Jen Grisanti

FRIDAY NIGHT DRINKS – APRIL 3, 2015
2015-04-04 00:00 UTC
Friday Night Social ~ NEW LOCATION ~ April 3, 2015
February 2, 2015

Event Date: Friday, April 3, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH ~ Please see below for details
IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, April 2, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Pearl’s Sunset Strip. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location, the entire first floor, for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Pearl’s Sunset Strip is a bar and restaurant located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Known for its menu of decadent cocktails, delicious foods, unique decor and stunning rooftop decks. Two levels at this location with each level having its own bar and restrooms to make it truly private.
Pearls provide a great experience to its guests. This hidden gem, under new management, is at a great location on Sunset Boulevard, walkable to everything West Sunset worth going to.

Join us on the first Friday in March at Pearl’s Sunset Strip:

(Visiting Pearl’s Sunset Strip, Co-Sponsors of this event – (R) Jennifer Grisanti of Jen Grisanti Consultancy & (L) Melessa Y. Sargent, President of SWN)
New Time for this event:
Starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
PEARL’S SUNSET STRIP
8909 W Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90069
Phone # 310.360.6800
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind Pearl’s off of Clark St. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE — pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Happy Hour specials! Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – MAY 1, 2015
2015-05-02 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ May 1, 2015
February 22, 2015

Event Date: Friday, May 1, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH ~ Please see below for details
IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Pearl’s Sunset Strip. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location, the entire first floor, for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Pearl’s Sunset Strip is a bar and restaurant located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Known for its menu of decadent cocktails, delicious foods, unique decor and stunning rooftop decks. Two levels at this location with each level having its own bar and restrooms to make it truly private.
Pearl’s provides a great experience to its guests. This hidden gem, under new management, is at a great location on Sunset Boulevard, walkable to everything West Sunset worth going to.

Join us at Pearl’s Sunset Strip:

(Visiting Pearl’s Sunset Strip, Co-Sponsors of this event ~ (R) Jennifer Grisanti of Jen Grisanti Consultancy & (L) Melessa Y. Sargent, President of SWN)
Below: Photos from events at Pearl’s.

Starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
PEARL’S SUNSET STRIP
8909 W Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90069
Phone # 310.360.6800
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind Pearl’s off of Clark St. Plenty of street metered parking.

STORYWISE © 5-Week TV Pilot Teleseminar
2015-05-12 00:00
This is a 5-week program designed to help you write a high quality TV pilot. In 5-weeks, I will teach you how to learn to write at a level that will help lead your script to a sale, get staffed on a show, place in a writing competition or get into one of the various writing programs. This course is everything that I teach in Writers on the Verge and more.

Last year we had over 100 writer participants from all over the world. You will not only learn all of the story tools that you need to succeed, you will gain the opportunity to be in a private community of writers. This community is a very valuable resource. You all will have the opportunity to learn from one another via networking, exchanging scripts and possibly starting your own writer groups.

I’ve seen the success from this course first-hand. Many of the writers who have taken this 5-week course have gone on to sell pilots, get staffed on TV shows and get into several of the prestigious writing programs. 28 of my writers have sold pilots… and 4 of them have gone to series.

The class takes place on Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. PST. Each class will consist of a half-hour of instruction (you will receive these videos before each class to watch at your leisure.) Each call is approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours in length. On each call, we will go over the notes for the 5 writers participating at Level #3. You will have an opportunity to read their scripts and make your own notes each week. You will also get to share your notes with those writers directly. This is what we do in Writers on the Verge. It is a way to prepare you for being in the Writers’ Room. Then, five people that sign up each week will get an opportunity to pitch to a guest speaker. We all learn from hearing others pitch. This part of the program was designed to help you learn from the pitching style of others as well as give you the opportunity to pitch yourself. It’s an invaluable tool. Every level will have an opportunity to sign up for this.

LEVEL 1
At Level 1, you get to participate in all 5 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. You will also get to turn in a 1-2 page pitch document on your TV pilot script. You will receive written feedback. You have up to a year after the course is finished to turn this in.
SERVICE FEE – $200.00

LEVEL 2

At Level 2, you get to participate in all 5 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. This level also includes a one-on-one consult for your TV spec and/or TV Pilot script.

SERVICE FEE – $775.00
FOR THE 5-WEEK COURSE PLUS A ONE ON ONE PILOT CONSULT

WEEK 1, Tuesday, April 14, 2015
We will go over the notes for the concepts for the pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKERS – STACY RUKEYSER AND CLARK PETERSON
STACY’S CREDITS – (CO-EP – TWISTED, THE LYING GAME)
CLARK’S CREDITS (PRODUCER – KAHLIL GIBRAN’S THE PROPHET, MONSTER, RAMPART)

WEEK 2, Tuesday April 21, 2015
We will go over the notes for the outlines for the pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – NICHELLE TRAMBLE
(SUPERVISING PRODUCER- THE GOOD WIFE)
Nichelle will listen go 5 pitches and give critiques.

WEEK 3, Tuesday April 28, 2015
We will go over the notes for the first draft or first half of the first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – LEE JESSUP
AUTHOR – “GETTING IT WRITE: A SCREENWRITING CAREER”

WEEK 4, Tuesday May 5, 2015
We will go over the notes for the second draft or full-first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – MICHAEL NARDUCCI
(CO-EP – THE ORIGINALS, VAMPIRE DIARIES)

WEEK 5, Tuesday May 12, 2015
We will go over the notes for the third draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.

GUEST SPEAKER – COURTNEY LILLY

(CO-EP – GUYS WITH KIDS, THE CLEVELAND SHOW, MY BOYS, BLACK-ISH (episode), UNDATEABLE (episode)

2015 STORYWISE© TV SPEC AND PILOT TELESEMINAR – BEGINS MARCH 3, 2015 – MAY 12, 2015
2015-05-12 00:00
STORYWISE© TV SPEC AND PILOT TELESEMINAR, 2015

This is a 10-week program designed to help you write a high quality TV pilot AND spec script. In 10-weeks, I will teach you how to learn to write at a level that will help lead your script to a sale, get staffed on a show, place in a writing competition or get into one of the various writing programs. This course is everything that I teach in Writers on the Verge and more.

Last year we had over 100 writer participants from all over the world. You will not only learn all of the story tools that you need to succeed, you will gain the opportunity to be in a private community of writers. This community is a very valuable resource. You all will have the opportunity to learn from one another via networking, exchanging scripts and possibly starting your own writer groups.

I’ve seen the success from this course first-hand. Many of the writers who have taken this 10-week course have gone on to sell pilots, get staffed on TV shows and get into several of the prestigious writing programs. 27 of my writers have sold pilots… and 4 of them have gone to series.

The class takes place on Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. PST. Each class will consist of a half-hour of instruction (you will receive these videos before each class to watch at your leisure.) Each call is approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours in length. On each call, we will go over the notes for the 4 writers participating at Level #3. You will have an opportunity to read their scripts and make your own notes each week. You will also get to share your notes with those writers directly. This is what we do in Writers on the Verge. It is a way to prepare you for being in the Writers’ Room. Then, five people that sign up each week will get an opportunity to pitch to a guest speaker. We all learn from hearing others pitch. This part of the program was designed to help you learn from the pitching style of others as well as give you the opportunity to pitch yourself. It’s an invaluable tool. Every level will have an opportunity to sign up for this.

LEVEL 1
At Level 1, you get to participate in all 10 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. You will also get to turn in a 1-2 page pitch document on your TV spec and TV pilot script. You will receive written feedback. You have up to a year after the course is finished to turn this in.
SERVICE FEE – $300.00

LEVEL 2
At Level 2, you get to participate in all 10 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. This level also includes a one-on-one consult for your TV spec and/or TV Pilot script.

FOR THE 10 WEEK COURSE PLUS A ONE ON ONE SPEC CONSULT
SERVICE FEE – $750.00

FOR THE 10 WEEK COURSE PLUS A ONE ON ONE PILOT CONSULT
SERVICE FEE – $875.00

FOR THE 10 WEEK COURSE PLUS A ONE ON ONE TV SPEC CONSULT & A ONE ON ONE TV PILOT CONSULT
SERVICE FEE – $1,500.00

At Level 2, there will be a rotating spot for people that sign up for Level 2 to rotate into Level 3 each week. So, there will be 10 opportunities for people at Level 2 to be at Level 3 for one week.

LEVEL 3
FOR RECEIVING FEEDBACK EVERY WEEK ON THE CALL (LIKE IN WRITERS ON THE VERGE) ON THE WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS AND A ONE ON ONE SPEC CONSULT & PILOT CONSULT
SERVICE FEE – $3,000.00
TAKING SUBMISSIONS – 4 SLOTS AVAILABLE, 2 DRAMA AND 2 COMEDY
At Level 3, you will receive feedback every week on your TV spec and/or TV pilot script. This includes written and verbal feedback. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community.
There are only 4 SLOTS for this level: two for drama and two for comedy. If you are interested in applying, you will need to submit 10 pages of a script. I will select 4 submissions out of everyone that submits and announce these slots in February. You can submit a full script but I will just read the first 10 pages. You can submit either a TV spec or pilot.
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 17, 2015 AT NOON.
You can email your submissions to me at jennifer@jengrisanticonsultancy.com. I will announce the names of the 4 writers that made the 4 slots the following week.
* Since you do have to try out for this level, I will send the four participants that are selected and invoice for this amount through PayPal.

LEVEL 4
At Level 4, you will get to have a private one-on-one consult with me during every week of the Teleseminar. So, each week, you will turn in the assignment and we will meet on the concept, outline and three drafts of your TV spec and/or your TV pilot script.
FOR 10 ONE ON ONE CONSULTS THAT CAN BE USED ALONGSIDE THE TELESEMINAR OR SPREAD OUT. THIS INCLUDES WRITTEN/VERBAL FEEDBACK EVERY MEETING
SERVICE FEE – $4,000.00

ASSIGNMENTS
The Level#3 writing assignments will be due the Saturday before each class. Everyone at each level will receive a copy of the assignments turned in by the Level #3 writers so that they may follow along as well as provide notes directly to the Level#3 writer.Levels #1 and #2, you will do the assignments on your own. No direct feedback is provided; however, this is where you can use the Facebook community of writers to exchange scripts weekly and get feedback.

GUEST SPEAKERSI will announce the list of guest speakers in January and February.

SCHEDULE

Week 1 – Tuesday March 3, 2015We will go over the notes for the concepts of the spec scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – MICK BETANCOURT
(CHICAGO PD, CHICAGO FIRE, IRONSIDE, etc.)
Mick will listen to 5 pitches from the participants. Each pitch will be three minutes long. Mick will critique each pitch. All levels will have the opportunity to sign up to pitch.

Week 2, Tuesday March 10, 2015
We will go over the notes for the outline of the spec scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – RICK MUIRRAGUI
(C0-Executive Producr – SUITS)
Rick will also listen to 5 pitches and critique them.

Week 3, Tuesday March 17, 2015We will go over the notes for the first draft of the spec scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKERS – PETER DESBERG AND JEFFREY DAVIS (COMEDY GUYS)
AUTHORS – “SHOW ME THE FUNNY”
Peter and Jeff will also listen to 5 pitches and give critiques.

WEEK 4, Tuesday, March 24, 2015
We will go over the notes for the second draft of the spec scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – KRISTA VERNOFF
(CONSULTING/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – SHAMELESS, PRIVATE PRACTICE, GREY’S ANATOMY)
Krista will speak for a half hour about writing and take questions.

WEEK 5, Tuesday, March 31, 2015
We will go over the notes for the third draft of the spec scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – BRIAN ANTHONY
(CONSTANTINE/IRONSIDE/ARMY WIVES)

* EASTER BREAK THE WEEK OF 4/7/15

WEEK 6, Tuesday, April 14, 2015
We will go over the notes for the concepts for the pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKERS – STACY RUKEYSER AND CLARK PETERSON
STACY’S CREDITS – (CO-EP – TWISTED, THE LYING GAME)
CLARK’S CREDITS (PRODUCER – KAHLIL GIBRAN’S THE PROPHET, MONSTER, RAMPART)

WEEK 7, Tuesday April 21, 2015
We will go over the notes for the outlines for the pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – NICHELLE TRAMBLE
(SUPERVISING PRODUCER- THE GOOD WIFE)
Nichelle will listen go 5 pitches and give critiques.

WEEK 8, Tuesday April 28, 2015
We will go over the notes for the first draft or first half of the first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – LEE JESSUP
AUTHOR – “GETTING IT WRITE: A SCREENWRITING CAREER”

WEEK 9, Tuesday May 5, 2015
We will go over the notes for the second draft or full-first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – MICHAEL NARCUCCI
(CO-EP – THE ORIGINALS, VAMPIRE DIARIES)

WEEK 10, Tuesday May 12, 2015
We will go over the notes for the third draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.

BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL CLIFFSNOTES LINK
2015-05-26 00:00
http://tinyurl.com/BIFF2015jg

THE GREAT AMERICAN PITCHFEST/SCRIPTFEST LINK
2015-05-31 00:00
If you were at my presentation at the GAPF, here is the LINK.

SCRIPTFEST 2015 May 29 – May 31, 2015- I WILL BE TEACHING A CLASS ON SATURDAY AND DOING PRIVATE CONSULTS
2015-05-31 00:00
WHEN REGISTERING USE THE SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE GRISANTI10 and get 10% OFF

REGISTER HERE

MY CLASS

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Academy 4

Jen Grisanti

How To Write A Pilot That Sells
A good story and smart characters are only part of the equation to impress the powerful people who buy TV pilots. In this invaluable session, unlock the mysteries behind the…

JESSICA’S CLASS
Also, I recommend going to see Jessica Sitomer’s class:

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Vine A/B

Jessica Sitomer

Networking for Introverts
Are you nervous about pitching? Meeting others? How do you make real connections to others to help further your career, particularly if you are shy, socially awkward, or petrified of…

KATHIE, PAMELA AND CHRIS’S CLASS
I also recommend the Pitching Clinic with Kathie Fong Yoneda, Pamela Jaye Smith and Chris Soth

9:00 am – 10:30 am
Academy 1 (room)

Kathie Fong Yoneda
Pamela Jaye Smith
Chris Soth

Pitch Clinic
Practice your pitch on our panel of professionals. Our Pitch Pros are established industry professionals ready to whip your pitch into polished perfection through feedback and advice.

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About Us
The Great American PitchFest: BY Writers, FOR Writers

“…Without your Pitchfest the film business is like a building without any doors.”
– Lynn Ivall, Screenwriter
ScriptFest and the Great American PitchFest were created by writers, for writers – just like you. The event started in Canada with the first Great Canadian PitchFest in 2003. Twelve years later, the event has expanded to Los Angeles, California and London, England, and has helped thousands of writers from around the globe to connect with industry decision makers.
As writers ourselves, we created an event that we would want to attend. Every year, our lineup of speakers and guest panelists gets bigger and better. More companies than ever will hear pitches at this year’s Great American PitchFest. For the first time ever, there will be pitching on Saturday AND Sunday during the event.
ScriptFest and the Great American PitchFest was started as a way to help other writers move their careers forward, and make ‘finding the door’ just a little bit easier. Writers who attend our event have been hired for writing assignments, signed with agents or managers, and had their screenplays optioned. This is a business about relationships, and thousands of writers started those relationships and their careers at the Great American PitchFest.
The Great American PitchFest is organized by a group of writers and producers dedicated to helping others to make the connections they need to get their scripts and projects produced. This entire event is yours as much as it is ours, so please share your experiences with us and help to make it the best it can be. If there is a particular company you want to pitch to, let us know and we’ll invite them to attend. If there are classes you would like to take, we’ll add them to our lineup. Tell us your thoughts and email us at info@pitchest.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL/DRINKS JUNE 5, 2015
2015-06-06 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ June 5, 2015
May 2, 2015

Event Date: Friday, June 5, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH ~ Please see below for details
IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, June 4, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Pearl’s Sunset Strip. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location, the entire first floor, for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Pearl’s Sunset Strip is a bar and restaurant located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Known for its menu of decadent cocktails, delicious foods, unique decor and stunning rooftop decks. Two levels at this location with each level having its own bar and restrooms to make it truly private.
Pearl’s provides a great experience to its guests. This hidden gem, under new management, is at a great location on Sunset Boulevard, walkable to everything West Sunset worth going to.

Join us at Pearl’s Sunset Strip:

(Visiting Pearl’s Sunset Strip, Co-Sponsors of this event ~ (R) Jennifer Grisanti of Jen Grisanti Consultancy & (L) Melessa Y. Sargent, President of SWN)
Below: Photos from events at Pearl’s.

Starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
PEARL’S SUNSET STRIP
8909 W Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90069
Phone # 310.360.6800
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind Pearl’s off of Clark St. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Happy Hour specials til 7:00 PM! Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

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To attend these “Special Events,” you must be a current SWN member, REGISTER before the deadline and show your SWN card at the entrance door.
Please look for these “Members Only” meetings.

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FREE CLASS FOR ISA ON SATURDAY 7/18 AT NOON – CREATING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS
2015-07-19 00:00
CREATING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS
Teleconference

Regular Registration ends: 07/18/2015
Class Begins: 07/18/2015 Ends: 07/18/2015
Class Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (PDT)

FEE: FREE Register For Class

Home Deadlines Instructors Jen Grisanti Contact

In her class, CREATING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS: THREE IMPORTANT TOOLS, Jen Grisanti will teach you what she believes are the pillars that will take you from ordinary to extraordinary with the writing of your TV pilot.

Jen will walk you through three tools: Trigger, Dilemma and Pursuit, and she will guide you how to use these key elements to set up your pilot in a way that will lead you toward success.

Jen says, “These tools are the foundation that have led many of my clients to success. By mastering the set up of your story, you create the possibility of making a sale and staffing.”

Through understanding how to link these three elements, you will learn how set the foundation in your story, have an active lead and elevate the emotion to a whole new level.

Jen believes that in order to go from a non-working writer to a working writer, you have to write a pilot that hits it out of the ballpark. She will teach you the tools that will elevate your game and increase your opportunities.

TRIGGER – By creating a powerful trigger incident for your series, you will create a strong season arc and this will establish longevity for your concept.

A strong pilot trigger is what carries the first episode. Linking these two makes the difference between a good pilot and a great one. You need to clearly set up that the pilot trigger would not have happened unless the series trigger happened.

Jen will go over several pilots that have done this successfully.

DILEMMA – The trigger incident should push your central character into a dilemma. The choice that is made in this dilemma is what will define the external goal.

The dilemma should be strong enough that we understand that there is not an easy choice on either side of the dilemma. This is what will create empathy and a rooting factor for your central character.

We will also discuss the set up of the personal dilemma and how to link it to the professional pursuit. This will elevate the emotion in your story.

PURSUIT – The clear set up of the goal is the glue that will make your story hold together. By clearly setting up what your central character wants, you can link your obstacle, escalating obstacle, and “all is lost” moment back to the goal. This will help you to write stronger act breaks. It is when the goal is unclear that the story doesn’t work.

In every scene, we should have a clear sense of what your central character wants and why they want it. Through setting up a clear pursuit, it will help you to establish this.

Jen knows what it takes to sell a pilot. She has had thirty-two clients over the last seven years sell pilots. Five of them have gone to series. Jen has also helped to staff over 65 writers during this time on top primetime shows.

Jen was a studio executive for 12 years at CBS/Paramount and Spelling Television Aaron Spelling was her mentor. Jen has covered shows including; BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (the original), MELROSE PLACE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, CHARMED, MEDIUM, NUMBERS, THE 4400, NCIS and GIRLFRIENDS.

For the past seven years, Jen has been a writing instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a story/career consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., an author of three books – STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY, CHANGE YOUR STORY, CHANGE YOUR LIFE: A PATH TO SUCCESS and TV WRITING TOOL KIT: HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT THAT SELLS. Jen is also a blogger for The Huffington Post. In addition to Los Angeles, Jen has taught classes in New York, London, Australia and Israel.

ISA LINK
2015-07-31 00:00
For those of you on the ISA call, here is the LINK

FRIDAY NIGHT DRINKS/SOCIAL ON FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2015
2015-08-08 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ August 7, 2015
May 16, 2015

Event Date: Friday, August 7, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH ~ Please see below for details
IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, August 6, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm
(Special thank you to our special guests that attend randomly – you know who you are; Thank you!)

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind Pearl’s off of Clark St. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food / Nachos will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
2015-09-04 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ September 4, 2015

Event Date: Friday, September 4, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH ~ Please see below for details
IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, September 3, 2015.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL, FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2015 AT 6:30 P.M. AT ROCK & REILLY’S BARREL ROOM
2015-10-03 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ October 2, 2015

Event Date: Friday, October 2, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, October 1, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm
(Special thank you to our special guests that attend randomly – you know who you are; Thank you!)

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind Pearl’s off of Clark St. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food / Nachos will be provided for our Networking Group!

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – NOVEMBER 6, 2015
2015-11-07 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ November 6, 2015
October 12, 2015

Event Date: Friday, November 6, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, November 5, 2015.

PRESS HERE TO REGISTER

FRIDAY NIGHT DRINKS/SOCIAL ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4TH AT THE BARREL ROOM AT 6:30 P.M.
2015-12-05 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ December 4, 2015
October 18, 2015

Event Date: Friday, December 4, 2015 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Last one of this year…we hope to see you there networking!!
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, December 3, 2015.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2016
2016-02-06 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ February 5, 2016
January 9, 2016

Event Date: Friday, February 5, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
FIRST one of this year…we hope to see you there networking!!
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, February 4, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind The Barrel Room. Plenty of street metered parking.
Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food / Nachos will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – FRIDAY MARCH 4, 2016
2016-03-05 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ March 4, 2016
January 5, 2016

Event Date: Friday, March 4, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:
Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, March 3, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind The Barrel Room. Plenty of street metered parking.
Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

REL/EVENT PART II SERIES – ENTERTAINMENT PANELS FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016
2016-04-09 00:00

TORONTO SCREENWRITING CONFERENCE 2016 – APRIL 29 – MAY 1, 2016
2016-05-01 00:00
TORONTO SCREENWRITING CONFERENCE – APRIL 29 – MAY 1, 2016

Featured Speakers

Glen Mazzara
Creator/Executive Producer/Showrunner of A&E’s new series, DAMIEN

Stephen Falk
Creator/Executive Producer/Showrunner of the FXX series, YOU’RE THE WORST

Corey Mandell
Award-Winning Playwright & Screenwriter

Jen Grisanti
Story Consultant & Writing Instructor

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – MAY 6, 2016 at The Barrel Room on Sunset at 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
2016-05-07 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ May 6, 2016

Event Date: Friday, May 6, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:

Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, May 5, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind The Barrel Room. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

2016 STORYWISE 5-WEEK TV PILOT TELESEMINAR – APRIL 12, 2016 – MAY 10, 2016
2016-05-11 00:00
STORYWISE© TV PILOT TELESEMINAR, 2016
This is a 5-week program designed to help you write a high quality TV pilot in 5-weeks, I will teach you how to learn to write at a level that will help lead your script to a sale, get staffed on a show, place in a writing competition or get into one of the various writing programs. This course is everything that I teach in Writers on the Verge and more.
Last year we had over 100 writer participants from all over the world. You will not only learn all of the story tools that you need to succeed, you will gain the opportunity to be in a private community of writers. This community is a very valuable resource. You all will have the opportunity to learn from one another via networking, exchanging scripts and possibly starting your own writer groups.
I’ve seen the success from this course first-hand. Many of the writers who have taken this 10-week course have gone on to sell pilots, get staffed on TV shows and get into several of the prestigious writing programs. Forty of my writers have sold pilots… and 5 of them have gone to series.
Each class will consist of the following:

A half-hour of story instruction (you will receive these videos before each class to watch at your leisure.)
Each call is approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours in length. On each call, we will go over the notes for the 4 writers participating at Level #3 and I will choose one writer from Level 2 or Level 4 each week to participate. You will have an opportunity to read their scripts and make your own notes each week. You will also get to share your notes with those writers directly. This is what we do in Writers on the Verge. It is a way to prepare you for being in the Writers’ Room.
Then, five people that sign up each week will get an opportunity to pitch to a guest speaker. We all learn from hearing others pitch. This part of the program was designed to help you learn from the pitching style of others as well as give you the opportunity to pitch yourself. It’s an invaluable tool. Every level will have an opportunity to sign up for this. The writers will be announced in February.

LEVEL 1
At Level 1, you get to participate in all 5 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. You will also get to turn in a 1-2 page pitch document on your TV spec and TV pilot script. You will receive written feedback. You have up to a year after the course is finished to turn this in.
RATE FOR LEVEL 1 – $225.00

LEVEL 2
At Level 2, you get to participate in all 5 classes. You will receive a recording of the classes. You will have an opportunity to sign up to pitch to my weekly guest speakers. You get to be part of a private Facebook community. This level also includes a one-on-one consult for your TV Pilot script.
Level 2 w/ TV Pilot Consult
Rate For Level 2 w/ TV Pilot Consult – $850.00

LEVEL 3
is SOLD OUT.

NEW CONSULT OFFER
5 COACHING CONSULTS PLUS PARTICIPATION IN STORYWISE TELESEMINAR
For this service, we can go over anything you want during the meetings. We can do two meetings on your TV spec and three meetings on your TV pilot. Or, you can use this to work on two pilots. I will read one script a meeting. We can go over concepts, outlines or scripts. We can also go over Meeting Skills, Pitching and Career Consult. You design how the 5 meetings will benefit you in the best way.
You will also get to participate in the 10-Week Teleseminar at an upper level.
RATE FOR SPECIAL CONSULT – $2,500.00

ASSIGNMENTS
The Level#3 writing assignments will be due the Saturday before each class. Everyone at each level will receive a copy of the assignments turned in by the Level #3 writers so that they may follow along as well as provide notes directly to the Level #3 writers.
Levels #1 and #2, you will do the assignments on your own. No direct feedback is provided; however, this is where you can use the Facebook community of writers to exchange scripts weekly and get feedback.

GUEST SPEAKER – JOEL SILBERMAN (FOX TV STUDIOS)
WEEK 3 (8), Tuesday April 26, 2016
We will go over the notes for the first draft or first half of the first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – PAUL RUEHL (HAS SOLD 14 PILOTS, THE HARD TIMES OF RJ BERGER, FOR THE LOVE OF GRACE)
WEEK 4 (9), Tuesday May 3, 2016
We will go over the notes for the second draft or full-first draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – HOLLY HAROLD (HEROES REBORN, WHISPERS, BELIEVE, WAREHOUSE 13, SMALLVILLE)
WEEK 5 (10), Tuesday May 10, 2016
We will go over the notes for the third draft of the TV pilot scripts for Level #3.
GUEST SPEAKER – ISAAC GONZALEZ (LEGENDS OF CHAMBERLAIN HEIGHTS, BORDERTOWN, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY)

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – JUNE 3, 2016 AT THE BARREL ROOM ON SUNSET FROM 6:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
2016-06-06 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ June 3, 2016
March 18, 2016

Event Date: Friday, June 3, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:

Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this new location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind The Barrel Room. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

ISA MASTER CLASS – WRITING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS – JUNE 11th, 2016
2016-06-12 00:00
Writing A TV Pilot That Sells with Jen Grisanti
Classroom – Los Angeles Brought to you by International Screenwriters’ Association

Regular Registration ends: 06/08/2016
Class Begins: 06/11/2016 Ends: 06/11/2016
Class Time: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (PDT)

FEE: $175/$99 Register For Class

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WRITING A TV PILOT THAT SELLS with Jen Grisanti – 1 DAY EVENT

If you want to be the creator of the next Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Lost, Orange Is The New Black, Empire, Grey’s Anatomy, the list goes on, you need to learn how to write a pilot that sells!

How do you create characters that audiences must watch week after week? How do you create complexity in those characters? How do you create an emotional attachment from the audience to those characters? How do you create powerful act breaks that leave your audience on the edge of their seats? How do you set up the end of your pilot so it can carry on for years? How do you create a logline or pitch so that you can sell your brilliant idea to a network?
These are just some of questions Jen will answer in this Master Series Class. She will teach you the tools that will elevate your game and increase your opportunities because Jen believes that in order to go from a non-working writer to a working writer, you have to write a pilot that hits it out of the ballpark!

This is the first of many ISA Master Series Classes coming to you monthly so REGISTER TODAY to improve you chances of breaking in!

Jen Grisanti is a Story/Career Consultant, Writing Instructor of Writers on the Verge at NBC and former twelve-year studio executive has learned what it takes to transform a non-working writer into a working writer. She gained valuable working experience as the VP of Current Programing at CBS Paramount Network Television, Inc. and Head of Current Programs for Aaron Spelling’s company, Spelling Television, Inc. During her tenure Jen worked with producers and writers on the execution of shows such as: Medium, Numbers, NCIS, Girlfriends, Charmed, Seventh Heaven, Melrose Place, 90210 and many more. She has helped to launch countless writing careers over the last twenty-five years. FORTY OF HER CLIENTS HAVE SOLD PILOTS and five of them have gone to series. Jen’s system for telling and selling story has also led to SEVENTY-FIVE OF HER WRITERS GETTING STAFFED. Watch Video Intro.

SPONSORS OF EVENT

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – FRIDAY AUGUST 5th at 6:30 p.m. at The Barrel Room
2016-08-05 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ August 5, 2016

Event Date: Friday, August 5, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:

Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, August 4, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is a free event being held at Rock & Reilly’s Barrel Room. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.

Rock & Reilly’s knew it had a good thing going when it opened up its former private events space to the public called The Barrel Room, modeled after a casual Western watering hole located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.

The Lore Group’s newest Sunset Strip production mixes everything from barrel-aged cocktails by Matt Greene to an approachable set of drinking bites, like pickled hard-boiled eggs, cheese and charcuterie, and more from chef Chris Olsefsky.

Join us at The Barrel Room:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Barrel Room

8913 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone # 310.360.1400
(Corner of N. San Vicente Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.)

DIRECTIONS:
CITY OF SANTA MONICA:
Take the 10 EAST, exit La Cienega Blvd going North. Merge onto San Vicente Blvd. Make a left on Sunset Blvd.
THE VALLEY
Take 405 SOUTH. Exit Sunset going East.
EAST LOS ANGELES
Take 101 NORTH. Exit Sunset going West.

PARKING:
Valet parking is available in the front. Multiple parking lots around the area, including one behind The Barrel Room. Plenty of street metered parking.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Complimentary finger food will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

SCREENWRITERS WORLD MASTERING THE TV PILOT – AUGUST 12-13, 2016
2016-08-14 00:00
Screenwriters World Presents: Mastering the TV Pilot with Jen Grisanti
By: Screenwriters World

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$399 – $699 Get Tickets

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SAVE THIS EVENT

Screenwriters World Presents: Mastering the TV Pilot with Jen Grisanti
Fri, Aug 12, 2016 at 3:00 PM – New York, NY
$399 – $699 Get Tickets
Event Information
Event Description
There has never been a better time to write a TV series. HBO, Netflix, FX, Amazon Studios and the Big Five (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW) are actively searching for the next big hit. What does this mean for you? Opportunity! Both produced and unproduced writers can achieve creative and financial success in this lucrative and growing market.
But where do you start? What is the secret to creating an engaging TV Pilot with character and story complexity that will capture an audience and become a series? How do you take your idea from concept to pilot script to winning pitch? Most importantly, whom do you trust to teach you the knowledge required to realize your creative goals?
For over 25 years Jen Grisanti has worked in the studio system, mastering the techniques and craft required to launch a pilot and achieve the coveted trophy – series status. She gained valuable working experience as the VP of Current Programing at CBS Paramount Network Television, Inc. and Head of Current Programs for Aaron Spelling’s company, Spelling Television, Inc. During her tenure Jen worked with producers and writers on the execution of shows such as: Medium, Numbers, NCIS, Girlfriends, Charmed, Seventh Heaven, Melrose Place, 90210 and many more.
Jen’s expertise and mentorship has resulted in over seventy-five writers staffed on television shows, forty have sold pilots and five that went to series.
Join us at the Mastering the TV Pilot two-day intensive where you will learn how to develop and pitch your concept or already started TV Pilot. It kicks off on Friday afternoon with a panel discussion featuring working TV professionals who will share an insiders view of the TV industry. On Saturday Jen will teach you, in a focused and collaborative workshop environment, the essential knowledge you need to become a working TV writer. This full day of instruction and hands-on work-shopping culminates in a cocktail mixer celebration collocated with the Writer’s Digest Conference.
Now is the time for you to take your idea for a TV Pilot to the next level and make your dreams of being a working television writer come true. Seating is limited to ensure your access to Jen Grisanti – so don’t delay.
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY

3:00pm – 4:30pm Breaking into the Writers Room (Panel Discussion)

SATURDAY

9:00am – 12:00pm Telling and Selling Your Story (Seminar)
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00pm – 3:00pm Writing Loglines for Your Life and Filling out the Pilot Worksheet with Your Story Points (Workshop)
3:00pm – 4:00pm Emotional Fuel – How to Elevate Your Story (Seminar)
4:00pm – 5:30pm Pitching Your TV Pilot Story (Workshop)
6:00pm – 7:30pm Networking and Cocktail Mixer

SPONSORS:
Final Draft
Final Draft® is the number-one selling screenwriting application in the world. Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to industry standards, allowing writers to focus on what they do best – writing scripts. Used by such industry giants as J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and Aaron Sorkin, Final Draft software is the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard. In addition to its flagship software product, Final Draft offers the annual Big Break™ Contest – a screenwriting competition that launches careers, and awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes. Final Draft also offers the Reader® and Writer® apps for iPhone and iPad. To learn more about Final Draft visit: www.finaldraft.com
The Writers Store
Since 1982 The Writers Store has solved a key problem that many writing enthusiasts face – where to learn the craft of screenwriting and acquire the relevant tools used by professional screenwriters. Our journey began by recognizing the process screenwriters follow, the obstacles and challenges they face and setting out to find solutions to help create success. We continue this mission today through The Writers Store, Screenwriters University and Script Magazine.
Mastering the TV Pilot with Jen Grisanti, Event Schedule
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
Breaking into the Writers Room, 3 – 4:30 pm
Jen Grisanti will be moderating a panel of top TV writers Debora Cahn (writer/producer of HBO’s Vinyl, NBC’s The West Wing and ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy), Michael Rauch (writer/producer USA’s Royal Pains, CBS’s Love Monkey, ABC’s Beautiful People and CW’s Life is Wild) and Jill Abbinanti (writer/producer of NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit). Jen will dig deep into the world of writing and what it takes to succeed.
Topics will include:

What’s the story behind their success
Were there any specific story points in their own life stories that got them to this point in their careers
What does it take to succeed in the writers room
Tips on pitching and selling pilots
Tips and techniques on how to find your voice as a writer
How to create memorable characters
And much more!

Jen will also discuss with each panelist why they write, how they set up the stories they tell, how they utilize their emotional truth, what does the producing part of it all look like, advice that has made a difference in their careers and more. Followed by a Q&A with the writers.
The intention of the panel is to have a raw discussion about how it all comes together and what the career of a working writer looks like.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Telling & Selling Your Story, 9 am – 12 pm In this first session you will learn how to develop strong concepts for your story, while exploring what is working in TV today and why it’s working. You will learn about how to draw from your emotional truth to come up with a pilot concept that sets you apart from other writers. You will explore how to create complex, memorable characters with goals and wants. Jen will explain her pitching formula and how you can utilize it to sell your own concept. Additionally, you will come out of the seminar with some key structural concepts to apply to your script, including ways to set up the rest of your series and increase the chances of your script being purchased.
Writing Loglines for Your Life & Filling out the Pilot Worksheet with Your Story Points, 1 – 3 pm In this workshop you will learn a formula that will help you write log lines for your life, log lines for your characters, and log lines for your story arcs. This session will also feature Jen’s Pilot Worksheet, designed to make sure that your pilot has the complexity, structure, and key elements that can help make it a hit.
Emotional Fuel: How to Elevate Your Story, 3 – 4 pm Emotion is what connects you to your audience. In this seminar Jen will discuss how to utilize the emotional fuel of your character and build an internal arc. You’ll learn how to use your character’s internal desire to escalate the stakes of your pilot in both an internal and an external way.
Pitching Your TV Pilot Story, 4 – 5:30 pm In this workshop you will have the chance to pitch your pilot concept using Jen’s pilot pitching formula. You will also receive feedback on how to strengthen your pitch to increase your chances of making the sale.
Networking & Cocktail Mixer, 6 – 7:30 pm At the end of your full day of instruction and work-shopping, enjoy a cocktail at this celebratory mixer! The mixer will include attendees of the Writer’s Digest Conference.
FAQs
How many attendees are included in the Writing Partner Seminar Admission ticket?
The Writing Partner ticket is for two attendees, who will both have full benefits and access during the event.
Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event?
Mastering the TV Pilot is open to all attendees 16 and over. A valid ID will be required to receive your seminar badge.
What can/can’t I bring to the event?
No recording devices may be used during the seminar to record any portion of the lecture, workshop.
Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Please contact The Writers Store at 800.272.8927 or email us at customer-service@writersstore.com.

When Friday, August 12, 2016 at 3:00 PM – Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 6:00 PM (EDT) – Add to Calendar Where New York Hilton Midtown – 1335 6th Ave, New York, NY 10019 – View Map Tags New York, NY Events Seminar Film & Media

Pitch Prep Workshop With Roadmap on August 20, 2016
2016-08-20 00:00
ROADMAP PRESENTS…
PITCH PREP with
JEN GRISANTI

Pitch Prep Workshop with Jen Grisanti + Pitchfest!

On Sunday, August 21 @ 10:00AM – 4:00PM PT, Roadmap Writers will host a special 1 day online pitching event with 5 execs (see below!) for all feature and TV writers!
To prepare you for this event, on Saturday, August 20 @ 10:00AM – 12:00PM PT, Roadmap Writers is bringing you one of the most acclaimed consultants in the industry to host an immersive and intensive 2 hour live online class.
Jen Grisanti is a world renowned consultant that has worked with executive producers, show runners and staff of over 15 primetime shows, is a three-year mentor in the CBS/Diversity Program and a panelist for the WGA and DGA.
Over the course of this 2-day event, you will learn directly from Jen Grisanti on how to master your pitch and then use the tools you’ve learned the following day to pitch to:
-RatPac Entertainment (The Revenant)
-Good Fear Management
-Abrams Artists
-Meridian Artists
-Unique Features
**Email joey@roadmapwriters.com for more information!
Your registration fee includes the Workshop + 3 Pitches the following day!

(2 hours)
$ 100.00
Select

Here is the LINK

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 – NEW LOCATION
2016-09-03 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ September 2, 2016 ~ NEW LOCATION

Event Date: Friday, September 2, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:

Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, September 1, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is being held at The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge area. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.

Your Beverly Hills Restaurant Experience Awaits ~ It’s no secret ~ LA is a foodie’s best friend. Local. Sustainable. Farm-to-fabulous. So it’s more than noteworthy that BLVD 16 restaurant has made a name for itself by hitting all the high notes and then some. That means whether you’re dropping by for dinner or grabbing a tasty small bite after a long flight, prepare to be wowed.
It starts with the freshest ingredients (think organic honeycomb, zucchini flowers and torpedo onions) that Chef Grace Gonzalez interprets with a balance of artful simplicity and genuine LA sizzle, to create a truly memorable experience. And if you’re interested in cocktailing in an inspired setting, here’s our pro tip: enjoy the company of friends or make new ones in our sleekly styled bar where crafty libations infused with fresh juices, house made syrups and top-shelf spirits fuel a delightfully deliciou ~ s experience.

Join us at The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

LOCATION:
The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge

10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Phone # 310.475.8711
Toll-free: (800) 472-8556
Palomar Hotel

DIRECTIONS:
Directions from the south and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

From the airport, take W. Century Way east for 1.8 miles.
Merge slightly right onto I-405 North. Go 9.3 miles.
Exit onto Wilshire Blvd. Go 1.1 miles.
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills is located at 10740 Wilshire Boulevard at Selby Avenue.

Directions from the north and the San Diego Freeway.

From I-405 South / San Diego Freeway, take the Wilshire Blvd. exit. Go 0.2 miles.
Turn right at Wilshire Blvd. Go 1 mile.
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills is located at 10740 Wilshire Boulevard at Selby Avenue.

PARKING:
Valet parking is $16.00.

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Happy hour food prices will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL – SEPTEMBER 1st through September 4th, 2016
2016-09-05 00:00
Jen Grisanti
Story / Career Consultant

LA based Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant, Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount and author of the books, Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story and TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells and her new book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling, who served as her mentor for 12 years, and she quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400 and Girlfriends.
In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her experience as a studio executive where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti personally guides writers to shape their material, hone their pitches and focus their careers. Since launching the consulting firm, Grisanti has worked with over 800 writers specializing in television, features and novels. Due to her expertise and mentorship, seventy-five of her writers have staffed on television shows and forty have sold pilots, five that that went to series.
Grisanti has taught classes for the TV Writers Summit (in LA, London and Israel), The TV Writers Studio (in Australia), Story Expo, The Big Island Film Festival, Chicago Screenwriters Network, Scriptwriters Network , Screenwriting Expo, the Great American Pitchfest, the Writers Store, the Northwestern Screenwriter’s Guild in Seattle, and the Alameda’s Writer’s Group. In addition, she has served on panels for the WGA, iTVFest, UFVA, PGA and The Writer’s Bootcamp, telling her story to inspire others.
Jen Grisanti is appearing at the following sessions:

Adding Fiction to your Truth
Learn how to add fiction to your truth in the key parts of your story. You will learn how to identify your own life themes and in doing so, you will find out what it is you want to say to the world in the stories that you tell.

Finding Your Voice: Telling it YOUR way so that your work is remembered
Your voice is what sets you apart from the masses. You, your life experience, your stories are unique… Learn how to leverage YOUR uniqueness.

What Makes the Audience Return To A Series? Mastering the Internal Story
When we feel your story, it makes us want to come back. In this class, learn the techniques that will make them want more. When you do this well, you create longevity for your series.

Writing The TV Pilot That Sells: LondonSWF Festival Week One Day Workshop (Sept 1st)
Jen Grisanti has developed a story system that has led 40 of her clients to sell their pilots. Five of them went to series. In this outstanding one day masterclass, Jen will share with you her system of story that has proven so successful.

Writing The TV Pilot That Sells: LondonSWF Festival Week One Day Workshop (Sept 1st)
Jen Grisanti has developed a story system that has led 40 of her clients to sell their pilots. Five of them went to series. In this outstanding one day masterclass, Jen will share with you her system of story that has proven so successful.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT PALOMAR HOTEL BLVD 16 RESTAURANT, WESTWOOD
2016-10-08 00:00
Friday Night Social ~ October 7, 2016 ~ NEW LOCATION

Event Date: Friday, October 7, 2016 || Starts at 6:30 pm || Co-sponsoring with Jennifer Grisanti
Friday Night Social is a networking group that meets the first Friday of every month. It started as a way for TV and feature writers to meet one another and has evolved into so much more. This is a great way to “Network”. Plan on meeting people from different areas and levels in the entertainment industry.

IMPORTANT:

Please REGISTER before 10:00 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2016.

This month’s Friday Night Social is being held at The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge area. Please join Jennifer Grisanti and SWN at this location for this month’s Friday Night Social “Networking” event.
Your Beverly Hills Restaurant Experience Awaits ~ It’s no secret ~ LA is a foodie’s best friend. Local. Sustainable. Farm-to-fabulous. So it’s more than noteworthy that BLVD 16 restaurant has made a name for itself by hitting all the high notes and then some. That means whether you’re dropping by for dinner or grabbing a tasty small bite after a long flight, prepare to be wowed.
It starts with the freshest ingredients (think organic honeycomb, zucchini flowers and torpedo onions) that Chef Grace Gonzalez interprets with a balance of artful simplicity and genuine LA sizzle, to create a truly memorable experience. And if you’re interested in cocktailing in an inspired setting, here’s our pro tip: enjoy the company of friends or make new ones in our sleekly styled bar where crafty libations infused with fresh juices, house made syrups and top-shelf spirits fuel a delightfully deliciou ~ s experience.
Join us at The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge:

Below: Photos from previous events:

Event starts at 6:30 pm – Ends at 9:30 pm

LOCATION:
The Palomar Hotel’s BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge

10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Phone # 310.475.8711
Toll-free: (800) 472-8556
Palomar Hotel

DIRECTIONS:
Directions from the south and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

From the airport, take W. Century Way east for 1.8 miles.
Merge slightly right onto I-405 North. Go 9.3 miles.
Exit onto Wilshire Blvd. Go 1.1 miles.
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills is located at 10740 Wilshire Boulevard at Selby Avenue.

Directions from the north and the San Diego Freeway.

From I-405 South / San Diego Freeway, take the Wilshire Blvd. exit. Go 0.2 miles.
Turn right at Wilshire Blvd. Go 1 mile.
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills is located at 10740 Wilshire Boulevard at Selby Avenue.

PARKING:
Valet parking is $16.00. (WE are working on – $5 valet parking with validation at the bar)

Admission:
FREE to attend. Pay for your own food, cocktails & parking.
**Check in with us at the entrance to receive your name tags for networking.
**Happy hour food prices will be provided for our Networking Group!

Happy Networking!

SPEAKING AT iTV Fest – October 5-9, 2016
2016-10-10 00:00
ITVFest OCTOBER 5-9, 2016

Panelists & Speakers at ITVFest 2016

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Executives
Speakers
Content Creators

View Panel & Seminar schedules and descriptions

GRETA McANANY
Filmmaker and Entrepreneur
Greta McAnany is an award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur. A proud graduate of the University of Southern California, she began her career in film by starting a production company and producing the feature film Bite Size. It released on TV, digital platforms, including Netflix, and was also featured on Katie Couric’s “Obesity Awareness” special on ABC.
After experiencing first-hand the gender bias that female filmmakers in Hollywood face, Greta co-founded X-Factor Films, a ‘Netflix’ for millennial female content that doubles as a space for fans and creators to engage.

Read more

HUNTER KINSELLA
Co-Founder, Frame Media Group
Hunter Kinsella is the Co-Founder of Frame Media Group, a digital media company focused on monetizing a variety of content-based web properties through programatic and real time bidding ad technology. Previously, Kinsella was in Brand Coverage focusing on Digital Packaging at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Kinsella interfaced with colleagues across the agency in an effort to connect clients with digital media partners and advertisers to create original entertainment content, which is then was strategically distributed across various platforms in innovative ways that maximized its monetization tail.

Read more

JACOB KRUEGER
Writer, Founder of Jacob Krueger Studio
Over his years in the entertainment industry, Jacob Krueger has worked with thousands of writers, from Academy and Tony Award Winners, to beginning writers picking up the pen for the first time.
The founder of Jacob Krueger Studio in New York City, Jacob is an award winning screenwriter, playwright, producer and director.
Jacob’s first produced movie, The Matthew Shepard Story (2002) won him the Writers Guild of America Paul Selvin Award and a Gemini Nomination for Best Screenplay.

Read more

JEN GRISANTI
Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy
International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount, blogger for The Huffington Post and author of the books, Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story and TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells and her new book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling, who served as her mentor for 12 years, and she quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400 and Girlfriends.

Read more

JERMAINE JOHNSON
Manager, 3 Arts Entertainment
Jermaine Johnson is a manager and producer at the Beverly Hills-based 3 Arts Entertainment. Originally from New Jersey, he graduated Rutgers with a BA in Marketing before transitioning into entertainment.
Jermaine represents a wide variety of clients, including writers, directors, journalists, and comedians. He helps manage the career of Aaron Covington (co-writer of CREED), Rell Battle (premiere comic and actor), Jessie Nickson-Lopez (story editor on STRANGER THINGS), Attica Locke (producer on EMPIRE and national bestselling author), Rembert Browne (writer for New York Magazine), Cord Jefferson (story editor on MASTER OF NONE and prominent freelance reporter), and more.

Read more

AASIM SAIED
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Akyumen Technologies Corp
Aasim Saied is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Akyumen Technologies Corp and is an established entrepreneur with experience and a history of high tech concept design and building fast-moving, innovative companies.
He has engineered powerful new mobile device technologies and software applications and has recruited a global team of developers, industry specialists and partners for a successful launch of his Companies including AkyumenTV, a global entertainment live and on-demand television, movie, music and gaming subscription platform available on the Akyumen projection phones and tablet.

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AMY RICHARDS
Author, Executive Producer
Amy Richards is the executive producer of the WOMAN series on VICELAND. She is also a consulting producer on MAKERS and the HBO documentary Gloria Steinem: In Her Own Words. Amy has authored and edited several award winning books, including Opting In: Having a Child Without Losing Yourself, Manifesta and Grassroots. As the president of Soapbox, Inc. and founder of Soapbox Foundation Amy organizes dozens of events each year and hosts Feminist Camp.
Amy has appeared in most major media outlets — from Fox’s O’Reilly to The Oprah Winfrey Show to Charlie Rose — covering everything from plastic surgery and shopping in New York City to abortion politics and sexual harassment.

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ANDREA CASILLAS
Attorney, Masur Griffitts
Andrea advises technology and media startups on corporate matters, including formation and venture financing, as well as on intellectual property matters including portfolio management and protection.
Prior to Masur Griffitts, Andrea was the Director of Linux Defenders for Open Invention Network where she helped create alternatives to traditional patent strategy and open source software protection. She became a thought leader and highly sought after advocate in the field, speaking at numerous Open Source Conferences globally, including but not limited to LinuxCon and Grace Hopper.

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ANNE MULHALL
Casting Director, LDI Casting
Casting director Anne Mulhall has established a home base for LDI Casting in Rhode Island. Less than one hour from Boston, she seems to be filling the gap between New York and Boston.
LDI has been casting both principal and background performers for feature films, independent films, television, corporate video, and commercials for the past twelve years.

BOBBY FARRELLY
Producer, Writer, Director
Recognized worldwide for their distinct comedic sensibility, Bobby Farrelly and his brother Peter have garnered notable and global commercial success with their heartfelt and raucously funny films. Bobby made his directorial debut in 1994 with the film Dumb & Dumber. A commercial success, Dumb & Dumber went on to gross over $246 million worldwide and launched Jim Carrey’s career.
Building off the overwhelming response to the film, Bobby and his brother Peter continued to define comedy with the Golden Globe Nominated There’s Something About Mary starring Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon and Cameron Diaz. Their catalogue of additional hits includes Kingpin; Me, Myself & Irene; Shallow Hal; Stuck On You; Fever Pitch; The Heartbreak Kid; and Hall Pass.

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BRETT BUTLER
Comedian, Actress
She’s a comedian, an actress, a NY Times bestselling author and producer, and Brett Butler has her very own Akyumen Original Series in development with KF Media Group for AkyumenTV! The two time Golden Globe nominated actress and People’s Choice Award winner wrapped 112 episodes of the ABC favorite Grace Under Fire in 1998.
Brett went on to a recurring role on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless, and most recently FX’s Anger Management with Charlie Sheen. She has made appearances in recent years on FX’s Archer, HBO’s The Leftovers, and this season you’ll see her in a “mystery role” on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.

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CAISSIE St. ONGE
Writer, Producer
Caissie St.Onge is a television writer and producer who has worked on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and Best Week Ever. She is currently a Co-Executive Producer of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live!
She has also written comedy for the late great Joan Rivers and for Bette Midler’s most recent concert tour, and in her spare time, she tries to write Young Adult novels.

CECILIA MEJIA
Interim Director of Development, Scenarios USA
Cecilia has worked in development and has written grants for several nonprofit organizations, including NGOs affiliated with the UN. During her undergraduate studies at SUNY Buffalo she worked with community youth organizations and served as a mentor.
Following college Cecilia worked in a law firm that specialized in nonprofit law, where she was inspired to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Affairs. Shortly after, she followed up her studies at the Columbia Business School Developing Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals.

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CINDY CAPONERA
Actress, Writer
Cindy Caponera, a native Chicagoan, has built an impressive career as an actress and writer. She started at the Second City Theater in Chicago where she performed in the National Touring Company, The E.T.C. and Main Stage. As well as many other local plays including, the critically acclaimed performances in Eugene O’Neil’s Before Breakfast/Hughie at the Royal George Theater, and Maria Irene Fornes’ Mud at the Chicago Actors’ Project.
Her first solo show, Against the Grain, debuted in Chicago to rave reviews. Followed by the critically acclaimed The Debutante Ball which played in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen, and was produced for Oxygen Network’s Life Out Loud series. Cookies and Booze, her third solo show, has been seen at the HBO Workshop Stage and the Comedy Central Stage in Los Angeles.

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DANA KUZNETZKOFF
Film and Television Producer
Dana K is the founder of Fourth Agreement, a versatile film & TV production company whose mission is to create unique films that inspire and entertain. She has led diverse projects such as HBO’s pilot episode BOARDWALK EMPIRE and was the co-producer of NBC’s SMASH.
Dana is currently working with Doug Liman and Julina Tatlock, as one of the producers of the first scripted virtual reality series, INVISIBLE for Conde Nast Entertainment and she recently completed, THE NEW YORKER PRESENTS an episodic show for Amazon Studios visualizing the iconic magazine’s unique stories.

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DAVID SIGURANI
Vice President of Original Series Development at Super Deluxe
David Sigurani is the Vice President of Original Series Development at Super Deluxe, a new digital studio under Turner that develops, produces and distributes series from unique voices that tell bold, edgy stories. Previously he headed creative at Televisa USA, mining the vast format library and setting up various network series.
There he oversaw Devious Maids on Lifetime and Chasing Life on ABC Family. He hails from development stints at South Shore (Lionsgate+Televisa), Cutler Productions (Nashville, If I Stay) and Prospect Park (Wilfred, Royal Pains).

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DAVID WEDGE
Writer, Author, Journalist
Dave Wedge is an author and writer based in Boston. A Boston College graduate, he was an investigative reporter at the Boston Herald for 14 years and has also written for VICE, Esquire, Newsweek, and DigBoston. His first book, “Boston Strong: A City’s Triumph Over Tragedy,” about the 2013 Boston Marathon attacks, was used for the new film Patriots Day, starring Mark Wahlberg, J.K. Simmons, Jon Goodman and Michelle Monaghan and directed by Pete Berg.
Dave and his “Boston Strong” co-author Casey Sherman are currently writing “Challenge,” the story of ALS hero and Ice Bucket Challenge creator Pete Frates. A film based on that story is in development through their new company Whydah Productions.

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DEBRA CHANDLER
CEO and Co-Founder of Kickfannie Media Group
Deb Chandler is the CEO and Co-Founder of KF Media Group and Strategic Partner with Akyumen Technologies and Akyumen TV. As head of the newly formed media group Deb’s responsible for independent programming coming to the Akyumen TV and Radio Network. I believe, “These are exciting times. We are witness to a new global entertainment paradigm, Akyumen Technology’s projection devices, paired with the Akyumen TV and Radio Network is allowing us to untether television…cut the cord. Untethered television is now, and here to stay. As the “new kids” on the block, our excitement is off the charts, when it comes to opening doors for independent creators!

DENNIS WILLIAMS
VP, Corporate Social Responsibility
Dennis Williams is vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), for Home Box Office, Inc., responsible for the company’s philanthropic and pro-social initiatives. He was named to this position in January 2013. Williams played an integral role in the creation of the CSR group, and has since worked with his team to develop and define HBO’s corporate and social responsibility mission.
Under his leadership, the group has expanded and realigned corporate giving efforts with philanthropic partners, including non-profit organizations; enhanced HBO’s presence within the communities in which the company does business; and connected the company’s philanthropy to the themes reflected in the network’s programming.

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ERICA ARVOLD
Producer/Casting Director, arvold.
Producer/casting director/educator Erica Arvold most recently cast the indie feature Permanent has recently served as location casting director for Jeff Nichols’ feature film Loving, the AMC series Turn: Washington’s Spies and two seasons of Netflix’s House of Cards.
Erica produced and cast the indie film Josephine, served as associate producer and casting director on Coming Through the Rye, helped cast feature films Ithaca and Kicked by Grace, National Geographic’s Killing Kennedy, and her production company is currently producing the independent feature film Chesapeake. She was nominated for CSA’s prestigious Artios Award for the location casting of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln in 2013 and for the casting of independent feature Big Stone Gap in 2016.

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GLORIA DANIEL
Associate Director, Scenarios USA
Gloria came to Scenarios USA as an intern through the Development office. Then she was hired as the Youth Coordinator for Scenarios USA 2012 Youth Conference. Now Gloria joins the staff as the office manager. After 14 years of coordinating live television and 16 years of volunteer work at various organizations there was a natural shift from coordinating live TV to coordinating an active office and diverse staff.

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GRETA McANANY
Filmmaker and Entrepreneur
Greta McAnany is an award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur. A proud graduate of the University of Southern California, she began her career in film by starting a production company and producing the feature film Bite Size. It released on TV, digital platforms, including Netflix, and was also featured on Katie Couric’s “Obesity Awareness” special on ABC.
After experiencing first-hand the gender bias that female filmmakers in Hollywood face, Greta co-founded X-Factor Films, a ‘Netflix’ for millennial female content that doubles as a space for fans and creators to engage.

Read more

HUNTER KINSELLA
Co-Founder, Frame Media Group
Hunter Kinsella is the Co-Founder of Frame Media Group, a digital media company focused on monetizing a variety of content-based web properties through programatic and real time bidding ad technology. Previously, Kinsella was in Brand Coverage focusing on Digital Packaging at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Kinsella interfaced with colleagues across the agency in an effort to connect clients with digital media partners and advertisers to create original entertainment content, which is then was strategically distributed across various platforms in innovative ways that maximized its monetization tail.

Read more

JACOB KRUEGER
Writer, Founder of Jacob Krueger Studio
Over his years in the entertainment industry, Jacob Krueger has worked with thousands of writers, from Academy and Tony Award Winners, to beginning writers picking up the pen for the first time.
The founder of Jacob Krueger Studio in New York City, Jacob is an award winning screenwriter, playwright, producer and director.
Jacob’s first produced movie, The Matthew Shepard Story (2002) won him the Writers Guild of America Paul Selvin Award and a Gemini Nomination for Best Screenplay.

Read more

JEN GRISANTI
Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy
International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount, blogger for The Huffington Post and author of the books, Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story and TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells and her new book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling, who served as her mentor for 12 years, and she quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400 and Girlfriends.

Read more

JERMAINE JOHNSON
Manager, 3 Arts Entertainment
Jermaine Johnson is a manager and producer at the Beverly Hills-based 3 Arts Entertainment. Originally from New Jersey, he graduated Rutgers with a BA in Marketing before transitioning into entertainment.
Jermaine represents a wide variety of clients, including writers, directors, journalists, and comedians. He helps manage the career of Aaron Covington (co-writer of CREED), Rell Battle (premiere comic and actor), Jessie Nickson-Lopez (story editor on STRANGER THINGS), Attica Locke (producer on EMPIRE and national bestselling author), Rembert Browne (writer for New York Magazine), Cord Jefferson (story editor on MASTER OF NONE and prominent freelance reporter), and more.

Read more

JEROME PERZIGIAN
Showrunner, Writer, Producer
With more than 25 years of Hollywood experience, Jerome Perzigian has been a showrunner, writer, and producer on some of the most successful half-hour series in history, including “The Jeffersons,” “The Golden Girls,” “Frasier,” “The Nanny,” and “Married…with Children.”
He has worked with, for, and alongside some of the biggest, most successful names in the the medium, in virtually every half-hour genre: smart shows, silly shows, black shows, white shows, kid shows, sports shows, sketch shows, and a couple that defy rational explication.

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JESSE ALBERT
Producer, Agent
Jesse Albert is a former Sr. Agent at ICM where he focused on digital and branded entertainment strategy and engagements for world leading clients and brands His efforts crossed all divisions, including digital, publishing, video games, venture capital, music, and others.
Prior to ICM, Albert led US digital entertainment for 19 Entertainment, creator of American Idol where he helped establish the first American Idol/iTunes relationship.

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JESSE COWELL
Founder, Jeskid Productions
Writer/exec producer/director Drawn by Pain, Status Kill, Shades of Gray; Webby Award Winner Jesse has written/directed/produced an average of 3 films for every year of his life. He first made his mark working in online video by creating the hit series, Drawn by Pain, Shades of Gray (not the S&M film) and Status Kill.
Called a “legend” by the massively popular Rooster Teeth Productions, Jesse was one of a handful of Vloggers creating content before YouTube opened its doors. He launched his first comedy feature film online in 2004 and has been actively producing content ever since.

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JESSICA HINDS
Screenwriter, Playwright and Lyricist
Jessica Hinds is a screenwriter, playwright and lyricist from Contra Costa County California. Her recent screenwriting work includes “Tip of the Horn” currently in development with MediaWorld Productions, and the award winning short “Stranger at Home.”
Jessica has been a finalist in over a dozen major competitions and festivals including the prestigious O’Neill Conference (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) and the 2009 Heidman Award. She received her MFA in Dramatic Writing from the New School for Drama.

JIM LOUDERBACK
Venture Partner at Social Starts, Editorial Director of Vidcon
Jim Louderback is among the most respected figures in digital media with a 20-year history of leadership at the intersection of publishing and technology. Currently, Jim is a Venture Partner at seed investment firm Social Starts, Editorial Director of Vidcon and consults with a variety of top tech and media companies on strategy, tactics and implementation.
Throughout his career, Jim has earned a reputation as a visionary who excels at leading startups, growth businesses and turnarounds. His most well-known role was that of CEO of Revision3, where he helped drive a 20x increase in viewers and a 12x increase in revenue beginning in 2007. In 2012, Jim sold the company to Discovery Communications where he remained as General Manager, transforming the group into Discovery Digital Networks.

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JOEL SURNOW
Executive Producer, Showrunner
Joel Surnow is best known as the co-creator/executive producer of the tv show, 24. He has received Emmys for Best Drama and Best Dramatic Writing, a Golden Globe for Best Drama, a Producer of the year award from the PGA, a Best Writer of the Year award from the Hollywood Caucus and the Wired Rave award in 2003, as one of the”people changing your mind.”
He began his career as head writer on first season of Miami Vice. From there, he was the showrunner of “The Equalizer.” In the mid-nineties, he adapted the movie, La Femme Nikita, which became a hit series for USA Network. Along the way, Joel provided writing and producing services for such highly-viewed and distinguished shows such as Wiseguy, Nowhere Man, Bay City Blues and The Commish.

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JOHN RHODES
Co-Creator, ScreenCraft
John is an independent film producer with experience on many sides of the industry. He worked for Open Road Films’ acquisition team, acquiring and releasing such films as ‘The Grey’ starring Liam Neeson and ‘End of Watch’ starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
Previously he worked as a creative executive at Media Talent Group for clients including Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman.

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JOSH BUTLER
Director
Joshua Butler graduated Summa Cum Laude from USC Film School having written and directed the award-winning short Will Work for Food (1995). Joshua then directed 11 episodes of the hit CW show The Vampire Diaries (2009).
In the fall of 2015, Joshua is directing the new CBS series Limitless (2015) for Bradley Cooper, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, as well as The Magicians (2015) for Michael London and John McNamara.

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JOSH McGUIRE
Lit Manager, Partner at Underground
From small town Sparta, NJ, Josh Turner McGuire got his start in the business as an intern at Underground after a brief stint in independent film. Having arrived in Hollywood with no connections or famous relatives, he has risen from intern to literary manager, producer and partner at Underground. McGuire graduated from Florida State University with degrees in Political Science and Economics.

KARIN PARTIN
Screenwriter, Television Writer, Producer & Cinematographer
A Screenwriter, Television Writer, Producer & Cinematographer, Karin Partin Wells studied photography and anthropology at Ball State University, worked with Matthew Barney Studio in New York, attended film school at New York University Tisch School of the Arts and is local 600 eligible for her camera work on feature films.
Karin writes about the stuff that everyone has to go through but no one talks about. Her feature and teleplay screenwriting has been a finalist at Sundance, Scriptapalooza, Screencraft and Austin Film Festival, and she was nominated to the prestigious Sundance Television Lab in 2015.

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KELLY EDWARDS
Vice President of Talent Development, HBO
In June 2013 Kelly Edwards joined HBO as their VP of Talent Development and Programming, overseeing all diversity programs above and below the line for series, films, Cinemax and miniseries.
Prior to HBO, Edwards was a key corporate diversity executive at Comcast/NBCUniversal for over five years where she introduced diverse creative talent to NBC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and Telemundo.

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KHARA CAMPBELL
Producer, AOL Studios
Khara is a director and producer of online content at AOL for brands like Makers.com, TechCrunch, and The Huffington Post. Most notable work includes an ensemble music video with Missy Elliott, Janelle Monae, Zendaya, and more, which was tweeted out by First Lady Michelle Obama for her #62MillionGirls campaign and MAKERS.com – a site illuminating the stories of groundbreaking women.
For The Huffington Post, she recently shot a segment for the Paralympic-qualifying Angel City Games – where she interviewed Scout Bassett and Rudy Garcia-Tolson, both of whom will compete in the 2016 Paralympic games in Rio.

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KIRSTY BELL
Director & MD of Goldfinch Entertainment
Kirsty is a successful film producer and a tax specialist who has spent much of her career at top-ten accountancy firms. This combined expertise has seen her focus on the structuring of film companies and their finance raises since 1996 – a period in which she has raised over £150m for the industry.
After setting up and successfully running her own business consultancy business, she joined as a Partner leading entertainment accountants Nyman Libson Paul in 2013 as Head of Film & Media.

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KRIS MEYER
Producer, Owner at BlackEagle
Kris Meyer is the owner of BlackEagle, an Entertainment and Media company, and is an Emmy nominated and award winning producer who has worked for the past 19 years with the comedic duo The Farrelly Brothers under their production banner, Conundrum Entertainment.
He has worked as a creative executive, production consultant and producer on such blockbuster hits as “There’s Something About Mary,” “Me, Myself & Irene,” “Shallow Hal,” “Fever Pitch”, “Hall Pass”, “The Three Stooges” and “Dumb & Dumber To”.

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KRISTYN CADDEL
Journalist
Kristyn Caddell joins AkyumenTV and KF Media Group as their offical ITVFestival Host, reporting all of the happenings at this year’s festival. She will nab on the spot interviews with the film makers throughout the week, cover Akyumen panel discussions, conduct celebrity interviews, and Host the ITVFest Red Carpet Gala exclusively for the new AkyumenTV Network.
Kristyn is an award-winning journalist, host and commentator with more than 10 years of experience in print, online and television reporting. Her stories have been featured on local and national news outlets.

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LAUREN FRANCESCA
Actress, Social Media Influencer
With over 1 billion views online, Lauren Francesca has been described by Streaming Media as “a YouTube superstar.” Lauren’s videos have been featured on 20/20, Tosh.0, The O’Reilly Factor, FOX News, TruTV’s Funniest Moments, Comedy Central, and more. Entertainment Weekly said Lauren’s “Lady Gaga Telephone Parody,” was the “funniest Internet phenomenon of the moment.” As an actress, Lauren landed a role on the hit FX show Louie, and she was featured in one of Netflix’s top comedies, Bad Parents.

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LAUREN TRACY
Co-Founder of X-Factor Films
As a college student, Lauren built an organization to bring financial awards to female filmmakers – collaborators included Kathryn Bigelow, NYU and Avid. After speaking at her graduation alongside Zerox CEO Ursula Burns, Lauren spent the next two years editing feature films in Los Angeles.
With her idea for X-Factor Films, she was a 2013 Dogfish Accelerator finalist (the world’s first entertainment business incubator), and accepted to Boston’s leading incubator Venture Development Center in 2014.

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LESLIE DURSO
Chef and TV Personality
A vegan chef and healthy living educator, after establishing herself as a private chef for the NYC and Hollywood elite, Leslie emerged as a public persona, hosting cooking segments on television and healthy living content online.
Determined to inspire beneficial life-long eating habits for everyone, she has appeared on The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, The Doctors, The Hallmark Channel, Everyday Health and Mother Nature Network and written for MindBodyGreen, VegNews, CNN.com, Redbook, Glamour, Maxim, and dozens more, evangelizing the benefits of a mindful lifestyle, delivered with her trademark blend of sunshiney sophistication and girl next door relatability.

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LOREN WEEKS
Production Designer
Former architect for 13 years. Changed to production in 1994. Started as a production assistant. Began designing in 2002 on NBC show “Third Watch”- Have designed both TV and film. Films include “Interview” directed by Steve Buscemi and “Blind Date” directed by Stanley Tucci. Both films are remakes of films by the dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh.
In television I have designed “Gossip Girl”, “Franklin and Bash”, “State of Affairs” , “Daredevil”, “Jessica Jones” (Peabody award), and the recently released (as in Sept 30 2016) “Luke Cage”. I just wrapped “Iron Fist” the 4th character in the Marvel/Netflix series and am currently working on “The Defenders” which brings all 4 characters together to defend NYC.

MARK MALKOFF
Comedian and Filmmaker
Mark Malkoff is a comedian and filmmaker. He has been featured on the “Today Show”, “Good Morning America”, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NPR, and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”.
Mark starred in a popular video in which he visited and consumed purchases at all 171 Starbucks locations in Manhattan in less than 24 hours. Mark also achieved worldwide media attention for his video series in which he lived and slept in an IKEA store in Paramus, New Jersey for an entire week which ended up winning the 2009 PR Week Campaign of the Year.

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MARLA WHITE
Development Executive/Producer/Pitch & Story Coach
Marla White is a television development executive with experience producing prime time series and award nominated television movies in multiple genres. The head of television for Emmy Award winning writer & producer Peter Tolan’s Fedora Entertainment for the past seven years, Marla was involved in numerous comedy and drama pitches being sold to networks and cable outlets. She’s worked hands-on with writers through the pilot process and has been involved with the WGN hit show “Outsiders”, the Fox drama “Rake” and “Gaffigan” for TV Land.
Prior to that, she sold the television movie “Kings of South Beach” to A & E for legendary television producers Sonny Grosso & Larry Jacobson, and was involved in the development and production of several television movies for ABC, CBS, USA and HBO.

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MARX PYLE
Creator
Marx Pyle is an award winning writer, director, and producer, a graduate of Vancouver Film School and also holds degrees in psychology and computer science. He is the author of the book Television on the Wild Wild Web: And How to Blaze Your Own Trail and has worked on dozens of films and various reality TV shows over the years.

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MAXINE LAPIDUSS
Co-Founder and CEO of Storyverse Studios
Maxine Lapiduss is an American comedian-singer, television comedy writer, director, producer, entrepreneur, and branding strategist. She is the co-founder and CEO of Storyverse Studios, an entertainment company founded in Los Angeles in 2014. Storyverse develops and produces story-driven, properties within a multi-platform universe of entertainment.
Before co-founding Storyverse Studios with partner, Hillary Carlip, Lapiduss wrote and produced many notable comedy series including Dharma & Greg, Ellen, Roseanne, Home Improvement and more.

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MICHAEL DAUGHERTY
Author
In 2008, the US government teamed with a private enterprise to attack and take a file without authorization from an American small business. They used that information in order to expand and grow a government agency. Michael Daugherty, a small business owner who created LabMD, a cancer detection center in Atlanta, became a victim of this Government/Cybersecurity Private Enterprise.
That company, in association with a prestigious American university, conducted an invasion of business files and then used their findings to motivate the US Government to ride the wave of new cyber security protections and legislation.

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MICHAEL ROSENBERG
Executive Producer, President, Rosey TV
Michael Rosenberg opened his Rosey TV production shingle in April 2015 after seven years overseeing US television for global studio Entertainment One. Under his tenure at eOne his credits included HBO’s hit series Hung, AMC’s Hell on Wheels, Discovery’s first-ever scripted mini-series Klondike, DirecTV/HBO Canada’sCall Me Fitz, Rogue for DirecTV’s Audience Network and MTV’s racy drama Skins based on the hit UK series of the same name.
Prior to his stint at eOne, Rosenberg served as Head of Television at Blueprint Entertainment where he produced Testees for FX.

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MICHELLE JOHNSON
Director of Production Legal
Michelle Johnson is currently the Director of Production Legal handling business and legal affairs matters related to the development, distribution and production of Embassy Row’s bi-coastal television and digital/new media production company where she negotiates and drafts numerous agreements across a wide variety of genres including industry-acclaimed and popular shows such as Garbage Time with Katie Nolan, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Cutthroat Kitchen, Men In Blazers, Talking Dead and Watch What Happens Live.
Prior to joining Embassy Row, Michelle has worked at networks such as ABC and MTV where she worked on Good Morning America, The View, The Chew, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with the late Dick Clark and My Sweet 16.

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MIKE ROTMAN
Writer, Producer, Director
Mike Rotman is an Emmy nominated television comedy writer, producer, director, and pioneer in new media content and live streaming. Rotman has written, produced, and directed hundreds of hours of television throughout his career including Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher (Primetime Emmy nominee), The Simple Life (Fox), Strip Poker (USA Network), South Park (Comedy Central), Nanny 911 (Fox), and most recently “My Crazy Ex” (writer / producer).
As a TV veteran and new media pioneer, Mike is a popular guest speaker, panelist, and consultant. Wanting to do something more creative than reality TV (and get his soul back), Rotman took a hiatus from television in 2010 and built one of the first ever multi-camera HD live internet network and live streaming company on the web in his own garage. Thus, Streamin’ Garage was born.

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NEIL LANDAU
Author “TV Outside the Box”
Neil’s credits include the cult comedy Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead starring Christina Applegate; Melrose Place, The Magnificent Seven, Doogie Howser, M.D., The Secret World of Alex Mack, Twice in a Lifetime, MTV’s Undressed, The Young & the Restless, Monarch Cove, and one-hour drama pilots for CBS, ABC, ABC Family, Warner Bros., Disney, Lifetime, and Freemantle.

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PHILIP CHUNG
Founding Partner, YOMYOMF
Philip oversees the creative content for YOMYOMF, director Justin Lin’s (STAR TREK BEYOND, FAST & FURIOUS franchise) digital company, and has worked in various capacities in film, TV, theater and digital. He started his career as a writer on the TV series LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN and was the co-founder/co-Artistic Director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, an Asian American theater company, for ten years.
Chung most recently wrote/produced HELP, Google’s first live-action 360 degree VR project directed by Lin, and co-wrote/produced HOLLYWOOD ADVENTURES, a Chinese feature which opened in China at #1 in 2015. He is currently overseeing projects for Warner Brothers, Comcast/NBCUniversal, IMDb, Disney Channel, ABC and others.

PRIYANKA PRUTHI
Senior Producer at United Nations
Priyanka Pruthi is a storyteller and strategist with a decade of experience in creating video content from pitch to publication.
At UNICEF, her work involves the creative development and production of original video content that aims to generate, mobilize and maintain public interest in children’s rights. Priyanka oversees all aspects of the production process and works on video strategy across platforms.

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RANDY ZISK
Executive Producer, Showrunner
Randy Zisk is a producer and director, known for Bones (2015), Monk (2002), Gideon’s Crossing (2000) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993).

RICHARD “RB” BOTTO
Founder and CEO, Stage 32
Richard “RB” Botto is the Founder and CEO of Stage 32, the world’s largest online platform for connecting and educating film creatives. Called “LinkedIn meets Lynda for film creatives” by Forbes, Stage 32 boasts a member base of over 500,000 and works with over 500 industry executives across the globe.
RB is also a working actor, producer and screenwriter. As a producer, his films have played at dozens of festivals including Sundance. His latest screenplay, THE END GAME was purchased and is in development at Covert Media.

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RICK TRACY
Co-Founder of X-Factor Films
A branding expert and film buff, Rick was the Corporate Art Director at Bolt Beranek and Newman for 10 years before starting his own firm Cambridge Design Group (CDG). For over 20 years his firm has been developing brands for new technology companies that have gone on to be acquired by Kodak, Konica Minolta, Covidien and Oxford Instruments.
Two brands were acquired for over $55 million each. Other CDG clients include Intel, Dell, Cisco, Microsoft, ARM and Princeton University – From 2008- 2011 Rick and Lauren ran an organization that provided funding and awards for talented female filmmakers. He is now responsible for all design and branding strategy at X-Factor Films, and over the top content provider and distributor focused on content made by women.

ROB BARNETT
Founder/Content Partner, Rob Barnett Media
Rob Barnett creates innovative, original media with the best communicators & entertainers in pop culture. He’s a creative management executive from MTV, VH1, CBS & an entrepreneur who founded My Damn Channel, the online studio & network where he was CEO, 2006-2016. Rob Barnett Media launched in 2016 to deliver talent, development & audience to networks, producers & brands.
The company offers strategic content partnerships & customized solutions to drive loyal audiences & repeatable revenues: www.RobBarnettMedia.com

ROY LIEBRECHT
Legal at Akyumen Technologies Corp
Roy J. Liebrecht is a Los Angeles based entertainment attorney and business and legal affairs executive who specializes in all aspects of the entertainment industry. Working with private clients as well as being an in-house attorney for one of the most recognized brands in the world, Roy has been involved in everything from profile brand licensing, to day to day production work as head production attorney for television programs, to negotiating with the largest cable/satellite/telco providers in the world.

SAL TASSONE
Producer
Sal has produced commercials for some of the most important directors of our time.
For the next 20 years he produced over 500 commercials and won numerous accolades-Clios, Palme de Or. He has produced for major clients such as McDonald, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Toyota, Apple, Wendy’s, Got Milk to name a few. The natural progression was to transition into films. He produced an independent feature film that won Best picture at the New York and Chicago Film Festivals. To this day it has a strong cult following.

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SCOTT C. SMITH
Visual Effects, Digital Artist
Scott has always been at the forefront of digital imaging and technology, starting from the early 90’s. After launching start-ups in the computer imaging world, he entered the film industry. In 1999 Scott was hired into Lucasfilm Entertainment with the visual effects division, Industrial Light and Magic. His first film was Pearl Harbor (Michael Bay) where he developed and deployed the latest technology for their video engineering group.
Scott shares an Academy Award with his ILM visual effects team for their work on Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Dead’s Man Chest (2006 – GoreVerbinski).

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SIB LAW
Regional Head of Quality, The Gap Partnership
Sib Law brings nearly twenty years of negotiation expertise, having consulted at all levels of commercial negotiation in virtual every industry sector. Few can boast his breadth and depth of knowledge and practical application on the subject of negotiation.
He began his career as a member of the San Francisco – United Nations 50th Commemoration Committee (SF being the birthplace of the United Nations). In his role, he negotiated with the White House, U.S. State Department, Secret Service, Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, as well as numerous suppliers of services and goods related to the events.

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STEVE MOLTON
Screenwriter, Author, Producer
Stephen Molton is a Pulitzer Prize nominated author, screenwriter, producer, professor, artist, and former television executive with a passion for writing and teaching.
Harper Collins published Stephen’s first novel, Brave Talk in 1987. His most recent book, Brothers in Arms: The Kennedys, the Castros and the Politics of Murder (co-authored with Gus Russo), was published in 2008 by Bloomsbury USA which nominated it for the Pulitzer Prize. He has written movies and mini-series for Showtime, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures and Viacom Networks, and produced two documentary features.

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TAMARA TUNIE
Actor, Producer, Director and Philanthropist
Enthralling, charismatic and passionate are just a few of the words that characterize the type of performances Tamara Tunie is known for delivering. Her memorable television roles include her portrayal of Medical Examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and “mean Alberta Green” in the Fox hit series 24 Season One, as well as attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns, for which she received two NAACP Image Award nominations and two Soap Opera Digest award nominations.

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TANYA BERSHADSKY
Founder, Casting Influence
Tanya is an Emmy-nominated new media producer, writer, and talent advocate. A pioneer in the web video space, Tanya has worked with YouTube talent since before the term “YouTuber” existed. She has developed YouTube celebrities and helped transform traditional media figures into multi-platform digital icons– recently as producer and digital talent booker of veteran broadcaster Larry King’s first foray into digital, Larry King Now.
She has also booked talent on YouTube Nation – A Dreamworks/Youtube partnership, Dance Showdown on Madonna’s YouTube Channel DanceOn, many projects for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s studio New Form Digital, and cast hosts for Disney, Legendary Pictures, and Nerdist, to name a few.

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TERRY OWEN
Partner & Co-Founder AkyumenTV
Terry Owen is a successful creator, visionary and results oriented Senior Executive and a founding member and partner of three technology companies over his continuing distinguished career, serving as Chief Sales, Marketing, Media and Operations Officer. Terry joined Akyumen Technologies Corp (Akyumen) to lead AkyumenTV.
Akyumen’s answer to the growing demand for a true global content distribution aggregator network that offers consumers a true one-stop shop for wireless communication and increased human interaction such as audio, visual, physical and imagination methods.

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THOM WOODLEY
Creative Director, Electus LLC
Thom Woodley is a web video pioneer, writer and filmmaker.
In 2006, Thom helped usher in the online video revolution with the launch of the first full-length sitcom made for the web, the semi-hipster comedy The Burg (called one of the Best Ideas of the Year by the New York Times). He also created, wrote and produced The All-For-Nots (a co-production with Michael Eisner), All’s Faire, and Greg & Donny, which won a deal at IFC through the New York Television Festival.
Among his credits are the most recent James Bond 007 mobile game, the creation of the highly popular Episode Interactive storytelling platform, and the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World commercials. Currently Thom serves as Creative Director for Electus LLC, where he oversees development of native and branded shows and content for CollegeHumor (the #1 comedy YouTube channel), Dorkly.com, and other projects for both web and television.

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TINA CESA WARD
Chair, International Academy of Web Television
Tina Cesa Ward started her career as a writer and director on several short films, most notably her multi-award winning short film In Their Absence that was named one of the best short films of the decade by Festival de cortos MíraLes. In 2008, Tina jumped into the web world and for three seasons Tina was the Executive Producer/Writer/Director of hit independent scripted drama, Anyone But Me.
Anyone But Me has reached nearly 50 million views and has brought home nearly every industry award, highlighted by Tina (along with Susan Miller) winning the first ever Writers Guild of America Award for Original New Media.

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TOMMY UPSHAW
Cinematographer
Tommy “Maddox”-Upshaw has been working in the film industry for close to 19 years. As a teenager he was a Production Assistant in New York City and the Boston area taking whichever opportunities came his way. Maddox’s opportunities came in the form of music videos which lead him to become a Union Grip/Electric for a span of 6 years before becoming a professional Motion Picture Cameraman, during which he earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree at the American Film Institute.
Upon completing his Masters and beginning his career as a Cinematographer, there was only one focus in filmmaking, to become one of Hollywoods premier Cameramen.

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VINCA JARRETT
Entertainment Lawyer, President of FilmPro Finance
Vinca L. Jarrett, Esq. is an entertainment lawyer and president of FilmPro Finance, a financial consulting service for investors and producers for funding one-off films and building film slates.
She is currently writing the non-fiction work SHOW ME THE F#©K!NG MONEY (SMTFM): HOW TO INVEST, RAISE AND RECOUP MONEY IN THE FILM INDUSTRY, and launched TV web series of the same name in 2014 in which Vinca interviews A-list financiers, distributors, bankers, investors, casting agents, and producers from around the world. The show can be seen with new episodes airing every Wednesday at www.showmethefkingmoney.tv.

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ZEKE THOMAS
Senior Creative Producer, Ego 360
Zeke Thomas is a Senior Creative Producer at Ego 360, filmmaker, and on-camera talent with over a decade of experience in the entertainment and advertising industries. You may recognize him from ad campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, sketches on Conan, and viral videos that top over 100 MM views across Youtube and Facebook.
At Ego 360 he specializes in immersive storytelling in 360 environments including narrative, branded, and docu-series genres.

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