There are certain industries where you notice it the moment you walk into a room. The balance. The dynamic. Who speaks first, who speaks most and who gets interrupted.
Film, media and production have long been shaped by male leadership. Progress has been made, undeniably, but parity in influence, representation and opportunity is still evolving. For International Women’s Day, we asked members of our team what it means to be a woman in a male dominated field, and what meaningful allyship looks like in practice.
For Managing Partner and Executive Producer Rhiannon Lewis, shaping culture begins with what leaders choose to reward and what they are willing to challenge. “Culture is shaped far less by what companies say publicly and far more by what leaders tolerate privately,” she explains. In executive roles, the decisions about who gets heard, who gets backed and whose careers are accelerated quietly shape the environment around them.
She also believes diverse leadership leads to better decisions. Collaboration, listening and bringing different perspectives into the conversation often produces stronger outcomes, both creatively and culturally. “The best leadership teams are rarely made up of people who think the same way. They are made up of people who challenge and complement each other.”
For Producer Liv Johnson, leadership is as much about emotional intelligence as it is about logistics. “Producing is about problem solving, yes, but it is also about energy, empathy and reading a room quickly.” She speaks about sensing when something is off before it escalates, and creating environments where people feel heard and supported.
“I do not believe leadership has to be loud to be effective. Calm authority, clarity and consistency go much further than loud egos.”
Having often been the only woman in a PPM, starting at just 21, Liv recognises the resilience that comes from navigating spaces not originally built for you. That resilience has made her collaborative but decisive. She is intentional about backing women in Head of Department roles and believes progress is not just about equal pay, but equal influence. “Strength can look calm. Authority can be kind.” She also highlights the importance of supporting different life stages, particularly motherhood, proof that producing and parenting do not have to be mutually exclusive.
In commercial leadership, representation presents another challenge. Lauren Watmough, Finance Manager, notes that while equality is discussed more openly, structural barriers remain. A common misconception is that women will eventually prioritise family life over senior financial roles. “With flexible working, remote options and family friendly policies, women can absolutely thrive in long term leadership positions,” she explains.
The greater issue, she says, is visibility. Senior finance roles across media and production remain heavily male dominated, and a lack of female role models at the top can subtly shape culture and confidence. Women in leadership should be celebrated not as exceptions, but as examples. Clear progression, training and transparency are essential if businesses want to build sustainable pipelines of female commercial leaders.
Head of Commercial and Marketing Charlie Sadler echoes the importance of visibility in strategic roles. “You cannot aspire to what you cannot see.” She believes networking, mentorship and open conversations about progression are critical for women entering the industry.
Navigating male dominated rooms, she says, is about confidence rather than volume. “It is not about being the loudest in the room. It is about knowing your voice is important.” Early in her career she struggled to speak up, but learned that contribution does not have to look one way. Preparing thoughts, writing them down and sharing them clearly can be just as powerful. Diverse teams thrive when different personalities complement each other, not when everyone conforms to one style.
At leadership level, culture has to be intentional. CEO Simon Lewis believes allyship starts with who is in the room making decisions, and whether those perspectives are genuinely valued. “Meaningful allyship is about showing up not just as a man, but as a human,” he says. “One who appreciates and values other humans regardless of gender, orientation or ethnicity.”
For Simon, it goes beyond sentiment. It is about promoting people who demonstrate real allyship into positions of influence and trusting them with meaningful decision making power. Organisations, he believes, reflect what they reward. When equity is embedded in leadership, not treated as an initiative but as a standard, culture shifts in a way that is lasting rather than performative.
Allyship is also lived in everyday creative spaces. Content Creator Robbie Shirley believes it begins with recognising privilege. “I am aware that I operate from a place of privilege, white, straight and, in many spaces, a man.” In brainstorms, where energy runs high, he is conscious of how much space he occupies. Being naturally loud and enthusiastic once meant unintentionally shutting ideas down. Now, it means pausing, listening and bringing overlooked ideas back into the conversation.
He also speaks candidly about shaping narratives. A small comedic cutaway he once shot, a man raising his hand to silence a young woman, read very differently in the edit. “Intent does not outweigh impact.” The moment reinforced that authentic representation requires collaboration, openness to correction and a willingness to adjust.
For Production Assistant Isaac Morton, inclusion is built in small, fast moving moments. In busy production environments, he believes junior team members play a vital role. “Allow space for and uplift women’s voices. In a male dominated industry, they can easily be drowned out.” He has noticed occasions where female colleagues were not taken as seriously, even at senior levels. Where he once sought to subtly amplify, he now recognises the importance of directly challenging that behaviour.
His advice to other men early in their careers is grounded in awareness. Understand the invisible pressures women may face, the need to work harder for the same respect, to remain agreeable, to self monitor in ways male colleagues often do not. Supporting women will never hold you back. It defines you as fair, equitable and a genuine team player.
Across every perspective, one theme remains consistent. Progress is practical. It lives in who gets promoted, who is backed in a room, who is given flexibility, who is mentored and who feels safe enough to challenge.
International Women’s Day shines a spotlight, but equality cannot be seasonal. It requires everyday awareness, structural change and collective responsibility. Real change is cumulative, built conversation by conversation, production by production, by people willing to reshape the room.
To all of the brilliant women we work alongside, and the male allies who stand beside them, thank you. You shape the culture, the conversations and the work every single day, and we are proud to share the room with you.
If you are looking to work with a team that values collaboration, perspective and great storytelling, we would love to hear from you. Get in contact with us here.