Announced Virtual Panelists
All panelists are confirmed, schedule permitting.
Keith Bunin
Keith Bunin
co-writer Onward
Lindsay Doran
Lindsay’s first film credit was as Executive in Charge of Production on the mock-documentary This is Spinal Tap. As a producer, her credits include Dead Again, Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee, and Stranger Than Fiction. She is currently in the early stages of producing a stage musical adaptation of Nanny McPhee, written and directed by Emma Thompson.
As an executive, Lindsay worked on dozens of films including The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes Trains and Automobiles, The Naked Gun, Pet Sematary, Ghost, The Thomas Crown Affair, The World is Not Enough and Tomorrow Never Dies.
She is an Oscar nominee and the winner of numerous awards including the Golden Globe Best Picture Award and the British Academy Award for Best Film, both for Sense and Sensibility. More recently she received the Pioneer Award from the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center for “igniting a movement toward Positive Film.”
Lindsay tries to be guided by the Three Rules of Drama, found in an ancient text, as the basis for what motion picture entertainment ought to be:
#1 It must be arresting and amusing to the drunk.
#2 It must address the question, “How should we live?”
#3 It must address the question, “How does the universe work?”
Simultaneously, she tries to be guided by the three rules of scene writing, found in the less ancient writings of David Mamet, as to the three questions that must be answered in every scene:
#1 Who wants what?
#2 What happens if he or she doesn’t get it?
#3 Why now?
Lindsay Doran
producer Sense and Sensibility
Scott Frank
Out of Sight and Logan were both nominated for Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay. Out of Sight won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America as well as Best Screenplay awards from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics
Logan was also nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Get Shorty was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. His directorial debut, The Lookout, won the Independent Spirit Award for “Best First Feature.”
Godless was nominated for 12 Emmy awards, including nominations for writing and directing, as well as nominations from the Directors and Writers Guilds.
Frank’s first novel, Shaker, was published by Knopf in 2015.
Scott Frank
writer/director Godless, Get Shorty, Out of Sight
Jason Headley
Jason Headley
co-writer Onward
Adam Kolbrenner
Kolbrenner produced Oscar-nominated film, Prisoners, for Warner Bros/Alcon Entertainment, written by Lit client Aaron Guzikowski. Kolbrenner also executive produced Netflix’s recent holiday film, Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell, written by Lit client Matt Lieberman based on an original idea by Designated Survivor creator David Guggenheim, another Lit client who also served as an executive producer on the film.
In film, Kolbrenner is next producing Fox’s Free Guy, along with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds and directed by Shawn Levy, is an original spec from Lit client Matt Lieberman that was sold in a competitive situation. Kolbrenner is also producing Skydance’s Ghost Draft, an original sci-fi tentpole film written by Lit client Zach Dean, with David Goyer also producing. Kolbrenner also will serve as executive producer on the recently ordered TNT/Scott Free sci-fi series, Raised by Wolves, with its first two episodes helmed by Ridley Scott. The original series hails from Lit client Aaron Guzikowski, who will serve as creator and showrunner.
Kolbrenner is a member of the PGA. As the top representative (manager or agent) of all Black List screenwriters cumulative in the history of the annual Black List, Kolbrenner has distinguished himself in discovering new voices.
On the Lit management side, Kolbrenner reps top creators and filmmakers in the industry, including Dave Andron (Snowfall); Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken (10 Cloverfield Lane); Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis (the upcoming The Children from New Line, and CBS Films’ Five Feet Apart); Craig Doyle (Grown-ish); Liz Garcia (Disney’s Princess Diaries 3, writer/director of One Percent More Humid); Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners, Raised by Wolves); David Guggenheim (Safe House, Designated Survivor); Matt Lieberman (the upcoming Addams Family and Playing with Fire); Justin Marks (Disney’s Jungle Book, Top Gun 2 and Starz’s Counterpart); Sascha Penn (Creed 2); Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel and writer/director of The Slows); Justin Rhodes (the upcoming Terminator film from Tim Miller; and Robocop from Neil Blomkamp); Ed Ricourt (Now You See Me franchise); Greg Russo (Mortal Kombat); Hayley Schore & Dr. Roshan Sethi (The Resident); Kerem Sanga (First Girl I Loved, upcoming The Violent Heart); Jason Smilovic & Todd Katzberg (Condor, War Dogs); Gaia Violo (Absentia).
He lives in Encino, CA with his artist wife Loryn, their daughter Georgia and three dogs, Stella, Walter and Lucy.
Adam Kolbrenner
producer Free Guy, Christmas Chronicles
Nicole Perlman
Nicole Perlman
writer Guardians of the Galaxy, Detective Pikachu
Gina-Prince Bythewood
Most recently from Prince-Bythewood is the action drama feature, The Old Guard, which she directs and stars Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne. A Netflix original feature, it is based on the popular comic book series created by author Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernández. The blockbuster is already among the Top 10 most popular Netflix films of all time since its July 10 release with Prince-Bythewood becoming the first Black female directors on the list.
Other recent credits for Prince-Bythewood include the special event series, Shots Fired, which she and her husband Reggie Rock Bythewood served as Series Creators and Executive Producers. The ten-hour series for Fox examined the dangerous aftermath of two racially charged shootings in a small Southern town. In addition, Prince-Bythewood directed the pilot for Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, which launched to strong reviews and viewers, starring breakout actors Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph as two teenagers with newly acquired superpowers who are mysteriously linked to one another.
Next up for Prince-Bythewood is directing the historical epic, The Woman King for TriStar Pictures, starring Viola Davis. The Woman King is inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The story follows Nanisca (Davis), General of the all-female military unit, and her daughter Nawi, who together fought the French and neighboring tribes who violated their honor, enslaved their people, and threatened to destroy everything they’ve lived for.
An advocate for equal representation in film, Prince-Bythewood funds a scholarship for African American students in the film program at UCLA, her alma mater.
Gina Prince-Bythewood
director/writer/producer The Old Guard, Love & Basketball
Kori Rae
Producer
Pixar Animation Studios
Kori Rae joined Pixar Animation Studios in June 1993 as a producer in the studio’s Commercials Division, producing several award-winning commercials. She was part of the dynamic and entrepreneurial team that helped shape and build Pixar in the studio it is today.
Kori Rae was the producer of Pixar’s fourteenth feature film, Monsters University. Released in the summer of 2013, Monsters University grossed over $738.9 million worldwide at the box office, and received the 2013 “Hollywood Animation Award” from the Hollywood Film Awards. Rae most recently produced Onward, which was released on March 6, 2020.
With a background in education and coaching, Rae finds producing similar. The role of managing a continually changing story and a large creative team in a deadline-driven atmosphere is quite a lot like coaching a team to a championship.
After the success of Toy Story, Rae moved forward as animation manager on Pixar’s second feature film A Bug’s Life. She then worked as animation manager for the Golden Globe® winner, Toy Story 2 and continued on as associate producer for Monsters, Inc. and the Academy Award®-winning feature, The Incredibles. Rae also contributed her producing talents to Up as pre-production producer, and worked as producer on the first group of Pixar’s Cars Toons.
Born and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, Rae moved to Florida in high school and went on to earn a degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Kori Rae
producer Onward
Dan Scanlon
Director / Vice President, Creative / Executive Producer
Pixar Animation Studios
Dan Scanlon joined Pixar Animation Studios in September 2001 as a storyboard artist on Pixar’s award-winning feature films Cars and Toy Story 3. During the initial production stages for both films, he worked closely with the directors to bring their ideas to the screen.
Scanlon went on to co-direct the original short film, Mater and the Ghostlight, which is included as one of the bonus features on the Cars DVD. In addition to his work at Pixar, Scanlon simultaneously wrote and directed the live-action film Tracy, released in 2009.
Scanlon made his animated feature directorial debut in 2013 with Monsters University, which grossed over $738.9 million worldwide at the box office, and received the 2013 “Hollywood Animation Award” from the Hollywood Film Awards. Scanlon also directed Pixar’s most recent original feature film Onward, which released on March 6, 2020.
In his role as Vice President, Creative, Scanlon is involved in key creative decision-making at the studio and consults on films in both development and production. Scanlon will serve as the Executive Producer on two upcoming unannounced Pixar films.
As a child growing up in Clawson, Michigan, Scanlon possessed a love for Warner Bros. cartoons, animated Disney films, and as fate would have it, Pixar short films. His passion inspired him to study film and animation in high school and in college, where he focused on illustration at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD).
Upon graduating from CCAD, Scanlon began working as an animator and story artist for Character Builders, a 2D animation company that produced feature and commercial work in Columbus, Ohio.
Scanlon currently resides in San Francisco with his wife Michele, dog Carol, and one-eyed cat Chichi.
Dan Scanlon
co-writer/director Onward
Tracey Scott Wilson
Tracey Scott Wilson
writer Respect
Kevin Willmott
He also co-wrote and is the Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed film, Chi-Raq also directed by Spike Lee. The film is on numerous best of 2015 lists including best film and best screenplay by The New Yorker Magazine.
Award winning Films written and directed by Willmott include Ninth Street, CSA -Confederate States of America, the Battle for Bunker Hill, Jayhawkers and Destination Planet Negro.
Documentaries directed by Willmott include: From Separate to Equal: The Creation of Truman Medical Center, Gordon Parks Elementary, Fast Break: The Legendary Coach John Mclendon, and William Allen White: What’s the Matter with Kansas.
He currently co-wrote with Spike Lee the feature film, Da Five Bloods for Netflix. Willmott recently co-wrote and directed the feature film The 24th about the Houston Riot of 1917.
Willmott grew up in Junction City, Kansas, and attended Marymount College receiving his BA in Drama. After graduation, he returned home, working as a peace and civil rights activist, fighting for the rights of the poor, creating two Catholic Worker shelters for the homeless, and forcing the integration of several long-standing segregated institutions. He attended graduate studies at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, receiving several writing awards and his M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing.
Willmott is a Professor in the Media and Film Studies Department of Kansas University.
Kevin Willmott
cowriter Da 5 Bloods, BlacKkKlansman
Get Access to the Vitual Conference
Get your Virtual Badge now!
Includes access to:
- 30+ virtual panels
- 30+ virtual feature film screenings
- 10+ virtual short film programs (featuring 80+ short films)
- Virtual networking opportunities
- Add-Ons including virtual roundtables and the virtual pitch competition
