Associations and Organizations

General Filmmaking

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences: Founded in 1927 in Los Angeles, California, the Academy is recognized for its annual Academy Awards (Oscars). It aims to advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures.
• Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers: Founded in 1982 in Los Angeles, California, the AMPTP is the trade association responsible for negotiating virtually all industry-wide guild and union contracts.
• Film Independent: Founded in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity and innovation.
• Independent Film & Television Alliance: Founded in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, the IFTA is the global trade association of independent producers and distributors of film and television programming.
• Motion Picture Association: Founded in 1922 in Los Angeles, California, the MPA serves as the voice and advocate of the six major international producers and distributors of movies, home entertainment, and television programming.
• International Documentary Association: Founded in 1982 in Los Angeles, California, the IDA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources, creating community, and advocating for the rights of documentary filmmakers around the globe.

Actors

• SAG-AFTRA: Founded in 2012, SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, and other media professionals.

Writers

• Writers Guild of America: Founded in 1933 in Los Angeles, California, the WGA is a labor union composed of thousands of writers who write the content for television shows, movies, news programs, documentaries, animation, and digital media.
• Scriptwriters Network: Founded in 1986 in Los Angeles, California, the network is an educational, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization created by writers for writers and industry professionals.

Directors

• Director’s Guild of America: Founded in 1936 in Los Angeles, California, the DGA is a labor organization that represents the creative and economic rights of directors and members of the directorial team working in film, television, commercials, documentaries, news, sports, and new media.

Producers

• Producer’s Guild of America: Founded in 1962 in Los Angeles, California, the PGA is the non-profit trade group that represents, protects, and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television, and new media.

Cinematographers

• American Society of Cinematographers: Founded in 1919 in Los Angeles, California, the ASC is an educational, cultural, and professional organization dedicated to advancing the art and practice of cinematography.

Sound Engineers

• Motion Picture Sound Editors: Founded in 1953 in Los Angeles, California, the MPSE is an organization dedicated to improving the recognition of its members by educating the public and the rest of the filmmaking community as to the artistic merit of sound editing.
• Production Sound and Video Engineers Guild: Founded in 1973 in Burbank, California, this guild is a technicians union representing the production sound and video engineers in the entertainment industry.

Camera Operators

• Society of Camera Operators: Founded in 1979 in Hollywood, California, the SOC advances the art, craft, and creative contributions of the camera operator.

Set Decorators

• Set Decorators Society of America: Founded in 1993 in Los Angeles, California, this organization represents professionals who represent a unique blend of interior design, fashion, art, architecture, and history to create places where actors tell their stories.

Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists

• Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild: Founded in 1937 in Los Angeles, California, this guild represents all makeup artists and hairstylists in the entertainment industry.

Stunt Professionals

• Stuntmen’s Association: Founded in 1961 in Los Angeles, California, this association represents professional stuntmen and stunt coordinators in the motion picture and television industry.
• United Stuntwomen’s Association: Founded in 1983 in Los Angeles, California, this professional association represents women stunt performers in the film industry.

Animators

• The Animation Guild: Founded in 1952 in Burbank, California, this guild represents animation and visual effects artists and writers in the entertainment industry.
• ASIFA-Hollywood: ASIFA-Hollywood, the International Animated Film Society, promotes understanding and appreciation of animated films.
• Women in Animation: Women in Animation aims to foster equality and diversity in the animation industry.

Art Directors and Designers

• Art Directors Guild: Founded in 1937 in Hollywood, California, this guild represents art directors and designers, scenic, title and graphic artists, illustrators and matte artists, and set designers and model makers in the entertainment industry.

Casting Professionals

• Casting Society of America: Founded in 1982, this association of professional casting directors for film, television, and theatre operates in various locations including Los Angeles, New York, and London.

Editors

• American Cinema Editors: Founded in 1950 in Los Angeles, California, ACE is an honorary society of motion picture editors that puts the spotlight on film editors as key authors of movies.

Costume Designers

• Costume Designers Guild: Founded in 1953 in Los Angeles, California, this guild represents costume designers, assistant costume designers, and costume illustrators working at the highest levels of skill and expertise in motion pictures, television, and commercials.

Special Effects Professionals

• Visual Effects Society: Founded in 1997 in Los Angeles, California, this global professional honorary society represents the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, scientists, engineers, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists, and producers.
• Alliance of Special Effects and Pyrotechnic Operators (ASEPO): ASEPO provides information and resources for those involved with, or interested in, special effects and pyrotechnics.

For Commercials Producers

• Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP): Founded in 1972 in New York City, New York, AICP represents the interests of independent companies that specialize in the production and post-production of commercials in various media.

Music Video Production

• Music Video Production Association (MVPA): Founded in 1991 in Los Angeles, California, MVPA is a non-profit trade organization created to address the mutual concerns of its members in today’s music video industry.

Women in Film and Television

• Women In Film: Founded in 1973 in Los Angeles, California, WIF focuses on advocacy and education, provides scholarships, grants, and film finishing funds, and works to preserve the legacies of all women working in the entertainment community.
• New York Women in Film & Television: Founded in 1977 in New York City, New York, NYWIFT advocates for equality in the moving image industry and supports women in every stage of their careers.
• Women in Animation: Women in Animation aims to foster equality and diversity in the animation industry.

Film Preservation

• The Film Foundation: Founded in 1990 by Martin Scorsese, The Film Foundation is dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history.

Documentary Filmmakers

• The D-Word: Founded in 1999 by Doug Block and Ben Kempas, The D-Word is an online community for documentary filmmakers worldwide.

Film Composers

• Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund: Established in 1972, the Fund collects, processes, and distributes residual payments to musicians, nationally and internationally.
• American Society of Composers, Authors, & Radio Artists: Founded in 1914 in New York City, New York, ASCAP is a membership organization providing licensing and distribution representation and distributes royalties for performances to its members.
• Society of Composers & Lyricists: Dedicated to the advancement of music for visual media, the Society of Composers & Lyricists supports composers and lyricists in the industry.
• The Film Music Society: A nonprofit organization for people in the industry, academia, and fans interested in music for film and television.

Film Critics

• Broadcast Film Critics Association: Founded in 1995, the Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing television, radio, and online critics.
• The National Society of Film Critics: A professional organization of film reviewers and critics.

Independent Filmmakers

• Independent Filmmaker Project: Founded in 1979 in New York City, New York, IFP fosters the development, production, and promotion of thousands of international projects in film, media, and beyond.
• Center for Independent Documentary: Collaborating with independent producers, the Center for Independent Documentary creates films and interactive productions.
• Film Collaborative: The Film Collaborative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the distribution, education, and facilitation of independent film.

Film Historians and Scholars

• The Society for Film and Media Studies: Founded in 1959 in the United States, the Society for Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS) is a professional organization of college and university educators, filmmakers, historians, critics, scholars, and others devoted to the study of the moving image.

Film Preservation and Restoration

• National Film Preservation Foundation: Established in 1996, the National Film Preservation Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America’s film heritage.

LGBT Representation in Film

• GLAAD: Founded in 1985, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change.

Environmental and Wildlife Filmmaking

• International Wildlife Film Festival: A unique venue for film premieres, the International Wildlife Film Festival serves as a hub for filmmakers and a home for wildlife film and media professionals.

Black Filmmakers

• Black Public Media: Committed to a fully realized expression of democracy, Black Public Media provides diverse voices across public media.

Asian American Media

• Center for Asian American Media: CAAM is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences.

Latino Media and Entertainment

• National Association of Latino Independent Producers: NALIP promotes, advances, inspires, and advocates for Latino content creators across media.

Children’s Media

• The Coalition for Quality Children’s Media: Dedicated to promoting and supporting quality children’s media to benefit youth.

Experimental Film

• The New American Cinema Group: An artist-run organization supporting the production, distribution, and exhibition of independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema.

Art House Cinemas

• Art House Convergence: An association dedicated to sustainability in community-based, mission-driven media exhibition.

Film Production Safety

• The Production Safety Group: Offering consultation, inspections, and training for safety and health in film and television production.

Film Promotion

• Film Export UK: A trade association that represents and supports the interests of UK-based exporters of feature films.

Film Publicists

• International Cinematographers Guild Publicists: Represents the most talented camera professionals and publicists in the world.

Film and TV Rights

• The Film and TV Rights Agency: Specializing in selling the film and television rights of books.

Film Restoration and Preservation

• National Film Preservation Foundation: The National Film Preservation Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America’s film heritage.

Film Historians and Researchers

• Film Noir Foundation: This educational foundation is created to preserve and promote the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of film noir as an international cinematic movement.

Sound Professionals

• Association of Motion Picture Sound: AMPS is a craft guild that represents over 480 professional sound technicians in the film and television industries.

Film Education and Research

• Society for Cinema and Media Studies: SCMS is a professional organization of college and university educators, filmmakers, historians, critics, scholars, and others devoted to the study of the moving image.

These organizations and guilds are instrumental in fostering diversity, creativity, and excellence in the film industry. Each one plays a unique role in supporting professionals and promoting the art and craft of filmmaking.