With her hot pink hair its no wonder that Best Gals founder Jessica Jastrzebski is igniting a movement that’s starting to catch like a Texas wildfire. And her fuel is education.
The fiery Gaffer/Key Grip/AC created The Best Gals (www.thebestgals.com) to help add diversity in the G&E department and advance women’s careers beyond the production assistant role. “I’m aware of only three other women in Texas who work in G&E. Let me repeat this, only three other full-time female grips working in the entire state of Texas.”
She reached out to the film community for help supporting this project and they enthusiastically accepted the call: AMP Studios donated space and gear, knowledgeable professionals such as Richard Porter and Amanda Moon volunteered their time to teach, and Matthews donated their grip T-Shirts and Gobo Plates.
The first Best Gal’s Grip and Electric Course was a resounding success, offering female filmmakers of all experience levels the opportunity to learn G&E from working filmmakers with popular grip and electric gear. Held on Saturday June 12 in Dallas/Ft. Worth, 33 aspiring and seasoned female filmmakers, were led by a team of 9 instructors who de-mystified what’s inside the grip truck, and taught skills needed for a professional job within the G&E department.
In retrospect Jastrzebski declared, “The class was a smashing success— welcoming, safe, empowering, and an absolute blast. All of us shared the positive energy of accomplishment. There were emotional moments for the students and instructors who felt their eyes water up. Within a day we had taught a group of women G&E skills that a lot of colleges don't have the chance touch on.”
