Studio Ready Initiative Studio Ready Initiative EXCLUSIVE: Ten U.S. filmmakers have been selected for a new program designed to help bridge the gap for women directors between the independent and studio systems. Scroll down for the 2026 cohort. The mentorship program comes at a time when the Hollywood gender gap remains a problem. Representation for women in the director's chair dipped to a seven-year low in 2025, according to a recent USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study. The number of girls and women leading the top movies of 2025 also hit a seven-year low.