With support from the City of L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs and the L.A. County Department of Arts & Culture, WIF is excited to host FROM IDEA TO SCREEN, featuring works (episodes, short films, scenes, features) created by the class of the 2024 Fellowships. Join WIF and USC Office of Industry Relations on June 12th at 11 AM - 2 PM for a conversation with GIA-RAYNE HARRIS of the WIF Directors Fellowship cohort. We will watch an early work of Gia-Rayne's as well as her first episode of television directing. The screening will include a hands-on review of the script or other artistic process material, such as her prep materials . Followed by a moderated conversation on process and expertise, and about experiences breaking into the industry - plus a reception for networking in the courtyard. Featuring GIA-RAYNE HARRIS of the WIF Directors Fellowship cohort. Gia-Rayne B. Harris, a Mississippi-born Writer-Director and dog mom, who is celebrated for her character-driven narratives that authentically capture the experiences of womxn and BIPOC individuals. She sees her career as a love letter to them, more specifically the women who raised her. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania and the American Film Institute where she earned her MFA in Directing. Harris has directed 12 short films that have screened at various festivals, including OUTFEST, the AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, NEWFEST, and the PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL. In 2023, her short film "Pens & Pencils" earned an NAACP Image Award nomination and was acquired by HBO, now streaming on MAX. Harris made her television directorial debut on NBC’s "Chicago PD" in January 2023 through the NBCULaunch Female Forward Program, then went on to direct a subsequent episode that aired in May 2024. In 2022, Harris was the winner of the SeriesFest and Shondaland Women Directing Mentorship where she shadowed on Netflix’s BRIDGERTON (Season 3). Currently, she is a protégé in the DGA DDI Mentorship program and was also selected as one of eight Directing Fellows in the WIF Fellowship 2024. Harris has multiple feature films in development and plans to go into production on her debut feature later this year. In addition to directing/writing, she passionately educates and mentors emerging filmmakers, advocating for diverse voices in cinema. She is managed by Mikhail Nayfeld and Chris Coggins at Heroes & Villains Entertainment. 900 West 34th Street, Los Angeles 90089