to worry about every small detail of the production! We worked as a great team!

What was one of your biggest lessons learned on this production?

Get a lawyer involved in your project fast! And you should treat every project like a full on production, no matter how small. Make sure you get all of the paperwork together and squared away. You’ll thank yourself three years down the road when you’re ready to screen!

What recommendations do you have for other filmmakers who are just getting started?

Do not be afraid to ask for help, and do not be ashamed to ask for help. None of this stuff “you should know.” You’re learning and it’s okay! Besides, you’ll do it right on the next project. 🙂

Anything else you care to share?

Happy Filming!!

Ashley Maria (@AshleyMariais a North Carolina native, who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill and recently earned her graduate degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Ashley Maria will be a part of the panel discussion following the screening this Sunday, October 20th. For more details and to RSVP, visit their event page: .