Who's In the Film

Pioneers in Skirts follows three teen girls on a co-ed robotics team facing an upcoming state-wide competition, a new mom fearful her pregnancy news will fault her raise negotiations, and Ashley (our director) who finds herself doubting her aspirations, even though she had been dreaming of this career her entire life.

Focusing on various elements to help make this story relatable, Pioneers in Skirts dives into the Film Industry and the Girls Who Dream Big cultural narrative while also offering People with Experiences and Facts to share and Cultural Moment clips from popular television shows and films – all to build the audience’s empathy necessary for change.

Featured in The “Film Industry” Story

Television icons Joan Darling and Norman Lear as well as up-and-coming female film directors help set the scene of what is happening to women as they start their careers.

Joan Darling

Director, Writer, Actor, Sundance Advisor

Norman Lear

Television Producer, Writer

Ashley Maria

Director, Producer, Writer

Mindy Bledsoe

Director, Producer, Writer

Asha Dahya

Director, Writer, GirlTalkHQ

Jess Blaise

Director, Producer, Writer

Bridget Stokes

Director, Producer, Writer

Brea Grant

Director, Writer, Actor

Jenn Duong

Director, Producer, Immersive Storyteller

Featured in The “Girls Who Dream” Story

13-year-old teen girls and their fathers open up about what it is that causes a girl’s confidence to shatter.

Lia Schwinghammer

Executive Director, Queen City Robotics

Madeline Yara

Student -- UNC Chapel hill

Iman von Briesen

Student -- Duke University

Sophia Schwinghammer

Milwaukee Ballet II

Jake Yara

Madeline's Father

D.I. von briesen

Iman's Father

Jerry Schwinghammer

Sophia's Father

James King

Teacher, Charlotte engineering EC

Shared their experiences & the facts

Industry leaders, topic experts, and people with experiences to share step in front of the camera to talk about actionable steps that we ALL can take to resolve issues that are unique to working women.