Back to Set: Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026

When Alliance of Women Directors launched Back to Set in 2025, the goal was clear: create a space where working and emerging directors could sharpen their craft, build confidence, and reconnect with the realities of life on set. What unfolded over two days exceeded even our highest hopes.

Held September 26–27 at Southpark Center in Los Angeles, the inaugural Back to Set Symposium welcomed nearly 200 directors and industry leaders for a two-day intensive rooted in preparation, collaboration, and creative leadership. From keynote conversations to hands-on workshops, the weekend centered on what directors truly need to succeed once they step back onto set.

A Weekend Grounded in Craft and Leadership

The symposium opened with an inspiring keynote from producer Betsy Beers, whose decades-long career set the tone for the weekend. Her message emphasized adaptability, collaboration, and finding joy even in the most challenging moments of production. “Earn the trust of your crew by listening and working collaboratively,” she shared, reminding directors that leadership is as much about presence as it is about vision.

That theme carried through keynote addresses from filmmaker Victoria Mahoney and director, actor, and creator Aisha Tyler. Both spoke candidly about resilience, problem-solving, and the discipline required to sustain a directing career. Their insights reinforced a core idea behind Back to Set: excellence on set comes from preparation, curiosity, and an openness to continual growth.

Practical Tools for Real-World Directing

Across panels and masterclasses, attendees engaged directly with the realities of working in today’s industry.

Sessions explored everything from navigating general meetings and building meaningful relationships with representatives, to directing actors, blocking scenes for camera, and collaborating in post-production. A standout moment for many was witnessing a live production meeting unfold onstage, offering a rare, transparent look at how directors lead teams through prep and alignment before a shoot begins.

The symposium also embraced forward-looking conversations. Panels on emerging technologies and AI focused on practical, ethical applications that support creative decision-making rather than replace it, reinforcing that directors remain the authors of vision in an evolving landscape.

Throughout the weekend, one theme emerged again and again: filmmaking is collaborative by nature. Whether working with actors, editors, department heads, or executives, success on set depends on trust, communication, and shared intention.

A Community Moment

Beyond the sessions themselves, Back to Set created something equally vital: community. Directors connected across experience levels, shared candid conversations about challenges and breakthroughs, and left with renewed confidence in their ability to lead.

As AWD reflected at the close of the event, Back to Set embodied the organization’s commitment to supporting women and nonbinary directors with tangible tools, access, and connection. The impact was felt not only in packed rooms and engaged discussions, but in the momentum attendees carried forward into their own work.

The 2025 symposium was made possible through the generous support of Starz, NBCUniversal, ShotDeck, California Film Commission, Front Row Insurance Brokers Inc., Scriptation, Martini, and First Entertainment Credit Union, with additional contributions from The Black List, NewFilmmakers LA, Saturation.io, Keslow Camera, and Portrait.

Looking Ahead to Back to Set 2026

Building on the success of its inaugural year, Back to Set returns June 12–13, 2026, in Los Angeles.

The 2026 symposium will continue to deepen its focus on directing craft, on-set leadership, and career sustainability, while expanding opportunities for hands-on learning and meaningful connection. As the industry evolves, Back to Set remains committed to meeting directors where they are and preparing them for what comes next.

More details, including speakers and ticket information, will be announced soon. We can’t wait to welcome directors back to set once again.