10 Production Companies Owned by Women
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. In the early days of motion pictures, from 1905 to 1915, the silent film was in vogue. The most high-tech, exciting entertainment money could buy was a trip to the nickelodeon, a small movie theater that charged five cents for admission and popularized one-reel “short” films. The tedious work it took to make these films come together was mainly performed by young working-class women, eager to embark on their careers. But women didn’t just piece film negatives together, they had a range of jobs , from actresses to writers to directors. In fact, “screenwriting—today dominated by men—was initially thought of as woman’s work, creating opportunities for women to play a crucial role in filmmaking” (Ines Vuckovic).
A number of women working in these early film studios, mainly actresses, decided to leave their film companies to start their own production houses, informally called “star name companies”. As competition in the film world grew, and the focus on creating blockbusters increased, “star” production companies were generally upended by larger production companies. Women’s work during this time was often overshadowed, and male directors felt free to take credit for their counterparts’ contributions (read: Charlie Chaplin!). Today, the legacy of “star name companies” is being reinvigorated by actresses in Hollywood looking to make an impact—looking to tell stories that blockbuster production companies typically have less interest in picking up. Women have begun to start their own production companies again, and the following list of women-owned production companies is responsible for bringing you beloved shows and movies like Pitch Perfect, Gone Girl, Donnie Darko, Charlie’s Angles, Big Little Lies, and Euphoria.
Flower Films - Drew Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen
Projects: Never Been Kissed, Charlie’s Angels, Donnie Darko, Whip It, How to Be Single
Acclaimed actress Drew Barrymore created Flower Films with Nancy Juvonen in 1995, after meeting on the set of the movie Mad Love. Flower Films has since released a number of highly entertaining projects, from the action-packed Charlie’s Angels to the mind-bending Donnie Darko. Their production company has produced almost every project Drew Barrymore has starred in, most recently The Drew Barrymore Show and comedy film The Stand In (2020).
Vikarious Productions - Alicia Vikander
Project: Euphoria
Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander, who starred in Ex Machina, The Danish Girl, and Tomb Raider, launched Vikarious Productions in 2016 alongside her agent Charles Collier. The company has produced the movie Euphoria, about sisters in conflict traveling to a mystery destination. The film, released in 2017, is currently available to watch on Hulu.
Brownstone Productions - Elizabeth Banks
(Pitch Perfect, The Surrogates, Too Far From Home)
Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in Pitch Perfect, founded Brownstone Productions with her husband Max Handelman in 2002. She made her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, whose opening weekend gross at $69 million set a record for a first-time director. The production company focuses on female-driven films and has opened doors for uniquely female comedies to be enjoyed by wide audiences. It has also allowed Banks to participate in the creation of films as a writer, director, and producer, as well as an actress.
UnbeliEVAble Entertainment - Eva Longoria
(Telenovela, My Daughter’s Quinceanera, Lucky Boy)
UnbeliEVAble Entertainment is a production company started by actor and director, Eva Longoria, that produces film, television, and documentaries. Although UnbeliEVAble develops scripted and non-scripted television, Eva has been a driving force to advocate for the Latinx community through documentary film. Longoria has a keen interest in U.S. immigration laws, and through her production company, she champions Latinx voices, bringing diversity and a sense of perspective to U.S. television and film.
Daisy Chain Productions - Maisie Williams
(Stealing Silver)
Daisy Chain Productions was set up by Dom Santry, Maisie Williams, and Bill Milner in early 2016 to develop and produce UK-originated short films, theatrical features, and high-end television drama. Stealing Silver is the company's first production. After her success as Aria in Game of Thrones, Maisie Williams started Daisy Chain to focus on youth and the development of talent in the UK. It is a uniquely modern, exciting production company, and in the coming years it’s sure to produce projects that reflect a new generation.
LuckyChap Entertainment - Margot Robbie
(I, Tonya, Dollface, Birds of Prey, Dreamland, Promising Young Woman)
Founded in 2014 by Margot Robbie, LuckyChap Entertainment describes its focal point as female-focused film and television productions. I, Tonya (2017), the first major motion picture the company produced, starred Robbie as Tonya Harding, the controversial American figure skater. The film was a theatrical success, grossing over $53 million, and represents how news media in the 90’s cast Harding as a black sheep, effectively delegitimizing her talent and her career. The movie provides a new look into the circumstances Harding dealt with growing up and puts a comedic, no-nonsense twist on her persona.
Handsomecharlie Films - Natalie Portman
(Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Got a Gun, No Strings Attached)
Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Natalie Portman started Handsomecharlie Films, which has participated in seven completed films to date. At the 2020 Oscars, Portman wore a cape embroidered with the names of female filmmakers who were passed over for best director nominations, as a protest against unfair practices. Portman has said, “It is true I’ve only made a few films with women. In my long career, I’ve only gotten the chance to work with female directors a few times – Unfortunately, the unmade films I have tried to make are a ghost history… I want to say, I have tried, and I will keep trying… I am hopeful that we are stepping into a new day.”
Pacific Standard/Hello Sunshine - Reese Witherspoon
(Gone Girl, Home Again, Luckiest Girl Alive, Wild, Big Little Lies)
Hello Sunshine is Reese Witherspoon’s media company, started in 2016 with her partner Seth Rodsky. Pacific Standard, owned by Witherspoon and partner Bruna Papandrea, is a subsidiary of the larger media company. Witherspoon’s companies have produced numerous projects, including the HBO series Big Little Lies, the drama-mystery film Gone Girl, and the adventure-biography Wild. The projects feature female characters and stories which are unconventional and gripping—they focus on female strength, cunning, and inventiveness, and showcase female personhood beyond the confines of nicety. Big Little Lies and Gone Girl make for highly engaging watches.
Ventanarosa Productions - Salma Hayek
(Frida, Ugly Betty, El Coronel No Tiene Quien le Escriba)
Ventanarosa is a production company founded by Salma Hayek in 1999. Its name in Spanish translates to “rose-colored window” or “pink window.” The company focuses on producing works that detail and celebrate Latinx history, including adaptations of Hispanic authors’ works, such as those of Gabriel García Márquez. In 2002 the company released Frida, a film Hayek had been involved in since 1997, to critical acclaim. The film explores the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, through her teenage bus accident, subsequent surgeries, marriage to Diego Rivera, and the strength and heart that went into her paintings. It is an at-times heartbreaking and deeply moving film. In 20202, Ventanarosa signed a two-year first-look deal with HBO Max.
Little Stranger - Tina Fey
(30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Sisters, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot)
Little Stranger is a film and television production company founded by actress and producer Tina Fey and Eric Gurian. It is known for producing 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, light-hearted and endearingly funny comedies with female leads. Fey wrote, starred in, and produced 30 Rock as a reflection on her experiences at Saturday Night Live. 30 Rock provides context on what it’s like to be a leader as a woman in the space of improv and comedy. Fey’s reflections are often hilarious, but they also reveal how hard it is for women to juggle their personal lives and family obligations while also wanting to be bosses and leaders—wanting to “have it all” is a key theme throughout the show. The show’s contributions to the comedy space cannot be overstated, because they have showed that female bosses are not only capable but also exemplary.
In retrospect, we have come a long way from the “star name companies” of the early 1900s, and women-owned production companies are leading us towards a more balanced, nuanced atmosphere in the film and TV industries. Two resources for women to produce their films and bring their ideas into reality are: Gamechanger Films, started by Wendy Ettinger, and WWM (Women Make Movies). Gamechanger is an American company that finances independent films directed by women. WWM is a non-profit feminist media arts organization by Ariel Dogerty and Shelia Page, and their motto is “films by and about women.” If you’d like to learn more about them, their website is https://www.wmm.com/resources/womens-film-groups/.
