Erin T. Hill

Erin T. Hill is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Her research focuses on historical and contemporary media production labor, particularly examining gender, race, and class dynamics in Hollywood and creative industries. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA's Cinema and Media Studies program (2013) with a dissertation on feminized labor in media production. Prior to UCSD, she taught as contingent faculty at UCLA, Occidental College, and other Southern California institutions.

Her groundbreaking book Never Done: A History of Women’s Work in Media Production (2016) traces the role of feminized labor in U.S. film and television from the 1890s to present. Current research investigates the Hollywood development sector’s scripting, financing, and planning processes while continuing freelance work with Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment. She actively engages in labor advocacy, contributing research to initiatives like Reel Equity (IATSE Local 871) and Pay Equity Summit 2018.

Teaching specialties include American film history, media industry labor issues, production cultures, and critical analysis of comedy in media. Her scholarship spans peer-reviewed articles in Oxford Handbook of American Film History, Hollywood Unions, and Production Studies, alongside media contributions to NPR, Los Angeles Times, and cultural podcasts. She frequently speaks on Hollywood labor strikes and industry trends, appearing in documentaries like The Story of Late Night.