“BFF”: Women in Film club forms friendships on and off-screen

Photo Courtesy of Madi Hartzell

What’s a typical activity in crew holding? Doing homework? Scrolling through social media? Raiding crafty, perhaps? On the set of this year’s Women in Film (WIF) short film “BFF,” the all-female crew sat together on blankets in the sun, making friendship bracelets and sucking on heart-shaped lollipops — a Valentine’s Day gift from the production. Crew sported their club merch, departments mixed and everyone exchanged jokes and compliments. 

“It was honestly such a dream,” said junior creative producing major Naomi Puente, the producer of “BFF.” “I’ve never had that much fun on a set.” 

The short film “BFF,” shot from Feb. 7 through 9, was spearheaded by the WIF club at Chapman University and directed by junior film production major Skyler Poiley. It’s the club’s second annual short film since its founding in 2023 by current senior screenwriting major Skylar Penland. 

In addition to the all-female crew, this year’s short film also encapsulates the values of WIF. “BFF” is a nostalgic, female-centered, pink and sparkly comedy about the rekindling of a middle school friendship — a story that parallels the club’s initiatives of bringing female filmmakers together.

“It was a really cool script for the club,” Poiley said. “I feel like it really encompasses what the club stands for.” 

The script, written by junior film studies major Nora Konrad, was selected from 14 submissions collected over the summer. The alignment between the themes in Konrad’s script and the club’s mission, its producibility and its comedy — an unexplored genre for WIF productions — were deciding factors in its selection. The script was chosen by second-year graduate cinematography student Amelia Jáuregui and senior film production major Sierra Brogmus — the club’s co-presidents — and film coordinator Puente. 

“It was a quirky, fun film about female friendships, and that's not something I feel like I get to work with a lot,” Poiley told The Panther

Excitement brewed from many players in the pre-production process. As a university club, Puente was able to apply for funding from the Student Government Association (SGA).

“Since we are a film, it's kind of different than other clubs requesting for events,” Puente said. “But they (SGA) were so excited and so on board and really wanted to support what we were doing, which was so incredible.”

“BFF” couldn’t accommodate all interested club members on set, so Puente, Jáuregui and Brogmus prioritized finding the right balance in experience level across the crew.

“We really wanted to give an opportunity to those who haven't had that (set) experience,” Puente told The Panther. “But at the same time, having mentors to teach those people on set.”

Building mentorships and friendships between the women in the club has been a recent focus to not only promote womens’ safety on set, but to also build networks of career connections and give club members more resources to navigate the male-dominated film industry.

“As film students, people want to do things that are going to help get them more experience in their career,” said Jáuregui. “But also just a place to have camaraderie and community within the women filmmakers.”

In the fall of 2024, WIF vice president and writing for film and TV major Ava Tuohy started its WIF family “Big/Little” program. Much like a sorority, members were encouraged to develop friendships within the club across graduation years before eventually being assigned a “big sister” or “little sister.” The program is a way to form intimate friendships between students that solidify into lasting bonds beyond the club’s biweekly meetings. 

“We love that we have over 100 people coming to our meetings,” said Jáuregui. “It’s amazing to have that great community, but then being able to have that smaller one that you can really get to know better and form those deeper relationships too, I think is really invaluable.” 

The WIF club continues to trailblaze in its filmmaking and networking programs — growing in membership, career opportunities and sisterhood.

“I think the club is just getting stronger as those relationships build,” Puente said.

As for “BFF?” The short film is set to premiere, along with a documentary about its production, in early May. 

“I definitely see another film (in WIF’s future),” Jáuregui said. “I know they're trying to make it annual, and obviously with the major success of last year and what's seeming to be a major success this year, I just know that it’s going to be in the cards for next year.”

Follow along with WIF projects and “BFF” on Instagram.