Mary Beth Fielder

Mary Beth Fielder is an American filmmaker with over twenty years experience as a writer, director and producer of television and feature films.[1] She served on the faculty of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts from 1994 to 2009.

Fielder began her academic career at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in fine arts.[2] She subsequently moved to New York City and studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School for the Theater under the famous actor and teacher Sanford Meisner. After three years working in New York theater, she was accepted to the Master of Fine Arts Program in Film Production at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. In the following years, Fielder wrote several scripts for studios such as Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. She also directed one of America's most popular television dramas, thirtysomething for ABC television as well as various other series for American television.[3]

In 1994, Fielder returned to USC as a full-time faculty member where she taught film directing, screenwriting and acting and served as the faculty mentor on over 100 student films. She developed innovative strategies for teaching ethics and collaboration in the filmmaking process and was twice awarded the Mellon Award for Excellence in Mentoring: in 2007 for mentoring undergraduate students and again in 2009 for mentoring graduate students.[4] This award recognizes faculty for offering sound counsel, sharing time and expertise, serving as a role model, creating an engaged academic community, and promoting awareness of the men and women they mentor.

Fielder also has been active in promoting cross-cultural dialogue In conjunction with The Jewish Federation's Tel Aviv/Los Angeles Partnership Program, she taught and helped develop the curriculum for a Cinema Master Class and coordinated a summer exchange program between Tel Aviv University and USC. In March 2008 she was awarded a U.S. Speakers and Specialists grant to conduct a series of scriptwriting workshops and career mentoring workshops in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshops took place in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa where she taught scriptwriting to fifty youths from the slums with Hot Sun Foundation.[5][6]

Fielder recently co-wrote and produced two feature films. Wild About Harry (previously titled American Primitive) tells the story of a teenage girl who discovers a shocking secret about her recently widowed father. The film was awarded "Best of Fest" at the Palm Springs International Film Festival where it played to sold out crowds and standing ovations. The filmmakers were also awarded a special prize from the City of Palm Springs for their efforts in fighting homophobia. Togetherness Supreme is the first feature film shot entirely in Kibera, Kenya.[7] The film tells a story of intertribal conflict and reconciliation set against the backdrop of the contested 2007 presidential election. It was honored at the 2010 African Movie Academy Awards with two major prizes[8] and in February 2011 it won Best International Feature Film Award at the 26th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.[9]

Fielder is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America, and the Screen Actors Guild.