We’re excited to announce the first wave of judges for our 2021 Script Competitions! Here’s the list in alphabetical order:
Jacobo Aparicio
International TV and Film Coordinator at Anonymous Content
Jacobo Aparicio works at Anonymous Content (Spotlight, The Revenant, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, True Detective, Mr. Robot, 13 Reasons Why, Homecoming, etc), focusing on producing and development, mainly for international TV and films. Before that, Jacobo graduated from the UCLA Producers Program while he was working as the International TV Coordinator at the literary management firm SGE, and previously worked at Warner Bros. in Spain.
David Binns
Founder, Rascality Entertainment
David Binns founded Rascality Entertainment in 2018 as a literary management and production company, after spending several years at Energy Entertainment. The company’s focus is to find new undiscovered writers across the world, develop their work and their voices, and to connect them to producers and other creatives at the highest levels in both commercial and indie markets. Rascality seeks writers in all capacities whether they be screenwriters, playwrights, novelists, and writer/directors.
Tracy Brigden
Writer / Director / Producer
Tracy Brigden has spent over 30 years in the theatre developing, producing and directing new work for the stage. She was Artistic Director of City Theatre in Pittsburgh for 16 years where she produced almost 200 new plays and musicals. Prior to City, Tracy served on the artistic staffs of Hartford Stage and Manhattan Theatre Club. In addition to the 50 plus plays she directed at City, she has also directed at Barrington Stage, Westport Playhouse, Cinncinati Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public, Atlantic Theater and many others.
Tracy received her MFA in Dramatic Writing from Point Park University in 2019. Her play about Bram Stoker, Stage Struck, recently won the Pittsburgh Playlabs Competition. In addition to plays, Tracy is developing a film about QAnon with her brother, filmmaker Nick Brigden, and her first fictional podcast, Newfield, dropped in May and is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Beth Bruckner O’Brien
Senior VP of Development & Production at Solstice Studios
Beth Bruckner O’Brien is currently the SVP of development and production at Solstice Studios, where she co-produced Unhinged starring Russell Crowe. Her notable previous credits include executive producing Leatherface and Bullet Head, and serving as a development executive on Hitman’s Bodyguard, Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, Angel Has Fallen, Expendables 2, Expendables 3, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Homefront, Lovelace, The Iceman, and House at the End of the Street. She has worked for Millennium Films, A Bigger Boat, GreeneStreet Films and ICM.
Glenn Cockburn
Agent / President, Meridian Artists
Glenn Cockburn is the founder of Meridian Artists. Glenn graduated with a B.F.A. Honours in Film and Television Production from York University in 1990 and a M.B.A. from the Ivey School of Business in 1996. Shortly after Glenn began working for New Line Cinema. In 2000 Glenn returned to Toronto and joined The Characters Talent Agency and in 2005 Glenn founded Meridian Artists, where he represents a select roster of some of Canada’s most talented and fastest rising writers and directors.
Giselle Contreras
Coordinator, Television at 3Pas Studios
Prior to joining 3Pas Studios, Giselle Contreras attained a basis for storytelling at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television before learning the ropes of representation at a boutique talent agency. She sharpened her skills in the business side of the industry at FactoryMade, a venture company specializing in entertainment projects, and Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network, an English language, Latino-infused cable channel. Her experience also includes working at the intersection of media and philanthropy with The Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation, eventually transitioning to Overbrook Entertainment’s Film/TV production and development department. As the daughter of immigrants, she is passionate about the community and supports Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) as a volunteer interpreter for minors applying for asylum status.
Chris Cook
Literary Manager and Producer, Skyway Entertainment
Chris Cook is a literary manager and producer at Skyway Entertainment, representing screenwriters in film and television. While finishing his studies in TV / Film and English at Cal State Fullerton, Chris interned for Harold Ramis’s Ocean Pictures, and then started his career working in development at Bob Zemeckis’s ImageMovers. He then transitioned into management, working at Kustom Entertainment and then Madhouse Entertainment, before opening his own shop, Skyway Entertainment in 2016.
Andrea Dimity
President of Pannon Entertainment Inc., Literary Manager / Producer
Andrea Dimity is a literary manager, producer. For more than a decade, Andrea has been actively working in feature film development and production. Prior to management, she worked for producers such as Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Di Bonaventura Pictures; Transformers, G.I. Joe etc.), Todd Phillips (Joint Effort; Hangover, War Dogs.), Chris Meledandri (Illumination Entertainment; Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss, Hop). She has also served as Associate Producer (Untitled HL Project) at the Walt Disney Studios and was previously engaged on a local Walt Disney Studios production called the United that was shot entirely in Jordan. Andrea is currently executive producing Kandahar (Gerard Butler) for Thunder Road Pictures, Her client, Pete Barry is the writer of Marian, a twist on a Robin Hood tale that was sold to Amy Pascal and Colombia Pictures with Margot Robbie starring and producing along with Donald De Line. She also reps Launchpad Finalist Cate Honzl (Hockeytown, USA/Paperclip Ltd.)among others.
Lit Entertainment Group
Lit Entertainment Group is a Beverly Hills, CA-based literary management and feature film and television production company founded by Adam Kolbrenner.
Upcoming producing projects for Lit Entertainment include Disney/Fox’s Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer directed by Shawn Levy, Paramount/Skydance’s The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt directed by Chris McKay, the HBO Max upcoming sci-fi television series Raised By Wolves directed by Ridley Scott, and the Netflix upcoming sequel for the franchise Christmas Chronicles among others. Each of these projects are original ideas from Lit Entertainment clients.
On the management side, Lit Entertainment represents some of the top creators and filmmakers working today. Highlighted clients that have previously participated in AFF in some form include: Dave Andron (Snowfall), Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis (Curse of La Llorona from New Line, and CBS Films’ Five Feet Apart), Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners, Raised By Wolves), David Guggenheim (Safe House, Designated Survivor), Matt Lieberman (Addams Family, Playing With Fire, Scoob, Christmas Chronicles, Free Guy), Justin Marks (Disney’s Jungle Book, Top Gun 2, and Starz’s Counterpart), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, and writer/director of The Slows), Ed Ricourt (Now You See Me franchise), and Trey Selman (Fruitcake) among several others.
Lindsay Goffman
Executive Producer, Gratitude Productions
Executive Producer Lindsay Goffman launched her company, Gratitude Productions a couple of years ago. Currently, Gratitude has projects set up with Apple, FX, FOX, Perfect Storm (Justin Lin), The Roots, Day Zero (Trevor Noah), Get Lifted (John Legend), Jon M. Chu, Laverne Cox, Funny or Die, Killer Films, MGM, and Universal Television among others.
Briggs Hatton
Story Consultant
Briggs Hatton is a story consultant, who has worked for development departments at Disney, Miramax, and eOne. Currently, he’s part of the Research team at Grandma’s House Entertainment, which produces the TBS game show The Misery Index, along with numerous other TV credits. As a WGA screenwriter himself, he wrote on the NBC sitcom Community. He’s written and performed at Upright Citizens Brigade LA, Second City Chicago and Hollywood, and Improv Olympic Chicago. He holds degrees from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.
Sherley Ibarra
Writing Outreach & Engagement at Netflix Animation
Sherley Ibarra is Netflix’s Manager of Animation Writing Outreach & Engagement. In this newly created role, she oversees the talent incubation initiatives designed to create opportunities for up and coming writing talent for animation across all verticals (Original Animation Series, Preschool, Features, and Adult Animation).
Previously, Sherley served as Nickelodeon’s Vice-President of Creative Talent Development & Outreach, where she championed the network’s Writing and Artist Programs, and produced over 150 outreach events worldwide to identify and foster new pools of creative talent, while increasing brand awareness, and community engagement.
John KD Graham
Director / Producer
Growing up in the vast deserts of New Mexico imbued Director John K.D. Graham with a sense of desolate beauty and a keen eye for imagery. From an early age he showed a love of storytelling and creating detailed worlds. Attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, John graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Film and Television.
From creating his own feature films to world travel, both in front of and behind the camera,; John has demonstrated that his skill with the camera and editing systems make him a directorial force to be reckoned with.
His feature films, including the most recent Switched have been released worldwide and can be found in Walmart, Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and other distribution platforms. His latest film, The Inheritance, starring Mena Suvari, is slated for release in late 2021.
Liz Kelly
Manager, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney General Entertainment Content
Liz Kelly is Manager of Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney General Entertainment Content. In this role, she works with Disney’s networks, studios, and streaming platforms to staff writers, directors, and BTL crew across ABC, ABC Signature, Freeform, Disney Channel, FX, 20th, Nat Geo, Disney+ and Hulu’s scripted television shows. She manages the industry-leading Disney Writing Program, Disney Directing Program, and Disney PA Program. She has staffed talent on AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, THE ROOKIE, A MILLION LITTLE THINGS, MOTHERLAND, THE GOLDBERGS, STATION 19, FOR LIFE, RAVEN’S HOME, and BLACK-ISH, among other scripted series. Prior to Disney, Kelly worked for 6 years at Fox, most recently as Associate Director of Production and Development Labs – Film & TV, for 21CF Global Inclusion. Kelly staffed writers and directors on FOX’s scripted television shows, including THE GIFTED, THE COOL KIDS, LUCIFER, LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE EXORCIST, THE RESIDENT, and LETHAL WEAPON, among others. She managed the Fox Writers Lab, Fox Directors Lab, Fox DP Lab, and Fox Filmmakers Lab, tracked and maintained network diversity statistics regarding on-air and behind-the-camera creative talent, and managed the department’s partnerships and sponsorships with non-profits and film and TV festivals.
Kelly has been a judge, script reader, or panelist for numerous film and TV festivals across the country, including the Tribeca Film Festival, New York Television Festival, Austin Film Festival, ATX Television Festival, SeriesFest Denver, CAAMFest San Francisco, San Diego Latino Film Festival, NALIP Media Summit, LA Skins Fest, Outfest, BlackStar Philadelphia Film Festival, and Humanitas New Voices. In 2017, she was invited to be part of Creative Artists Agency’s “Amplify: Next Gen” group of up-and-coming entertainment artists, agents, and executives.
Kelly is a member of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society. She has a BA from UCLA and is a graduate of UCLA School of Theater Film & Television’s graduate-level Professional Program in Screenwriting.
Audrey Knox
Manager, The Cartel
Audrey Knox is a literary manager at Cartel, with clients in film and television, among whom are writers staffed on GROWN-ISH and P-VALLEY; who have written episodes of CREEPSHOW and THE GOLDBERGS; and are writing for Nickelodeon, Wayfarer, and Apple TV+. She worked her way up from Receptionist in 2016 to Manager in 2018. Audrey has experience in both scripted and unscripted television, on set, in production, and in writers’ rooms. She has a BFA in Screenwriting from Chapman University.
Grace Ledding
Literary Manager and Producer, Agile Entertainment
Grace Ledding is a literary manager and producer at Agile Entertainment. Grace represents writers and directors in film, television, comic books, video games, and animation, as well as documentary filmmakers, authors, and game engineers. She got her start as an agent trainee at the William Morris Agency and then became a Creative Executive at foreign sales-based, film finance company, InterMedia, where she worked on BREACH, HUNTING PARTY, and Oliver Stone’s ALEXANDER among others. She then became Vice President at Paramount Pictures-based production company, Cerenzie-Peters, before launching her own management and production company ten years ago. Grace is currently an Executive Producer on Netflix’ animated series, HELLO NINJA!, which just launched Season 4, and developing a premium limited series at 20th Television with Bold Films, BARBIE & RUTH, based on Robin Gerber’s biography of Mattel founder, Ruth Handler.
Jason Lubin
Manager / Producer / Principal, First Story Entertainment
Jason Lubin is a manager-producer and the principal at First Story Entertainment, which he founded in 2018. The lit management company represents a diverse roster of talented writers and directors with fresh voices in all genres for Film and TV. Jason also develops both feature film and television projects under the company’s banner. Prior to starting First Story, Jason was a seasoned development executive. He worked as the Head of Production & Development at Lynda Obst Productions, a Sony based production company. Prior to LOP, Jason worked at Lionsgate for seven and a half years where he rose to Story Editor in the Motion Picture Group and served as the junior creative executive on multiple feature projects. Jason cut his teeth as the assistant to CEO Jon Feltheimer and was named one of Variety’s Ten Assistants to Watch in 2013. A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Jason currently sits on the board of the Trojan Entertainment Network where he was elected President of the organization for the 2018-2021 term.
Kristin Mann
Independent Film Producer + Head of Content for BFFoundation
Kristin Mann spent four years working alongside acclaimed filmmakers Jeff Nichols and Terrence Malick and producer Sarah Green, working as an Associate Producer and facilitating production of critically-acclaimed films such as MUD, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, KNIGHT OF CUPS, SONG TO SONG, AFTER THE FALL, and Malick’s decades-in-the-making documentary VOYAGE OF TIME. Mann then went solo to produce the guerilla-style, desert-town independent feature POOR BOY, which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and opened theatrically in summer 2018.
Her next feature film, the coming of age 1960s drama TO THE STARS, had its well-received world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in U.S. Dramatic Competition and international premiere as the only U.S. film in competition at the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic. The film was directed by Martha Stephens (LAND HO!) and released by Samuel Goldwyn Films in 2020. Kristin’s latest, the dramatic thriller THE QUARRY, starring Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham was set to have its world premiere at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival were it not for the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead the film was released On Demand in 2020 by Grindstone Entertainment and Lionsgate. Mann is already in development on a slate of films plus a TV series with producing partner, Laura D. Smith, with whom she shares a production company, Prowess Pictures.
In addition to her own projects, Mann has just been brought on as Head of Content for Geena Davis’ BFFoundation overseeing the new production arm developing and creating films and television/episodic shows with a special focus on championing female and underrepresented voices on screen as well as behind the camera. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the BFFoundation.
Born and raised in Arkansas, Mann now resides in Austin, Texas with her dog, Sammy. She is a member of the Producers Guild.
Isabella Mastrodicasa
Manager / Producer, Heroes and Villains Entertainment
Isabella Mastrodicasa is a talent manager and producer at Heroes and Villains Entertainment where she runs the digital department on the representation side, and focuses on International IPs on the producing side. She has worked on the production of award winning documentary Finding Oscar executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and is actively producing upcoming content for both film and TV.
Mette Norkjaer
Creative Executive, BOOM! Studios
Mette Norkjaer is the Creative Executive at BOOM! Studios, a production company and comic book publisher with a first look deal at Netflix. In her position, Mette oversees TV and Film adaptations based on the BOOM! Studios library. Mette earned her MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California in 2016. She is originally from Copenhagen, Denmark.
Meredith Riley Stewart
Actor, Producer, Content Creator
Meredith Riley Stewart is an actor, producer, and content creator. Her most recent feature – a faith and family comedy entitled The Inheritance starring Mena Suvari and Jaleel White – shot in July 2020. Her next project, funded by the University of Alabama’s Blackburn Institute, is an animated PSA series about civic engagement, called Shaping Our State, aimed at empowering Black teen girls in her home state. Meredith was tapped by Women In Film to create their first-ever digital series, Flip The Script, a comedy about gender parity. It has over 9 million social media impressions, screened on the CW network, and has been developed into a half-hour scripted series. Her mash-up comedy short fan film, Orphan is the New Orange, has over 3 million YouTube channel views and toured the globe as part of ComicCon. Her digital series AutocorrectFU was featured on Funny or Die and Whohaha, and has been curated onto Amazon Prime Video. Her Virtual Reality (VR) project, a feminist experience entitled See Me spent the past two years on the festival circuit. A member of Women In Film, Meredith served on the board of the PSA program where she produced the Telly Award winning spot for River LA. She currently serves as a WIF Peer Mentor. Above all, Meredith is passionate about utilizing media as a platform for social change.
Jordan Rubio
Manager of Development, 3Pas Studios
Jordan Rubio is a Manager of Development at 3Pas Studios, working in both English and Spanish language TV and film. In his two years at the company Jordan has been a part of the development, sale, and production of features and TV series at places like Amazon, NewLine, HBOMax, Pantaya, Apple, Netflix, Pantelion, and Lionsgate. Previously Jordan worked at the National Hispanic Media Coalition helping shepard writers into their “Latino TV writers program”, a prestigious TV writing incubator sponsored by NBC Universal and ABC/Disney. Jordan started his career as an intern at The Daily with Jon Stewart and also once co-produced a Star Trek documentary.
Ryan Saul
VP, Motion Picture Library
Over the 25 years Mr. Saul has worked in the entertainment industry, he has garnered the reputation of being able to develop clients from unknown writers or young short film directors to become some of the leading creatives in Hollywood, working on some of the biggest studio films in production. Clients over the years like Tim Reckart (currently directing HIGH IN THE CLOUDS for Netflix), Josh Trank (CHRONICLE, FANTASTIC FOUR), and Wes Ball (MAZE RUNNER franchise, PLANET OF THE APES) all of them started as directors with shorts, and off of those shorts Ryan was able to get them their first studio films. In addition to the studio directors, he has also helped put together independent films such as STOCKHOLM (starring Ethan Hawke & Noomi Rapace), MEADOWLAND (Reed Murano’s debut film), DEAR ZOE (currently in post-production – starring Sadie Sink), as well as documentaries such as HIT SO HARD, and PIERRE CARDIN. Over the years, independent directors like Akin Omotoso, Sasie Sealy, Henry Hobson, Gren Wells (Variety director to watch), Oualid Mouaness (TIFF winner for 1982) and Alejandra Marquez Abella (Variety director to watch), have also been discovered by Ryan at film festivals from Berlin to Sundance, Toronto to Palm Springs.
Discovering new talent and nurturing that talent isn’t the only aspect of his rise from executive assistant at the Walt Disney Company, to becoming head of Motion Picture Literary at APA. Ryan has also carved out a niche in animation, putting projects together like the Oscar nominated KLAUS, HEAD IN THE CLOUDS (Paul McCartney movie at Netflix), OPEN SEASON, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, CHICKEN LITTLE, and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, to name a few. He has also booked over 300 hours of television directors during his tenure as well.
Ross Saxon
Head of Development, Braven Films
A graduate of the Film Program at Bard College where his studies included work under acclaimed indie director Kelly Reichardt, his thesis was short listed for the Adolphus Mekas Award for Best Screenplay. He began his career working across NYC, learning the administrative and technical ins and outs of sets as well as working at a green screen studio in Manhattan, and several positions with the Woodstock Film Festival and The Hudson Valley Film Commission. Most recently, he has worked as the Head of Development for Braven Films. There, he oversaw their first production MAGIC MAGIC involved in the film from the first page of writing to final delivery of the film to its distributor. He had the same involvement with DISOBEDIENCE, an adaptation from the original novel by Naomi Alderman, written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and Sebastian Lelio who directed it, starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessandro Nivola and produced in conjunction with Film4, Film Nation and Ed Guiney. He has judged for the Austin Film Festival and Scriptapalooza Screenwriting competition as well as for Cinema Tropical and Urbanworld. Participated in Columbia’s Script Connect and Mentoring program for their graduate department.
Daniel Seco
Literary Manager and Partner, Empirical Evidence
A former sports journalist covering U.S. Soccer, MLB, and the NBA, Seco began his Hollywood career in 2013 at Resolution. He joined CAA in 2014 where he worked in the motion picture literary department before venturing into literary management on the feature side at Writ Large in 2015 as a coordinator/junior manager. A series of consulting jobs including a stop at Netflix in its Original Film department gave way to Seco joining Schemers Entertainment as a literary manager in 2018. Currently, Seco is a literary manager and partner at Empirical Evidence, a literary creative company founded by Derrick Eppich. Seco is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland and the University of Florida as well as a cancer survivor.
Samantha Shear
Film and Television Development, Zoic Stuidos
Samantha Shear currently runs film and television development at Zoic Studios via their new content arm Zoic Pictures. Zoic Pictures launched over two years ago with a new development fund devoted to script, teleplay, content creation and IP acquisition. With over twenty-five unique projects to date, Zoic has optioned a wide range of intellectual properties including comic books, television series, original scripts, picture books, novels, articles and memoirs in a diverse group of genres including, family, magic, fantasy, genre, historical and science fiction. Some of the projects in development so far include several features for Amazon Studios as well as and 1440/Universal and a limited series with Amblin Television. Shear joined Zoic with nearly two decades of development experience as a producer and a writer with a focus on family and genre content. Shear’s focus has been the adaptation of IP for film and television. In addition to Zoic’s upcoming slate, Shear is also attached to produce the feature adaptation of Katherine Applegate’s novel Crenshaw, at 20th Century Studios with James Mangold attached to direct, as well as Blacksmith with AGC Studios.
Danny Sherman
Manager / Producer, Thruline Entertainment
Danny Sherman is a manager/producer at Thruline Entertainment, a management and production company in Beverly Hills. Born in Los Angeles he moved to the Netherlands at an early age with his mother who remarried a Dutchman. After graduating from a high school, Danny moved back to the States and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University where he graduated with a BFA in Acting. After graduation, Danny moved to New York and pursued his passion for theater – eventually making the switch to the business side of entertainment. Danny has worked at several talent agencies and management companies before joining Thruline Entertainment in 2012. Danny represents writers, directors and producers including notable Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta (upcoming BLACK PANTHER 2), legendary actress Andie McDowell, Noah Pink (co-creator of GENIUS on Nat Geo), Glen Dolman (creator of BLOOM for STAN and Hulu) as well as over a dozen writer/producers and creators working in television and film. As a producer, he recently executive produced along with Steven Soderbergh a series for Quibi called Wireless starring Tye Sheridan and has several projects in development including a Village People biopic called THE PEOPLE at Studio Canal, a limited drama series called ALCATRAZ at History Channel and is an executive producer on an action feature called G20 starring Viola Davis and to be directed by Patrica Regan at MRC. Currently, Danny splits his time between Los Angeles and Mexico City.
Jennifer Sorenson
Writer / Producer / Actor
Jennifer Sorenson is an actor/producer/writer/director. She wrote and played TEN roles in the award winning, viral parody Orphan is the New Orange which was named one of the Top Ten Shorts Films of the Decade. Other writing includes: See Me– a virtual reality short about the exploration of women reclaiming their bodies from the patriarchy, What Are the Odds– a healthcare PSA, Don’t Be a Chad– a Women in Film PSA Finalist & I Fart in My Sleep: Confessions of an Embarrassing Life a full-length play, which premiered in Los Angeles. As an actor, Jennifer has been working professionally for over twenty years and is a proud member of the prestigious theatre companies Rogue Machine Theatre and Pacific Resident Theatre in Los Angeles. She is currently producing the sci-fi/horror feature Suffer, filming in Idaho this summer.
Lee Stobby
Literary Manager, Producer, Founder, Lee Stobby Entertainment
Lee Stobby is a producer, literary manager, and principal of Lee Stobby Entertainment who has over 10 years of management and producing experience. Some of his client highlights include:
- Shay Hatten, who was a writer on JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3, currently writing JOHN WICK 4, had his pilot (FUTURE) CULT CLASSIC produced at SyFy Channel with Lorne Michaels producing, and had his adaptation of I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER ordered to series at Amazon with James Wan’s Atomic Monster Producing. He sold his female action script BALLERINA to Lionsgate that they are turning into a JOHN WICK spinoff, wrote the upcoming feature ARMY OF THE DEAD, and its two spinoffs currently in post, for Netflix and director Zack Snyder with Dave Bautista starring.
- Kate Trefry, who made the Black List in 2013 (PURE O) and 2016 (REVOLVER) who has an overall deal at Netflix and currently writes on STRANGER THINGS.
- Isaac Adamson (#1 Black List script BUBBLES), and just made the 2020 Black List with his script POSSUM SONG which is currently in prep, has an adaptation of the novel THE ICE TWINS at Alcon, ’51 DONS at Walden Media, an adaptation of his own novel TOKYO SUCKERPUNCH at Lionsgate with Greg Silverman producing, HELIOS for Fox 2000, and wrote CHIPPENDALES for David Permut, Bold Films and Red Hour with Dev Patel attached to star.
- Rodney Ascher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE), whose newest documentary A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX about how we live in a simulated reality premiered at this year’s virtual Sundance.
- Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy (THE TRIBE), who is directing THE TIGER with Darren Aronofsky and Plan B producing. Stobby’s Producing highlights and credits include SISTER AIMEE, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival; WILDLING starring Bel Powley, Liv Tyler and Brad Dourif and premiered at SXSW; as well as scripts set up with Matt Reeves’ 6th and Idaho, Universal, and Netflix.
Scott Stoops
Literary Manager, Good Fear Film + Management
Scott Stoops is a literary manager @ Good Fear Content. He represents writers and directors in both Television and Film. His clients include Megan McDonnell (Captain Marvel, WandaVision), Rayna McClendon (Obi-Wan), Aisha Porter-Christie (The Boys Spin-Off), Stephen Herman (The Culling) and The Rasmussen Brothers (Crawl).
Conrad Sun
Literary Manager, Meridian Artists
Conrad Sun joined Meridian Artists in 2014 to head their Los Angeles Division. Conrad devotes his efforts toward building the Los Angeles roster, and supporting all of Meridian’s LA based clients for both staffing and development. Additionally Conrad works with the Toronto office to develop properties for the US market and prepare clients who plan to work in Los Angeles. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alberta, Conrad started his entertainment career by founding a Calgary-based video production company in 2004. Soon he took his passion for film producing and entrepreneurship to Los Angeles where he attained his Master’s Degree from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California.
Ray Utarnachitt
Co-Executive Producer on the Warner Bros/CW show DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
Silas Wang
Coordinator, United Talent Agency
Qihan “Silas” Wang is a Coordinator at UTA. He works in both talent department and Asian business development department. Born and raised in China, Silas is well tuned in to the Asia market and Asian American market. Prior to joining UTA, Silas worked at The Weinstein Company in the Strategic Initiatives, Investments and Banking Group. He managed all structured finance, corporate lines of credit, sourcing of investments, film and television finance, as well as creative and strategic partnerships for the various company departments. Silas graduated from the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC in 2017. Before moving to Los Angeles, he worked in advertising at BBDO China and on the Chinese version of THE VOICE.
John Zaozirny
Head of Bellevue Productions
John runs Bellevue Productions, a leading literary management company with a focus on discovering and breaking new writers and writer-directors, in both the feature film and television spaces.
John’s clients’ writing and directing credits include INFINITE, PARALLEL, ELI, BAD MATCH, BETTER WATCH OUT, HEAVY TRIP, OFFICE UPRISING, SPLINTER, A CROOKED SOMEBODY, amongst others. His clients have written feature scripts that are set up at Warner Bros, Paramount, Fox, Lionsgate, New Line, Focus Features, Fox 2000, Sony, Universal, amongst others. As well, his clients have had 20 scripts on the last 6 Black Lists, the annual list of the best unproduced feature scripts. His client Elyse Hollander wrote BLONDE AMBITION, the number one script on the 2016 Black List, and his client Sophie Dawson wrote HEADHUNTER, the number one script on the 2020 Black List.
His clients have also written on TV shows such as FBI INTERNATIONAL, SHANTARAM, SMILF, BOSCH, MR ROBOT, TRAINING DAY, TINY PRETTY THINGS, HAWAII FIVE-O, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE and HAND OF GOD, amongst others. He also reps the writer of the Eisner nominated comic book LITTLE BIRD.
As a producer, John’s feature film projects include CRISTO (set up at Warner Bros, Black List 2010), WARDEN (set up at New Line) CAPSULE (set up at Fox, Black List 2013), BLONDE AMBITION (set up at Universal, Black List 2016), and LIONHUNTERS (set up at Warner Bros, Black List 2017.) He was an executive producer on the feature films ALWAYS WATCHING and PARALLEL and produced ELI, which was recently released by Netflix. He is producing INFINITE, which has Antoine Fuqua directing, Mark Wahlberg starring and is set to be released by Paramount on September 24, 2021.
Raised in Vancouver, Canada, John is a graduate of the Tisch Film and Television program at New York University.
Creston Whittington
Executive, Freemantle
Creston Whittington is an executive at Fremantle in the Scripted Programming division (The Young Pope, American Gods, Mosquito Coast) – building hour-long drama series for premium-cable and streaming platforms. Prior to working at Fremantle, Creston worked in development, production and acquisitions at both Broad Green Pictures and Participant Media. Creston Whittington is also a black list screenwriter, having been featured on the 2020 black list.