Discovering New Voices and Developing Untold Stories

WHEN: November 9, 2020
Time: 3:30 - 5:30 pm LOS ANGELES TIME

Winston Baker is excited to host the second edition of our inclusive workshop in partnership with AFM. During this special event, we highlight new voices and untold stories through a variety of pitch sessions followed by expert industry feedback.

Whether you’re a first time filmmaker or an established producer with a new project, we encourage you to sign up and be considered for our pitch session or register just to tune in and attend.

PROGRAM:

3:30 – 3:50 Pm
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

We all have to do our part to make changes in the way we approach storytelling. During this opening discussion, we’ll explore how our panelists are moving the needle forward towards a more inclusive film and TV business.

3:50 – 5:10 pM
PITCH AND FEEDBACK

Winston Baker will select three (3) filmmakers/producers to pitch and randomly select three (3) additional filmmakers/producers based on registered participants. There will be a panel of Judges who will listen to each pitch along with the attendees. Each pitch will be limited to 5 minutes and at the end of each pitch, our panel of judges will provide feedback on why each pitch worked, why it didn’t and how they can be improved. At the end of all pitches, all participants will vote on a winner. The winner’s project will then be announced through Winston Baker’s email newsletter which reaches over 50,000 industry professionals worldwide.

5:10 – 5:30 pM
LIVE Q&A WITH AUDIENCE

For the last portion of our program, attendees will have the opportunity to ask our panelists questions which may not have been addressed during the pitch sessions.

HOW TO REGISTER:

If you would like to be considered for pitching, please email the following to abaker@winstonbaker.com by October 31, 2020:

1) One-Page Treatment
2) Sizzle Reel Link (if you have one)
3) Specify the Genre and Budget of your Project
4) Headshot and Bio (If you are selected to pitch, we will feature you on our webpage)

Three (3) presenters will be selected by Winston Baker and three (3) additional presenters will be randomly chosen. All selections will be announced by email and posted on Winston Baker’s webpage by November 6th.

You can also register just to tune in and attend.
You’ll have access to the entire American Film Market and Conference Series!

PANELISTS:

Adhrucia Apana
Founder and Producer
Curiosity Entertainment

She is Producer, Executive Producer and Founder of the new label Curiosity Entertainment focused on developing, producing, and financing impact focused commercial content with a global appeal. Curiosity will also be launching a data based service in 2021 focused on aiding creatives with analytics, marketing, and innovative brand integration/partnerships for their IP. Her most recent credits include movies such as: "Capone" starring Tom Hardy directed by Josh Trank; the upcoming films "Needle in a Timestack" starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odam Jr. and Orlando Bloom directed and written by John Ridley; and "Harry Haft" starring Ben Foster directed by Barry Levinson. Adhrucia previously worked as an Executive financing studio slates for BRON Studios with CWM, financiers of "The Joker" and last year's Oscar Nominee "Bombshell". Prior to that, she was a consultant and partner to American Idol Icon Randy Jackson focusing on TV development and brand integration and working as a partner with Atlantic Screen Media Group. Before transitioning into Entertainment, Adhrucia spent 10 years in brand and strategy. She is an active member of the diversity initiative lovingly called "Stone Soup" started by Rotten Tomatoes founder Patrick Lee and has served or been an advocate and volunteer for Young Storytellers, Project Paper Bag, and UNICEF Next Gen.

Janaé Désiré
Media Finance Executive
Creative Artists Agency

Janaé Désiré is a Media Finance Executive at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  Désiré is based in the Los Angeles office and focuses on client projects in early stages of development. Désiré began her career in the unscripted space while working at RadicalMedia on Dean of Invention for Planet Green. From there, she worked at ABC News All Media as an Associate Producer on news magazine shows for TLC, Discovery I.D., and OWN Networks. In 2014, Désiré joined Participant Media and transitioned to the narrative film and television space. She joined CAA in 2019. Désiré graduated from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey with a degree in Communications and a double minor in Africana Studies and Women & Gender Studies.

Gina Reyes
Television Lit Agent
Verve Talent & Literary Agency

Originally from Chicago, Gina started her Hollywood career at International Creative Management talent agency in Motion Picture Production and transitioned to Film Development in her post with Ms. Salma Hayek’s production company, Ventanazul/MGM. Following her time at Ventanazul, Gina landed at 20th Century Fox Film as a Creative Executive in feature film development and made the move to television as Director for the Fox Writers Lab, Fox TV Directors Lab and the Fox/AFI Filmmakers Lab for Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, and 20th Century Fox Film. She then returned to content development in her role as the Director of Content Development for Story House Entertainment/Univision, where she focused on Spanish and English-language scripted series. She was also the Vice President of Scripted Development for both Film and Television, at Mitú, an English-language digital platform targeting the new mainstream American millennial audience before moving on to her current role as a television lit agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency.

Sophia Yen
Partner
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Recently named to Variety’s “2020 Legal Impact Report” and 2019 “Dealmakers List,” Sophia Yen provides business strategy and legal services to a wide range of stakeholders in the entertainment industry – from smaller production companies and high net-worth individuals, to larger companies, financial institutions and studios, both domestically and abroad. She is known and sought out for her expertise in structuring equity and debt financing deals. In addition to financing, Sophia provides counsel to her clients throughout the life cycle of a film, television or digital project, including during development, production, distribution and licensing deals. She also has experience in film foreclosures, dispute settlements, purchasing distressed entertainment assets, and negotiating with the guilds. She is well-versed in the emerging fields of the entertainment industry and in recognizing for clients the strategic value of digital media and China entertainment sectors.

Sophia graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and obtained her law degree from Boston University School of Law. Before becoming a lawyer, Sophia was a CPA and financial auditor at Ernst & Young LLP. In her free time, she enjoys drinking wine and spending time with her family.

Viviana Zarragoitia
Vice President
Three Point Capital

Viviana Zarragoitia began her career in the entertainment industry working in production accounting at Millennium Films and Bold Films. She then spent 5 years at Lionsgate, where she started working in the accounting department and segued into the finance division, specifically, profit participation. While working in profit participation, she oversaw the preparation of multi-million dollar film and television distribution deals. She was then promoted to the group’s audit division, where she managed film and television royalty audits of producers’ profit participation statements. In 2013, she joined Three Point Capital, a boutique firm that specializes in senior lending on film and television projects. While at Three Point Capital, Viviana has been involved in the financing of over 70 independent films, and worked with such producers as Cassian Elwes, Rob Barnum, Anthony Bregman, James Schamus, Aaron Gilbert, Kimberly Steward, Nicolas Chartier and Kevin Frakes, among others. As Vice President, Viviana closes the financing on every film that the company is involved in, as well as manages the company’s operations in its satellite offices (Ohio and Louisiana). Viviana has received over a dozen Executive Producers credits on titles she has financed. She graduated Cum Laude with a double-major in Business and English from Loyola Marymount University.

During our inaugural workshop,
we featured these film and TV projects:

• “CASA QUEMADA” - Christopher Oroza - Nostas

• “MOTHER OF THE RIDE” - Alicia Ontiveros

• “CHINDIA” - Sikandar Sidhu

• “FRIDA”- Lowam Eyasu and Jess Jacklin

• “DEFACEMENT” - Anthony Alleyne

• “DIS-GRACED” - Giovannie Espiritu

• “BORDER CHILD” - Stephen Jimenez and Michel Stone

HOSTED BY:

Katherine Winston
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
WINSTON | BAKER

Katherine Winston has been at the forefront of event production, marketing and emerging trends for nearly twenty years. As co-founder and managing partner of WINSTON | BAKER, she oversees business operations, event production, marketing strategies, and new initiatives. In her previous role as Director of Marketing for RealD, she was in charge of creative advertising, supervised public relations, and organized event participation, product launches, and screenings. Prior to RealD, Winston was Senior Marketing Manager for GoTV Networks, where she was responsible for all aspects of marketing strategy and execution, including corporate and consumer marketing, web-to-mobile advertising, print, online, and experiential marketing, public relations, and managing brand partnership deals. Before GoTV, Winston was Conference Producer for Strategic Research Institute where she was responsible for producing high profile investment conferences for various sectors, including e-commerce, nanotech, defense & aerospace, biotech, law, real estate, and entertainment, among others. Winston earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with honors from the University of Washington and is a Phi Beta Kappa and National Association of Professional Women member. As a fervent advocate of entrepreneurialism, Winston is dedicated to connecting innovators with seasoned professionals who can fuel development and growth.

Amy Baker
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
WINSTON | BAKER

As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, business development and vendor relationships. Amy co-founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® in 2008, which provides the leading series of events dedicated to bringing finance and entertainment executives together from around the world. Prior to establishing Winston/Baker, she successfully directed B2B and B2C business development efforts for over 10 years by leveraging innovative sponsorship methods to engage business professionals. At ALM, as Vice President of Business Development, she provided finance executives and marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, entertainment, finance and tech sectors. In her previous position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions. Amy received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from New York University. Amy is honored to be on the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

In support of the independent entertainment community, Winston Baker will be offering webinars for free or at highly discounted rates so that you can continue to acquire strategic knowledge and connect with industry leaders through these challenging times. Space will be limited so we can allow our attendees time for questions after each webinar.