SCHEDULE
& PANELS

9:00AM: BREAKFAST

10:00AM: OPENING REMARKS

12:00PM - LUNCH
Presented by United for Business

3:40PM: CLOSING REMARKS

3:45PM: RECEPTION
Presented by United for Business

4:55pm: EVENT ENDS

PANEL ONE - 10:04-10:34
From Indie Films to Pixar: A Career Case Study with Mike Jones 

Moderated by Dana Harris-Bridson, SVP/Editor in Chief, IndieWire

Join us as we explore the unique career of Mike Jones, tracing his early days in the indie film scene to his transition into a full-time role at Pixar. As creator of Pixar's upcoming series "Dream Productions" and writer on some of the studio's most acclaimed films, including "Luca" and "Soul", hear about the Pixar process and how Jones' background in independent film help inform his current approach as a storyteller. For anyone looking to make their mark in both independent and mainstream cinema, this panel is for you.

Mike Jones
Director, Pixar Animated Studios

PANEL TWO - 10:37-11:07
Pitch Your Project: Why Producers Now Expect More 

Moderated by Ali Foreman, Features Writer, IndieWire

A Canva representative will take the stage alongside emerging and established filmmakers to showcase how Canva’s platform is transforming the way filmmakers pitch their ideas. Learn directly from the pros and get insider tips to craft a pitch deck that stands out in today’s competitive industry!

Reby Silverman
Global Brand Partnerships Lead, Canva 

Jeremie Cander
Writer & Director 

Jonas Agin
Executive Producer, Disney, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Nick Moceri
Producer, The Kindergarten Teacher

Greg Barker
Director, Ghosts of Beirut, Sergio

Presented by Canva

PANEL THREE 11:08-11:38
How to Get Your Film Seen: New Takes on Audience, Funding, and Buyers

Moderated by Dana Harris-Bridson, SVP/Editor in Chief, IndieWire

This one has it all: Exclusive research, real numbers, and the unexpected opportunities in theaters and at home for filmmakers who have found a world beyond the competitive festival circuit. The panelists will share intel on emerging strategies and success stories, providing key insights into how filmmakers can thrive in today’s ever-changing distribution landscape. 

Keri Putnam
Founder, Putnam Pictures

Brian Newman
Principal, Sub-Genre Films 

Sam Harowitz
Senior VP Content Acquisition and Partnerships, Tubi

PANEL FOUR - 11:40-12:00
The Future of Film Is Interactive

Moderated by Dana Harris-Bridson, SVP/Editor in Chief, IndieWire

A panel with the heads of KINO, Austin Worrell, Brit MacRae and Daril Fannin, who will discuss their company’s cutting-edge technology that offers filmmakers an interactive social streaming platform that provides invaluable data insights and a strategic launchpad to connect with their audience.

Austin Worrell, Brit MacRae and Daril Fannin
Heads, KINO

Presented by KINO

PANEL FIVE - 1:02-1:32
How Filmmakers Are - and Aren't - Using AI 

Moderated by Chris O’Falt, VP Features Strategy, IndieWire

Every day brings another AI announcement, but our panel will look beyond the money, the controversy, and the hype to discuss the ideas and products most likely to be meaningful for you. AI guru Dave Clark and and Erik Weaver, Director, Adaptive Production at ETC, will unpack this hot topic, exploring how AI tools are already reshaping the creative process, from scriptwriting to post-production, and what the future holds for filmmakers looking to leverage this technology in practical and innovative ways. 

Dave Clark
Filmmaker & Futurist

Brian Solomon
Creative Technology Director, Framestore

Erick Weaver
Director, Adaptive Production 

Diana Williams
CEO & Co-founder, Kinetic Energy Entertainment

PANEL SIX - 1:36-2:06
Award Season Stories - Disney: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Moderated by Chris O’Falt, VP Features Strategy, IndieWire

Discussions with some of the top creators in film & TV as these awards contenders discuss various topics around creativity and technology and more.

Wes Ball
Director

Erik Winquist
Visual Effects Supervisor

Kevin Durand
Actor

Presented by The Walt Disney Studios

PANEL SEVEN 2:09-2:39
Turning Low-Budget Horror into Box Office Hits

Moderated by Ali Foreman, Features Writer, IndieWire

This panel will explore the journey of independent film financing through Terrifier 3, examining both its financial success and creative direction, which began as a $35,000 indie project. Cineverse's Yolanda Macias and Brandon Hill will discuss how this third film achieved incredible box office success, surpassing $50 million worldwide, building on the franchise's growth and popularity. Terrifier 3 exemplifies the potential for indie films to thrive in the competitive horror market and sets a promising precedent for future projects.

Brandon Hill
Executive Director of Acquisitions, Cineverse

Yolanda Macias
Chief Content Officer, Cineverse

Presented by SAGindie

PANEL EIGHT - 2:42 -3:12
Filming Outside of Hollywood: Challenges, Opportunities, and Passports 

Moderated by Chris O’Falt, VP Features Strategy, IndieWire

Runaway production has been atomized as states and countries compete to offer producers the hottest deals. Join Paul Audley, President of FilmLA and an IndieWire editor, discuss what it means for the rest of us. 

Paul Audley
President, FilmLA 

Sarah Westman-Liu
Entertainment Partners

Scott Budnick
Producer and CEO, 1Community

Presented by United for Business

KEYNOTE CHAT - 3:25-3:40
With Sean Baker 

Moderated by Dana Harris-Bridson, SVP/Editor in Chief, IndieWire

Award-winning Auteur, Sean Baker, who recently took home the Palme d'Or at Cannes for his celebrated film Anora, a strong contender this awards season, will share his advice to summit attendees and his thoughts about the future of the industry.

SPEAKERS

Paul Audley
President, FilmLA

As the president of FilmLA since 2008, Paul Audley helps to streamline and enhance the on-location filmmaking process for communities and content creators, to ensure the Greater Los Angeles economy continues to thrive. 

In his time with FilmLA, Paul has negotiated new long-term contracts with client municipalities and school districts, initiated two public education campaigns; and has overseen core business improvements including process innovation and the adoption of new mission-supportive technology.  Paul is recognized for raising the public image and reputation of FilmLA, and for greatly improving the internal management of the company. Paul is third, and longest tenured, president of the organization since its establishment in 1995.  

Paul joined the organization after extensive work with community-based non-profit organizations and in local government and community relations. Having served as mayor of Fairfield, Connecticut, the chief of staff and counsel to Connecticut congressman, Christopher Shays, and Connecticut’s deputy secretary of state, Paul is notably well-versed in corporate management, organization, restructuring, public policy and relations, as well as community development.  Prior to his move to Los Angeles and FilmLA, Paul served as the City of Scottsdale’s Public Affairs Manager and as the Arizona State Director for the Trust for Public Land. 

A native of Connecticut and member of the Connecticut Bar, Paul was a police officer while completing his undergraduate degree in sociology and attaining his law degree.   

Jonas Agin
Executive Producer, Disney,  Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Jonas Agin recently signed a multi-year exclusive producing deal with Disney Branded Television, under which he will develop and produce series and movies for kid, teen, and family audiences across streaming and linear platforms.  His first series under this deal, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, premieres October 30th on Disney+.  Agin executive produces the show with Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas, and Gary Marsh.Prior to this deal, Agin worked as a network executive at Disney for 13 years, most recently as the VP of Original Series, Disney Branded Television, where he led the development team behind Disney+’s Goosebumps and Percy Jackson.   Prior to this, he served as the VP of Development for Disney Channel and Executive Director of Development for Disney XD, launching series such as Disney+’s High School Muscial: The Musical: The Series starring Olivia Rodrigo, Disney Channel’s Peabody Award nominated Andi Mack, and the format-breaking Just Roll With It and Walk the Prank for Disney Channel and Disney XD respectively.  Before joining Disney, Agin oversaw development and production for producer Tom Lynch.  Agin served as a producer on the TeenNick comedy The Assistants starring a young Michael B. Jordan, and as a co-producer on the animated Cartoon Network comedy Class of 3000, which featured original songs by Andre 3000 in every episode.  Agin also set up projects at NBC, MTV, SyFy, and ABC Family (now Freeform), and worked as a writer/producer on the GLAAD-nominated teen drama South of Nowhere.As an independent writer, Agin sold multiple pilots and movies to MTV and TeenNick, one with Fight Club author Chuck Palahiuk attached as a creative consultant.  He also adapted David Foster Wallace’s first novel, Broom of the System, into a TV pilot for Norman Lear.Agin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English, focusing on Literary Theory.  He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, their two children, and their rescue dog.  

Sean Baker
Writer-Director, Anora

Award-winning Auteur, Sean Baker, who recently took home the Palme d'Or at Cannes for his celebrated film Anora, a strong contender this awards season, will share his advice to summit attendees and his thoughts about the future of the industry.

Wes Ball
Director, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wes grew up in Lake Como, Fla., and attended Florida State University, where he earned a BFA in film. There, Ball first gained attention for his student short, “A Work in Progress,” which was honored with a Student Academy Award. 

In 2012 Ball created, produced, and directed the original 3D short film “Ruin.” He released it online and it went viral, garnering critical acclaim and over 27 million views to date. That same week the studio began talks for him to direct his first feature film, “The Maze Runner.” Produced for $34 million, “The Maze Runner” went on to make $350 million worldwide and launched a franchise. He went on to direct the rest of the trilogy, including “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” and “Maze Runner: The Death Cure.” Both subsequent movies were worldwide hits, and the franchise has grossed close to $1 billion at the box office to date. 

Greg Barker
Director, Ghosts of Beirut & Sergio

Greg Barker is an Emmy® Award-winning director, writer and producer drawn to strong personal narratives that explore the emotional nuance and complexities of the world we live in. Barker wrote and directed the four-part limited spy drama Ghosts of Beirut for SHOWTIME/Paramount+.  The gripping, innovative series revolves around the CIA’s 25-year obsession with its’ greatest adversary, Imad Mughniyeh, the elusive creator of Hezbollah’s military wing.Barker’s narrative feature, Netflix’s Sergio, starring Wagner Moura and Ana de Armas, was described by The Hollywood Reporter as “one of those rare films (The Year of Living Dangerously and The Quiet American come to mind) in which a genuine concern for geopolitics coexists perfectly well with romance and old-fashioned moviegoing pleasures.” Other credits include The Final Year, a feature documentary inside President Obama’s tumultuous last year in the White House; HBO's Emmy® Award-winning Manhunt, a story of the CIA and its hunt for Osama Bin Laden, and The Longest War and Detainee 001 for SHOWTIME.  Barker is described by The New York Times as "a filmmaker of artistic and political consequence.”  Barker, a dual US-UK national, has a masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics, provided on-the-ground news coverage in conflict zones across the Middle East, the Balkans and Africa, and has filmed in over 65 countries. 

Scott Budnick
Producer & CEO, 1Community

Scott Budnick is a film producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) and CEO of 1Community, an entertainment production and co-finance company using the power of storytelling to drive real-world impact.  

As the Executive Vice President of Todd Phillips' Green Hat Films, Budnick produced Old School, Due Date, and the highest-grossing R-rated comedy trilogy in film history, The Hangover, which grossed over $1.4 billion.  

Since 2004, Scott has been a fierce advocate for social justice and a fairer judicial system. In 2003, he began volunteering with InsideOUT Writers (IOW), which brings creative writing into juvenile halls. In 2014, he founded ARC, whose mission is to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities. ARC provides formerly incarcerated men and women with direct services such as housing, counseling, job training and opportunities, mentoring, and education. The organization also empowers and mobilizes its members to play a role in justice reform efforts through policy advocacy.  

For his work with youth in the criminal justice system, Gov. Jerry Brown named Scott the 2012 California Governor's Volunteer of the Year. He sits on the Board of State and Community Corrections and serves as a Board Member for President Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper Alliance. 

Jeremie Cander
Writer & Director

Jeremie Cander is a Los Angeles-based Writer and Director known for blending humor with thoughtful storytelling. Her films explore themes of introspection and empathy, offering a unique lens on human connection. Beyond her own creative work, Jeremie actively supports independent filmmakers, producing projects that amplify diverse voices. Her passion for the craft has led her to collaborate with prestigious film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance, and Tribeca. 

Dave Clark
Filmmaker & Futurist

Dave Clark is an award-winning filmmaker pioneering the use of AI as a storytelling device in film, TV, and advertising. Regarded as one of the leading futurists in the storytelling world, Dave is a Southern California-based writer/director passionate about telling stories from a dark, grounded, and human perspective in the sci-fi/horror genre. He has recently amassed millions of views for his groundbreaking viral AI directing work.  

He is one of the most sought-after filmmakers utilizing AI and has met with Sir Ridley Scott, Reid Hoffman, Blumhouse, and John Gaeta (The Matrix), to name a few. Dave has spoken about the future of filmmaking at prestigious events around the globe (including Berlinale, MIT, CogX, and the Cannes Film Festival). 
 
Dave is repped by UTA and Aperture Entertainment. 

Kevin Durand
Actor, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, Kevin Durand started out as an athlete playing Basketball for JDP and AAA Hockey. He was named Thunder Bay’s Funniest Person when he was 13 years old. He grew up in Thunder Bay and currently owns a home in Timmins, Ontario where his parents reside. He has filmed several projects in Northern Ontario throughout his career including “Essex County”, “Citizen Gangster”, “A Dark Truth” and Atom Egoyan’s “The Captive.”    

Since leaving Canada, Durand has developed a versatile background, beginning in comedy and Broadway then transitioning into television and film, illustrating his ability to captivate a wide range of audiences.  His films have grossed over 2.5 Billion dollars to date.  
 
Durand was nominated for a 2012 Genie Award for his performance in IFC Films’ “Citizen Gangster”.  In 2009, he was nominated for a Saturn Award for his recurring character, Martin Keamy, on the popular series “Lost”.    

Durand stars in the next installment of the wildly popular franchise, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” from director Wes Ball that will be released theatrically in May 2024 by Twentieth Century Fox. He also stars in the upcoming Universal Pictures “Untitled Monster Thriller” from Scream directors Tyler Gillett & Matt Bettinelli-Olpin that will be released theatrically in April 2024.  

Durand was recently seen in the Netflix hit series “Locke & Key” from Carlton Cuse, DC Entertainment’s “Swamp Thing,” based on the famous comic book, for executive producer James Wan, reprised his role in the hit HBO series “Ballers” opposite Dwayne Johnson; portrayed fan-favorite Vasiliy Fet in the hit FX series “The Strain,” which was based on the trilogy of novels by Guillermo del Toro; starred in the NBC comedy “Trial & Error” opposite John Lithgow; and in History Channel’s hit drama “Vikings.”  

For his performance in the independent thriller “Dark Was The Night” film critic Fred Topel stated, “Durand is an absolutely compelling leading man.”  Durand also received rave reviews for his performance in Atom Egoyan’s “Devil’s Knot” opposite Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon where he portrays John Mark Byers, the father of one of the murdered children in the West Memphis Three case.  The film premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.  Film critic Jason Gorber declared his performance “the standout element of the film, this larger than life character is played to near perfection by Durand.”   

Durand originated the role of Injun Joe in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” on Broadway.   
   
Durand is best known for his roles in such films as Ryan Coolger’s “Fruitvale Station” which won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, David Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis” opposite Robert Pattinson, Screen Gems’ “The Mortal Instrument” and “Resident Evil: Retribution”, Shawn Levy’s “Real Steel” for Dreamworks opposite Hugh Jackman, Universal’s “Robin Hood” as Little John opposite Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood, James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, as Fred Dukes aka The Blob in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” alongside Hugh Jackman, Joe Carnahan’s “Smokin’ Aces” opposite Chris Pine, and Walt Becker’s “Wild Hogs” with John Travolta, Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence.   
   
Durand’s other credits include: Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah” for Paramount, Akiva Goldman’s directorial debut “Winter’s Tale” for Warner Bros., D.J. Caruso’s “I Am Number Four” for Dreamworks, Screen Gems’ “Legion” with Paul Bettany, “The Butterfly Effect” opposite Ashton Kutcher and Columbia Pictures’ “Fragments” opposite Forest Whitaker and Dakota Fanning.  He was a series regular on “Touching Evil” opposite Bradley Cooper and Vera Farmiga and on the James Cameron hit series “Dark Angel”.  Durand made his acting debut alongside Russell Crowe in Jay Roach’s “Mystery Alaska”. 

Daril Fannin
Head, KINO

Daril Fannin is an executive producer, writer, and army veteran. Fannin served in the US Army for 9+ years as a Combat Medic and logistics expert. He earned the title “Soldier of the Year” (R3) in 2008 and was the “Non Commissioned Officer of the Year” for the state of Tennessee in 2011. Daril was highly decorated and led thousands of soldiers and was responsible for millions of dollars of equipment. He was honorably discharged in 2014 and moved to Los Angeles where he received his MFA in Screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University. In his second year of his Masters program he wrote and sold a show to Netflix with Matt Damon. Fannin has created and produced multiple multi-million dollar film & tv projects with A-list talent such as Jimmy Kimmel, Sylvester Stallone and Peter Berg. 

Sam Harowitz
Senior VP of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships, Tubi

As Senior Vice President, Content Acquisition and Partnerships, Samuel Harowitz leads all content partnerships at Tubi, including third-party licensed programming acquisitions, original content, and off platform content distribution. He oversees partnerships with indie producers and licensors, major studios, global indies and brands. In addition, Harowitz manages international content acquisitions, sports, and FAST channels. Harowitz has been instrumental in helming the expansion of Tubi’s industry-leading content library of more than 250,000 movies and TV series episodes. Most recently, he secured several premium TV series titles for the platform including Empire, La Brea, Gossip Girl, Grownish and Scandal, original programming such as Boarders, Big Mood, and Dead Hot, and a deal with Warner Bros Discovery for various DC films and series. Harowitz also supported Tubi’s recent launch in the UK, ensuring a robust offering from major studios, global indies, and local content. Before Tubi, Harowitz oversaw TV content acquisitions at Freevee fkna IMDb TV (Amazon’s AVOD service) where he led third-party licensed programming and optimized its first run licensing program. During his time, he also managed all aspects of content selection, financial analysis and forecasting, and led relationships with studios, global indies and third-party producers. Previously, Harowitz served as Vice President, Digital Content Licensing at A+E Networks, where he was charged with licensing programming to SVOD and AVOD platforms and led partner management of digital and OTT platforms. Prior to that, he held roles as Senior Vice President, Development and Production at Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky’s Is or Isn’t Entertainment and Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions at FremantleMedia.

Brandon Hill
Executive Director of Acquisitions, Cineverse

Based in Los Angeles, Brandon Hill has over fourteen years of experience in acquisitions, distribution, production and foreign sales. He’s currently the Executive Director, Acquisitions at CINEVERSE and acquired titles including TERRIFIER 2 & 3 and THE OUTWATERS for the company. Previously, Hill was the VP of Distribution & Acquisitions for CINESTATE & FANGORIA working on titles such as VFW. Hill was also the Executive Director of Acquisitions & Distribution at GOOD DEED ENTERTAINMENT & CRANKED UP FILMS.  Here, Hill oversaw acquisitions including EXTRA ORDINARY, produced NIGHTMARE CINEMA for the company and helped on the distribution of films such as the ACADEMY AWARD-Nominated, LOVING VINCENT.  Before his position at GOOD DEED ENTERTAINMENT &CRANKED UP FILMS, Hill worked for foreign sales company, ECHO BRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT.

Mike Jones
Director, Pixar Animated Studios

Jones also co-wrote Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film “Soul,” and the Academy Award-nominated film “Luca.” He has served on the brain trusts of many Pixar films including “Finding Dory,” “Incredibles 2,” and the Academy Award-winning features “Inside Out,” “Coco,” and “Toy Story 4.”

Prior to joining Pixar, Jones was a working screenwriter for over 20 years. His original script, “In the Event of a Moon Disaster,” was featured on the Black List. Previously he served on the editorial staffs of Filmmaker Magazine, Indiewire, and Variety. Jones was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. 

Yolanda has over 25 years of entertainment distribution experience, including executive positions at Vivendi/Universal, DIRECTV and The Walt Disney Company.  Macías has a proven track record of developing and building profitable and sustainable businesses such as the Spanish language DIRECTV subscription service and Vivendi Entertainment which was sold to Gaiam Inc. 

Yolanda Macias
Chief Content Officer, Cineverse

At Cineverse, as the Chief Content Officer, Yolanda Macías is responsible for acquiring global content rights for all distribution and streaming platforms and oversees marketing. She joined Cineverse in 2013 and has held leadership positions managing over 70,000 films and television series. 

She was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in Business and in 2022 was selected as a finalist as Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal.  She was one of the Elite Women 2009 - 2019 in the home entertainment industry and recognized as an industry digital driver 2010 – 2019.  In 2022 and 2023 Media Play News named her one of the Captains of Industry.  In 2016, Yolanda was selected as one of the Fabulous 50 Business Alumni from the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics/CSUN and was also recognized by the Imagen Awards in 2018 as one of the Powerful and Influential Latinos in Entertainment.  Yolanda has served on the executive board of C5LA for several years and was selected as the 2019 Honoree and appointed Vice Chair in 2024. C5LA is a non-profit organization with the mission of helping under-resourced, high potential youth enroll and persist in college.  She serves on the advisory board for The Digital Entertainment Group’s Canon Club, dedicated to supporting women in entertainment and technology.  In 2022, Yolanda was appointed to the Board of Directors of Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX) and serves on the Nominating and Governance Committee.  

Macías received her MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and her B.S. degree in Finance from California State University, Northridge.  She is a member of Chief a private network designed for senior women leaders to strengthen their leadership journey.  

Yolanda is the proud mother of Liam (22) and Rory (20).  On her spare time Yolanda enjoys hiking, hot yoga and dance.  She resides in Los Angeles with her puppy Willow. 

Contact: 

ymacias@cineverse.com 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-macias-aa15282/ 

Brit McRae
Head, KINO

Brit MacRae is a Canadian-American marketing strategist, film/tv producer and actress. While in University for Psychology, Brit worked as CMO for Casting Central where she oversaw major projects for numerous studios (such as The Boys, The Handmaid's Tale, Shape of Water, etc.) During her decade-long tenure at Casting Central, Brit created and sold a film/tech app that was used by actors and casting directors globally. In 2018, Brit moved to Los Angeles, where she worked as a Production Manager and Producer for The Woo Agency, leading hundreds of multi-million dollar accounts for global clients such as Lenovo, De’Longhi, LA Fitness, and Bosch. Brit is also an award-winning actress and producer who has starred in films and tv series for major distributors such as Netflix, Hallmark, NBC Peacock and more.

Nick Moceri
Producer, The Kindergarten Teacher

Nick Moceri is the founder of All Night Diner, a production company that works in film, television, podcasts, and digital media. Nick most recently produced Sovereign, a crime drama starring Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, and Dennis Quaid that will be released in 2025. Nick's film producing credits include A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (Sundance 2014), Deidra & Laney Rob A Train (Sundance 2017), The Kindergarten Teacher (Sundance 2018), Madeline's Madeline (Sundance 2018), Strange Negotiations (SXSW 2019), and Framing John DeLorean (Tribeca 2019), and Sitting in Bars With Cake for Amazon Studios in 2023. Nick was also the co-founder of Donut Media, an automotive YouTube channel with over 8 million subscribers that was acquired by Recurrent Ventures in 2021, and he produced the podcasts Bill Gates & Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions and Unconfuse Me: With Bill Gates.

Brian Newman
Principal, Sub-Genre Films

Brian Newman, founder of Sub-Genre, consults on film and media content strategy, distribution and marketing for some of the top brands in the world. His company guides companies through the process of leveraging entertainment to showcase their values, have greater impact, and to stand out from the crowd. Current and former clients include: The Climate Pledge (Amazon), Hilton, Indeed, John Deere, Lowe’s, Oatly, Patagonia, Purina, REI, SmugMug, Stripe, Sundance, WeTransfer, and Yeti Coolers. Brian has served as CEO of the Tribeca Film Institute, produces independent films, and writes a popular weekly newsletter on film. 

Sub-Genre is a strategic consultancy that guides brands & brand partners through the process of leveraging entertainment for marketing & CSR initiatives. Current and former clients include: The Climate Pledge (Amazon), Hilton, Indeed, John Deere, Lowe’s, Oatly, Patagonia, Purina, REI, SmugMug, Stripe, Sundance, WeTransfer, and Yeti Coolers. 

Keri Putnam
Founder, Putnam Pictures

Keri Putnam is a producer, strategic advisor to companies and nonprofits, former senior executive and CEO, and public company board director who works at the intersection of the creative and business sides of the media and arts fields. As CEO of Sundance Institute, President of Production at Miramax, and Executive Vice President at HBO, Putnam guided strategy and led global creative and production teams to support, develop, finance, and supervise production on a wide array of highly acclaimed work from new and established talent. In 2022, Putnam founded a production company, Putnam Pictures, to make television and film projects focused on premium stories from creators with distinct and adventurous vision. She is the ‘23-24 Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy, Board Director at AMC Entertainment where she serves on the audit and nominating committees, Board Chair at New_Public, and co-founder of ReFrame which advances women in the screen industries.As CEO of Sundance Institute from 2010-2021, Putnam grew revenue by 300% while leading the organization in a decade of record cultural and creative impact, expanding the flagship Sundance Film Festival to digital and global platforms, and forging innovative new partnerships and programs to develop, amplify, and advocate the work of independent artists in film, series, documentary, theater, and digital media. Prior to Sundance, Putnam was President of Production at Miramax Films, a division of the Walt Disney Company, where she oversaw a global team in development, production, post-production, acquisitions, and production finance. During her tenure, Miramax was recognized with 34 Academy Award nominations and 7 wins. Films during her tenure include “No Country for Old Men,” “The Queen,” “Adventureland,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Gone Baby Gone,” “Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and many others.Putnam’s 15-year tenure at HBO culminated in her role as Executive Vice President of movies and limited series. She supervised production of over 45 films and miniseries that collectively received over 50 Emmy Awards and nominations, as well as numerous Peabody Awards, Golden Globes, and other honors. She was also a senior leader for HBO on PictureHouse, the HBO/FineLine specialized theatrical division that produced Gus van Sant’s “Elephant” (Palme D’Or winner), “American Splendor,” “Maria Full of Grace” and more.Putnam is a consultant or advisory board member to media companies, foundations, arts organizations, and start-ups including Portrait, Picturestart, and First-Look Media, Pivotal Ventures, among others. She is a frequent speaker, an A.D. White Professor at Large at Cornell University, mentor at the USC Stark Producing Program, and advisory council member at Brooklyn College’s Feirstein School of Cinema. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is a summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard College with a degree in Theater History and Literature.

Reby Silverman
Global Brand Partnership Lead, Canva

Reby Silverman is the Global Brand Partnership Lead at Canva. Prior to Canva, Reby held various roles in business development and marketing at TBWA\Chiat\Day, Participant Media, and Intel Corporation. Reby holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Women's Health from the University of Maryland and a Certificate of Business Analysis from UCLA Extension.

Brian Solomon
Creative Technology Director, Framestore

Brian Solomon is an award-winning creative technology director working in the converging fields of immersive technology, digital products, cinematic arts, and new wave themed entertainment.He started his career as founder and creative director of the XR team within Meow Wolf, a world renowned immersive production company. This experience with multi-modal storytelling and working with multifaceted teams translated into a rewarding and diverse career in the immersive field.
Brian was the real-time creative director for the ExoSphere at Sphere, the world’s largest digital canvas and most advanced entertainment venue. He now leads a cutting-edge team of real-time artists and engineers exploring emerging technologies, working as a Creative Technology Director at multi Academy award-winning creative studio Framestore.His greatest joy comes from uniting the best creative and technical talent across all mediums, to produce story and play-driven experiences that transform how we interact with our world and each other.

Erik Weaver
Director, Adaptive Production

Erik Weaver is an Emmy nominated thought leader and Unreal Fellow. An accomplished leader with a background in delivering next-generation solutions, creating high-performing teams, and crafting strategies for long-term business success. A specialist focused on Virtual Production and ICVFX in the Entertainment Industry, currently running Adaptive and Virtual Production for ETC at USC. Recent projects include “Ripple Effect”, “Fathead”, “ChickaBOOM” and “Europa”.

Sarah Westman-Liu
Entertainment Partners

Sarah Westman-Liu is Director, Tax Incentives and Products at Entertainment Partners, providing leadership to the North American incentives team, which is responsible for filing hundreds of tax credit claims each year on behalf of all of the major studios, the mini-majors, the streaming giants, as well as independent and international producers. In addition to providing tax credit administration and consulting services to productions across Canadian and the US, Sarah also manages the development of EP’s digital solutions and technology products specifically aimed at supporting productions to maximize their incentives.  

Prior to joining Entertainment Partners in 2016, Sarah worked for over a decade in the Canadian independent film & television industry, handling all aspects of production accounting, payroll, budgeting and tax credit administration.  

Sarah regularly engages with industry groups and film commissions and works with government regulators to improve incentives programs and the audit processes. She is often asked to speak at events and provide tax credit training to industry professionals. Sarah earned her HBCom (Honours Bachelor of Commerce) from Laurentian University, has her CPA designation, and holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University. 

Erik Winquist
Visual Effects Supervisor, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Erik Winquist is an Academy® and BAFTA Award nominated Visual Effects Supervisor. His most recent achievement was supervising the visual effects on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.  

Erik came to Wellington in 2002 as a compositor on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. That six-month period made a lasting impression and this year he celebrates 20 years at Wētā FX. His first supervisory roles at the studio were on I, Robot (2004) and Peter Jackson’s King Kong (2005), where he supervised the jungle sequences, nominated for a VES Award for Compositing in 2005.  

Erik has an enduring interest in developing on-set technologies for visual effects. He has been closely involved with the integration of Wētā FX’s cutting-edge performance capture technology into the production workflow, bringing digital performances into physical sets. More recently, he led an internal research project in the form of a short film called Lancaster, which experimented with the potential of LED virtual production workflows in a dynamic, fast-paced scene.  

Erik’s film credits include Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Avatar (2009), Rampage (2018), and the Planet of the Apes trilogy.  

His contribution to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) was recognised with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Achievement in Visual Effects and a BAFTA nomination for Best Special Visual Effects.  

Diana Williams
CEO & Co-Founder, Kinetic Energy Entertainment 

Diana Williams is the CEO & Co-founder of Kinetic Energy Entertainment. She has a wide range of experience in the entertainment industry, developing IP and producing creative content for distribution across all media. Throughout her career she has been at the forefront of working with emerging and established creators to ensure a diversity of voices and talent are included in an ever-evolving industry.Kinetic Energy Entertainment is a multi-platform venture studio specializing in building businesses around the development, production and marketing of IP that is entertaining, culturally impactful, and accessible across all media. Kinetic’s slate includes a TV series in development at HBO set in the world of K-Pop, TV series adaptation of The Gatecrashers comic, political sim videogame Political Arena, podcast series Founder Hustle inspired by venture fund 1863 Ventures’ focus on entrepreneurs of color, Crimson an epic fantasy/thriller take on Alice in Wonderland, YA sci-fi adventure Space Hoppers, recipe-memoir Adventures in Starry Kitchen, creative studio and publisher Shifting Tides, and a documentary feature film in post-production with Apple+. Kinetic is also an advisor to companies that are utilizing cutting-edge technologies to innovate in traditional entertainment categories.Prior to Kinetic, Diana was the Creative Development and Franchise Producer for Star Wars at Lucasfilm, where she developed film and tv (including Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One), mobile and console videogames (including 2015’s Battlefront), and publishing (Marvel’s Star Wars comics and novel expansions). While at Lucasfilm she was on the founding team that launched start-up ILMxLAB, an immersive entertainment and VR/AR/mixed reality lab, with projects including Vader Immortal for Oculus/Meta, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire for The Void, and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Academy Award© winning VR experience Carne y Arena. Diana has also worked with BET Networks as a production consultant on Let the Church Say Amen, Gun Hill Road, and The Kenya Barris Project.Diana produced the critically acclaimed feature film Our Song, which earned her a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award in the Producer category. Other credits include documentaries Room 237, the Emmy© award-winning Sylvia Drew Ivie, Student Academy Award©-nominated Another First Step, Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible, Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis, and Dear Mom Love Cher.

Austin Worrell
Head, KINO

Austin Worrell is a three-time founder and tech entrepreneur. Austin received his undergrad in Political Science and Business Law from Miami University. He led the Miami mock trial team to nationals where they beat Yale University in the championship round. He went on to obtain his Masters Degree from the London School of Economics where he launched his first startup through the LSE Incubator. His startup reached the final rounds of the London School of Economics funding competition receiving LSE endorsement. After selling his company he moved to Los Angeles to attend law school at the USC Gould School of Law where his studies focused on securities regulation, corporate governance, emerging companies, and venture capital. During law school he founded a web3 startup that had over 500k holders, and over $500M market cap.

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