WHY WE CREATED BACK TO SET
At Alliance of Women Directors, we’ve spent over 25 years building a thriving community of storytellers committed to supporting each other’s careers and pushing the industry forward. Throughout the year, we offer workshops, panels, labs, and mentorships that help our members grow in both craft and career. But we knew there was something missing: a space where all of it could come together.
That’s why we created BACK TO SET: Working Directors Intensive.
This two-day event brings the best of our year-round programming into one place, and opens it up to all directors, regardless of gender identity or AWD membership. Whether you’re working in episodic, indie film, or just gearing up for your first big break, BACK TO SET is built to meet you where you are and help you level up.
We’re proud to have 26 AWD Icon Members - working directors who have broken barriers, built careers, and led hit shows and films - and they’re not just impressive on paper. They’re generous with their time and passionate about lifting up the next wave of storytellers. Their insights, along with those from industry reps, producers, and executives, are at the core of what makes this event so powerful.
BACK TO SET is designed to be immersive but accessible. By concentrating panels, workshops, and networking opportunities into just two focused days, we make it easier for out-of-town guests to attend without sacrificing a week’s worth of work or production. It’s an intensive, not a conference, and every session is crafted to deliver practical, actionable tools.
“As a director myself, I know how isolating this career path can feel. BACK TO SET is our way of bringing people together — to learn, connect, and leave with tangible tools. By condensing our best programming into two high-impact days, we’re opening the doors to a wider, stronger creative community.”
Our goal is simple: to help directors get back on set — with confidence, with community, and with the tools to keep going.