CHERYL BROOKS
Cheryl Brooks has been working in entertainment marketing for the last 15 years. She has been an active part of innovative and creative campaigns for television, home entertainment, music and film on and offline. During her career she has handled publicity and press junkets, executed promotions on a local, regional and national basis, produced special events, created micro sites, developed strategic social media campaigns and negotiated highly successful partnerships.
Cheryl believes that crafting a fun, exciting, engaging, organic marketing campaign is the key to getting the public involved with a brand. She has held various marketing and publicity jobs at various entertainment companies including Saban Entertainment, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Imageworks Interactive.
Facebook: facebook.com/cheryl.brooks2
Twitter: cbabes21 
DAVID COUPER
David Couper is a career coach with twenty years of experience. He works with professionals in the entertainment industry from senior executives to producers, directors, and successful below the line talent who want to either move to the next level in their career, switch tracks, or are ready to transition out of the business.
David has also developed many hours of interactive media, worked for BBC by Radio and Television and Fuji TV in Tokyo, written a 
number of screenplays, had two plays produced and is an award-winning trainer in Los Angeles and his native London. He is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA-LA).
He has just published his eighth book: Outsiders on the Inside: Creating a Winning Career…Even When You Don’t Fit In! which gives tips and advice for anyone who feels like a square peg in a round hole at work.
CHERIE CRANE
Cherie Crane serves as Senior Vice President of Media and Research of Worldwide Marketing at CBS Films. Cherie joined CBS Films with over 20 years of media marketing experience, including 10 years in the entertainment field and work on over 200 theatrical releases. Most recently, she held the position of President of Perspective Consulting where she helped develop media campaigns for several studios including Vantage, Focus, Magnolia, First Look and Warner Independent Pictures.
As Senior Vice President at Sony Pictures Entertainment for five years, Cherie’s negotiating and planning skills helped the company save millions of dollars in network costs. She led Sony Picture’s expansion beyond traditional media to integrated cross-platform campaigns, using interactive, ethnic, walls, mobile and cellular media. In addition, she conceived integrated promotions, such as Superbowl Sunday’s Sony/FOX TV alliance, securing $7 million in free exposure during a single day.
Her role in guiding Sony’s media efforts and the break-through outdoor campaign for Godzilla won her Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year. The industry also recognized her as 2003’s Ad Age All Star for innovative media strategies and crediting Cherie with the successful media campaigns behind Spider-man, Men in Black 2, Stuart Little, XXX, Charlie’s Angels and contributing to Sony’s record-breaking year in box office revenue.
Cherie’s entertainment experience is coupled with over ten years of media planning for the automotive and packaged goods industry. She has also served as an adjunct professor of Entertainment Marketing at Boston University as well as a guest lecturer of entertainment media at the University of Southern California.
JANE FLEMING
Jane is a partner at Amber Entertainment which she founded in 2009 with fellow New Line Cinema veterans Ileen Maisel and Mark Ordesky,alongside renowned documentary and television producer Lawrence Elman. The company combines the acquisition of diverse intellectual property rights and their conversion into feature films, television, documentaries, interactive entertainment, publishing, direct-to-consumer platforms, and consumer products.
Prior to founding Amber, Jane was a producer at Shot in the Dark Entertainment, an independently financed development/production company.
Jane began her career in entertainment at New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features where she ultimately served as Senior Vice President, Business Development. There she was responsible for developing new business opportunities as well as providing strategic business analysis for New Line's core business of film production, acquisition, and distribution. In addition, she was responsible for evaluating new film and television projects as well as finding co-financing partners for new projects and was key in developing and executing the Company's Internet strategy.
Prior to joining New Line in 1993, Jane was a business consultant at Claypoint Productions, a producer of TV documentaries. Prior to that, she was the Consultant to the Chairman of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She started her career as a financial analyst in Mergers and Acquisitions at the investment banks, James D. Wolfensohn Incorporated and Drexel Burnham Lambert.
RISA BRAMON GARCIA
Risa has directed numerous feature films, television shows and theatrical productions during her career.
Most recently she completed directing a feature film in Canada, The Con Artist (aka The Love Child), starring Donald Sutherland, Rebecca Romijn, Russell Peters and a host of great Canadian actors.
Risa also directed the film, 200 Cigarettes which starred Ben Affleck, Kate Hudson, Paul Rudd, Dave Chappelle, Casey Affleck, Courtney Love and Christina Ricci.
On the television side, Risa has directed numerous projects including multiple episodes of "The Twilight Zone" for New Line Television and UPN, "Life Stories: A Deadly Secret" for HBO which was nominated for an ACE Award, "The Hidden Room: The Rogue in The Bathroom" for Lifetime, "Between Cars" for Comedy Central and the NBC television show, "Grand", for the Carsey Werner Company.
And on the live theatre front, she founded and produced two seasons of ACT ONE in association with Showtime Networks, a festival of one-act plays, which was a huge success in Los Angeles. She directed Affections of an Alleycat and Call It Clover by Wil Calhoun, Edward Allan Baker’s A Dead Man’s Apartment and Dice and Cards by Sam Henry Cass. She directed a new Jon Robin Baitz play as part of Naked Angels’ inaugural Naked at The Coast in L.A.
Last but not least, Risa has cast over 65 movies including Desperately Seeking Susan, Wall Street, Attraction, Born on the Fourth of July, Talk Radio, JFK, The Joy Luck Club, , Speed, Twister and numerous television shows, including "Roseanne", "CSI:NY", and the recent series, "The Cape", which is currently in its first season.
She also cast Oliver Stone’s films Heaven and Earth and Natural Born Killers and served as producer as well.
Risa Bramon Garcia Master Class and Coaching on Facebook
JAMIE GELLER
Jamie Geller began her career working in corporate publicity, and then branched out to television and film.
Jamie has had senior publicity jobs at a number of studios including a two time stint at MGM/United Artists handling campaigns for films including James Bonds’ The Living Daylights to Academy Award winning Rainman. While at Columbia/Tri Star Pictures, Jamie worked on Jerry Maguire, Air Force One, My Best Friends Wedding, As Good As It Gets and Stuart Little. At 20th Century Fox as Senior Vice President of Publicity, she worked on four of the six films that made Fox have the most successful summer in its history including: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Garfield: The Movie, Fantastic Four and Fat Albert. And most recently, Jamie handled publicity for The Walt Disney Studios release, A Christmas Carol.
Currently, Jamie works on all Kenn Viselman Presents… entertainment properties including film, television, publishing as well as all corporate publicity.
ELLEN GOLDSMITH
Ellen Goldsmith currently holds the title of Senior Vice President, Human Resources for FremantleMedia North America, the US division of FremantleMedia, one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of outstanding entertainment brands.
In her role, she leads the alignment of business objectives with employees and management on human resource-related issues, including, organization development and training, compensation and benefits strategy and administration, performance management, employee relations, and talent acquisition.
Prior to joining FremantleMedia, Ellen worked in Human Resources for leading companies within the Entertainment, Hospitality, and Retail businesses; including Fox Filmed Entertainment, Warner Bros., Spelling Entertainment Group, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, and The Limited Inc.
IRIS GROSSMAN
Beginning her career as an assistant at International Creative Management (ICM), Iris quickly climbed the ranks and was upped to talent agent. After several years with the agency, Iris was given the opportunity to become the Senior Vice President of Talent and Casting for Turner Network Television (TNT). In that capacity, Iris oversaw all talent and casting issues related to TNT Original films and series. She spent nine years at TNT, and in October 2001, Iris returned to ICM as a talent agent.
Iris was instrumental in bringing TNT such top-name stars such as Diane Keaton ("Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight"); Robert Duvall ("The Man Who Captured Eichmann"); Gary Sinise and Angelina Jolie ("George Wallace") Tommy Lee Jones ("The Good Old Boys"). She also cast Alec Baldwin ("Nuremberg"); Julianna Margulies, Angelica Huston and Joan Allen ("The Mists of Avalon"); and Chazz Palminteri ("Boss of Bosses"); William H. Macy ("Door to Door"); and John Turturro ("Monday Night Mayhem").
For "George Wallace", Iris won a Casting Society of America award and was nominated for an Emmy. She was also nominated for a Casting Society of America award for "The Man Who Captured Eichmann" and "Nuremberg".
MADELYN HAMMOND
Madelyn is owner and president of Madelyn Hammond and Associates, an entertainment marketing agency specializing in branding and promotions.
Madelyn, most recently, was the Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for developing the global brand and marketing strategy for Daily Variety, Variety and Variety.com. Madelyn expanded the group’s worldwide partnerships with advertisers and brand marketers, as well as oversaw Variety’s corporate communications, publicity and promotion, research and event marketing.
Madelyn was the first person in the paper’s 100+-year history to hold the title of Chief Marketing Officer.
During Madelyn’s tenure at Variety, she held numerous positions, including associate publisher of Variety and publisher of the lifestyle publication VLife. Madelyn also inaugurated the Variety Screening Series and was a key player in the “Night Before” event, a pre-Oscar fund-raiser that has raised more than $35 million for the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
Madelyn served as consulting producer of AMC’s Shootout, a weekly show about current issues and people in the entertainment industry. The show, hosted by Peter Bart and Peter Guber was on air for six seasons.
Madelyn was instrumental in the launch of Landmark Theatres’ flagship location, the Landmark, in West L.A. She also oversaw sponsorship sales and developed strategic partnerships with Samsung, TCM, HBO, AT&T and other top advertisers.
Before joining Variety, she worked in various positions for Sony, AMC Theatres, Turner Pictures and MGM/UA. Hammond’s first job was with The Coca-Cola Company.
JUDITH PARKER HARRIS
Judith Parker Harris is a movie and commercial producer, an advertising/marketing entrepreneur, community leader, author, speaker, coach and consultant who focuses all of those skills and talents on helping businesses and individuals move from BLOCKED to BLOCKBUSTER.
As Founder and President of Health-Esteem Intl. Judith inspires others to find what’s blocking them in order to make positive life changes just as she was able to do to beat the partial paralysis and sight loss of multiple sclerosis that almost stopped life as she knew it in 1985.
Prior to her diagnosis, Judith had established a multi-million dollar advertising agency that specialized in marketing national healthcare chains. Judith pioneered brand advertising for healthcare products with campaigns for plastic surgery, podiatry, senior health, Women's Centers, and treatment programs for eating disorders, chemical dependency and mental health. Other client categories included movie promotion, beauty, travel and computer systems.
Also Vice President of Worldwide Entertainment, Judith is currently developing several feature film projects and a stage musical with husband, Jack H. Harris.
Books by Judith Parker Harris include: Conquer Crisis With Health Esteem, Move From Blocked to Blockbuster, and Master Challenges In Your Life.
CHERYL BOONE ISAACS
Cheryl Boone Isaacs was a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for eighteen years, having been elected for six three-year terms. During her tenure, she served as Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer as well as President of the Academy Foundation, the educational and cultural arm of the Academy. Also, Isaacs was Chair of the Audit Committee, Chair of the Governor’s Ball and Chair of the Public Relations Coordinating Committee, which oversees the marketing efforts for the Academy Award telecast.
Cheryl has been a respected motion picture marketing executive for 30 years. For the last nine years, CBI Enterprises, Inc. has consulted for companies such as MTV Films, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate and Sony Entertainment. Her clients have included Andrew Lauren Productions, Linden Productions, Laika Entertainment, Film Bankers International, KTLA, Success Films, Robson Entertainment, Rangeland Productions, Cube Vision and The Weinstein Company.
During her tenure as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema, from 1997 to 1999, she developed and executed the campaigns for films including Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Wedding Singer, Wag the Dog, Boogie Nights and American History X.
Prior to joining New Line, Cheryl served as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Publicity, for the Motion Picture Group of Paramount Pictures. She was responsible for publicity campaigns Forrest Gump and Braveheart, each of which won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture. During her tenure at Paramount she publicized the launch of such blockbusters as First Wives Club, Mission: Impossible, The Firm, Ghost, The Addams Family, Coming to America, Fatal Attraction, and the Beverly Hills Cop trilogy.
She began her career in 1977 as a publicist at Columbia Pictures.
CBI Enterprises, Inc.
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IVY KAGAN BIERMAN
Ivy Kagan Bierman's practice includes the representation of entertainment and related companies in labor, production, distribution, technology and other business matters. She handles both transactional and litigation matters for clients.
Ivy currently advises clients with respect to the guilds' and unions' evolving positions regarding reality television, brand integration and the development and exhibition of content over the Internet and mobile devices. She currently represents several entertainment companies in connection with a series of entertainment industry-wide class action lawsuits. Ivy also regularly provides sexual harassment, discrimination and non-fraternization training tailored to entertainment industry companies with "edgy" programming content.
Ivy represents the largest independent television production company in the world, one of the largest payroll service companies in the entertainment industry, production companies, distribution companies, Internet and New Media companies, post-production companies, national advertisers and advertising agencies.
JULIE LAMB
Julie Lamb is Vice President of Human Resources for the Wagner Cuban Group of Entertainment Companies including Landmark Theatres, 2929 Entertainment, Magnolia Home Entertainment, Magnolia Pictures and the Spotlight Cinema Network. She is responsible for the strategic leadership of the Human Resource function for over 1400 employees nationally.
Bringing over 15 years of international HR experience and executive coaching to the Wagner Cuban Group, Julie has been instrumental in developing talent acquisition and retention models, performance management techniques and is an expert in aligning human resource strategies with business objectives.
During her years with Manpower, Inc. a global human resource organization, she developed strategic company visions and worked with field based teams to roll out initiatives that tied directly to the corporate attributes across 4200 locations in 72 countries. At Manpower, she also held the position of corporate trainer where she was responsible for the development of corporate recruiters responsible for filling internal positions across North America.
Julie’s ability and skill with assessing talent and her expertise in interview techniques has seen her playing key roles in the search and selection for corporate leadership players. Her brand awareness and knowledge of the importance in fully understanding organizational culture has enabled her to attract, interview, hire and retain top talent.
CARLA MATHIS
Carla Mathis founded a consultancy and training institute in 1981, after being mentored for many years by the founder of the Personal Color movement, Suzanne Caygill. Carla went on to co-write and publish The Triumph of Individual Style, and became an internationally renown authority on color, image and the psychology of style. Used in design school in the US and abroad, Triumph is considered the ‘bible’ of the fashion and image industries. Carla is one of 9 Certified Image Masters (CIM) worldwide, accredited by the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI).
By pioneering and teaching the use of design as a powerful therapeutic tool, Carla has helped thousands of women and men worldwide learn to appreciate their bodies and achieve new levels of self-acceptance. In addition to her ongoing speaking and teaching engagements around the world, Carla has pioneered the use of her innovative Body Signature analysis in environmental and interior design, creating personal spaces and interiors that reflect their owners identity, while supporting an increased sense of well-being.
Carla is based in Los Angeles, California. She teaches Body Beautiful Institute courses (www.BodyBeautiful.net) and consults clients as a Personal Stylist in Los Angeles and around the world. Body Beautiful has a network of 200+ Stylists/Image Consultants world-wide all trained by Carla using the Body Signature System of Master Color Sets and Consultation Guides.
MONA METWALLI
Mona Metwalli is an accomplished entertainment transactional attorney with a strong background in licensing and many years of experience as a legal and business affairs executive for some of the most reputable companies in the entertainment industry.
As president of MetaMedia Business Affairs, Inc., she currently advises clients working in film, television, digital media, and other types of entertainment on legal matters as well as business strategy and development opportunities. Most recently, she worked on Simon Fuller’s latest venture, the digital web series, “If I Can Dream,” and handled product integration agreements for “Project Runway” on behalf of The Weinstein Company. She currently consults for Summit Entertainment regarding their merchandising and licensing program for the Twilight Saga series of movies and for Platinum Studios regarding “Cowboys and Alien” comic book merchandising.
Prior to establishing MetaMedia Business Affairs, Inc., Mona served as Vice President, Business Affairs at dick clark productions, where she was responsible for all business affairs and legal matters relating to the hit television series, “So You Think You Can Dance”, as well as development deals, distribution agreements, and licenses for restaurants, live stage productions, merchandise, and online, interactive, and wireless exploitation of dcp library properties.
Before joining dcp, Mona spent six years at Viacom Consumer Products, the licensing division for Paramount Pictures, Spelling Television, and other companies, where she negotiated and drafted licenses of every kind from consumer products and publishing to restaurants and theme parks. While at VCP, she not only handled cutting-edge interactive, online, and wireless transactions but also had primary responsibility for Paramount’s stage play licensing business.
After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Mona began her career at a boutique entertainment law firm before going in-house as Vice President, Business Affairs at a Bonneville Worldwide Entertainment, a client of the firm, where she was responsible for their film, television, and music divisions.
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COREY NATHAN
Corey Nathan has served as Principal of Nathan, McDowell & Rose since February of 1999. Since founding this executive search firm, he has placed senior-level executives, creatives and producers at studios, networks and game publishers as well as the agencies that service them.
Corey’s firm has become best known for their work in the creative advertising arena within the entertainment industry.
Prior to founding NM&R, Corey came from New York where he was a stockbroker during the day and produced theatre at night. To this day, he stays involved in theatre and film endeavors as the artistic director of Fathom, a faith-based production company committed to engaging today’s culture in meaningful conversations.
GAYLE NACHLIS
Gayle Nachlis joined Women In Film as Executive Director in 2006 following a 29-year career as a Talent Agent and Vice President at the William Morris Agency. Gayle is thrilled to be a part of Women In Film’s efforts to provide women with the resources they need to survive and thrive in the industry. Her focus is to build a dynamic community of passionate media makers from in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
A graduate of the UCLA Theatre Department, Gayle’s knowledge of dramatic literature and Actors’ Equity Business Affairs led her to run the agency’s west coast legitimate theatre operations. She continued to expand her executive range in other areas of the industry, including negotiating major deals within WMA’s television department.
During her years with WMA, Gayle represented many award-winning actors for stage, television and motion pictures including Jean Smart, Julie Harris, George C. Scott, Hector Elizondo and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
CHRIS OLIVER
Food Stylist, Chris Oliver is one of the most respected food stylists in the industry. She prepares and arranges food to be professionally photographed, as for a magazine, film production or television show. Chris has handled the food side details for numerous film and television productions for major movie studios and commercial houses for over 18 years.
Her responsibilities include still shoots, script break down, actor instruction, budget planning and working with set designers. Her recent television work includes "Parenthood", "True Blood", "CSI New York", "Hung" and "Monk". On the film side, Chris has worked on numerous films including How Do You Know, Dinner for Schmucks, Fame, Little Fockers and Prom Night.
Chris got her start in cooking at 19 when her dad got her a job on a catering truck called “Casserole Catering”. After that she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked for a short time at a small restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard. She also worked as a restaurant critic and had her own catering company.
ELAINE PERLISS, C.HT.
Elaine Per
liss is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, State Board Certified Instructor and Motivational Speaker who assists her clients in achieving success. “My passion is helping people create positive changes in their lives. I help my clients reach their goals, overcome roadblocks and develop life-long strategies for personal and professional success and wellbeing.
Among her areas of expertise, Elaine is particularly passionate about creating personal growth through Mindful Awareness practices. Other specialty areas of focus include navigating career challenges and transformations, overcoming negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and anger, dealing with profound loss, creating success in the release of negative habits such as smoking, procrastination, overeating and much more.
Prior to her current career path Elaine spent over 25 years in the Entertainment Industry where, as a marketing executive, she was responsible for the video release of over 1000 major motion pictures including the second best selling movie of all time. Today Elaine combines her extensive experience to create effective, unique and mindfully balanced solutions for personal and career growth.
Create the Positive Change You Desire
818-516-3552
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DR. MIRIAM REISS
Wisdom Coaching is an executive and career coaching firm specializing in professional coaching for the entertainment and technology industries. In her work, Dr. Miriam Reiss helps smart, ambitious, talented women create and maintain big, bold, passion-driven careers.
Prior to coaching, Reiss served as a marketing consultant and advertising agency copy chief, holding Director of Marketing positions in the mortgage banking, health care and non-profit arenas. She was also a former Director of Admissions for two top-ranked graduate management schools.
Reiss is co-author of the book, Branding and Marketing Mastery.
Dr. Miriam Reiss is a Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF), a senior ranking held by fewer than 2% of coaches worldwide. Reiss holds a doctorate from a school of theology, and masters and bachelor’s degrees from Columbia and Cornell Universities.
PAMELA RODI
Pamela Rodi has been a leader in entertainment marketing for over 20 years, and has the unique distinction of experience in all the major entertainment industries - music, home entertainment, motion pictures and television. Starting her career as a Creative Services staff member at Polygram Records in New York, working on album jacket designs and liner notes, Rodi then joined the fledgling home-entertainment start-up Vestron Video in international marketing.
The company went on to become one of the biggest independent home entertainment companies in the world. When the company launched its theatrical distribution arm, Rodi was promoted to Creative Director, and spearheaded the campaign for indy phenomenon Dirty Dancing. In 1990 Rodi relocated to Los Angeles and joined Columbia Pictures - soon to become Sony Pictures Entertainment - and spent 10 years as Senior Creative Director for Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, Vice-President of Marketing for Sony's Triumph Films, and Vice President Worldwide Creative Advertising for Columbia Pictures. During her years at Sony, Rodi worked on such blockbuster hits as A Few Good Men, In The Line Of Fire, Men In Black, Starship Troopers and Stuart Little, as well as many genre and art house successes.
In 2000 Rodi started her own marketing firm, Rodi Marketing, providing marketing services to a variety of clients including Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Revolution Studios, News Corp, as well as non-entertainment corporate accounts and the top entertainment advertising agencies in Los Angeles. She continues to be very involved in creating marketing campaigns for the international release of studio films as well as local language productions.
Rodi has been a member of the Advisory Board for the Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards for over 7 years and last year was named to the Board of Directors for Women In Film. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire in Communications, she teaches graphic design and is a career advisor at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Rodi has received numerous awards and accolades for her work over the years, and is a published freelance writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
MARION ROSENBERG, O.B.E.
Marion Rosenberg graduated from the Universities of Manchester, England and Grenoble, France. She started her show business career in the Bands and Acts Department of MCA. From 1960 to 1976 she worked in production on both sides of the Atlantic, on such films as I Could Go On Singing (Judy Garland), The Best Man (Henry Fonda), Where Eagles Dare (Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood) and The Missouri Breaks (Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson). In l976 she became head of EMI Films in Los Angeles, and set up such productions as The Driver, Convoy and The Deerhunter, on which she served as Associate Producer.
In l979 she became Vice President of The Lantz Office, a talent and literary agency, whose clients included Bette Davis, Milos Forman, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Shaffer, Daryl Hannah, Theresa Russell, Liv Ullmann and Nastassja Kinski. In l989 she formed The Marion Rosenberg Office, representing such clients as Paul Verhoeven, Jeroen Krabbe, Claire Bloom, LeVar Burton, Jane-Howard Hammerstein, Norman Lloyd, Christian McKay and Martin Bell. In 1999, she transferred her company from agency to personal management and production. Clients include, in addition to the above, novelist Allan Folsom, writers Susan Wyler and Laird Koenig, and director Waris Hussein, She served as Executive Producer on Columbia’s Hollow Man and in 2001 produced an updated version of Agatha Christie’s "Murder on the Orient Express" for CBS television.
She was the Executive Producer of Revolutionary Road, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, directed by Sam Mendes for Dreamworks.
In 2001, Queen Elizabeth II made her an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) for services to the British Film Industry.
HEATHER SCHMIDT
Heather Schmidt comes from a classical music background, where she has an international career as a composer and concert pianist. She began piano at age four, was composing by age five, and attended top music schools including the famous Juilliard in New York City. At the age of 21, she became the youngest student to ever receive a doctorate in music from Indiana University. Her numerous composing awards include three consecutive BMI Awards, two SOCAN awards, and a Juno nomination. As a pianist, she recently released a new CD on the NAXOS label of solo piano music by Fanny Mendelssohn. One of Canada’s most celebrated composer/pianists, her music has been performed worldwide including in Canada, the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, England, Cyprus, Mexico, Brazil, and the British West Indies.
Heather now lives in Los Angeles as a dual citizen of both Canada and the USA. Increasingly active as a composer for film, television, trailers and documentaries, Heather became interested in the entire filmmaking process. In addition to music scoring for other directors’ films, she recently directed, wrote and composed music for two short films of her own, The Uninvited Ghost which was a Gold-Level Winner in the California Film Awards, and Midnight Violin created for BRAVO television in Canada.
www.heatherschmidt.com
www.EchoNorthProductions.com
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GARY SHAPIRO
Gary’s first job in the entertainment industry was in New York in the publicity department at Columbia Pictures immediately upon graduation from college. Gary developed his long career in film marketing and distribution working for MGM/UA and Hemdale before becoming EVP of Production and Marketing for Longstocking Productions in the 1980s, where he handled the family film, Pippi Longstocking, for Columbia.
In the 1990s, Gary was Senior Vice President for Sony’s Triumph Films label, which developed, produced and marketed the studio’s specialized film product. Gary then joined Beacon Pictures as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, where he oversaw the successful campaigns for numerous films including Spy Game, Thirteen Days, The Family Man, Bring It On, The Emperor’s Club and Tuck Everlasting.
Six years ago, Gary launched his own independent consulting company, and among many other projects he developed the initial worldwide marketing strategy for Paramount Pictures’ and Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, He also managed the strategy and execution of the highly successful and controversial independent film, A Day Without a Mexican.
Gary is currently a U.S. special consultant to Axel Springer AG of Germany and works on the The Golden Camera Awards each year. He is also a consultant for the Telluride Film Festival, The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and The MontBlanc Company in Germany.
TRACY STRANN
A 30-year music industry veteran, Tracy Strann has worked in almost every aspect of the music business. From her years as a solo performer to concert production/promotion at McCabe’s Concerts and The Beverly Theatre (Los Angeles), Circle Star Theater (San Francisco), Metropolitan Entertainment (New Jersey / New York) to artist management, road management and tour publicity, Tracy has never lost her love of the creative process.
After additional years in advertising at Carat and Deutsch Inc. (New York) and Ignited Minds (Los Angeles), she is currently Director of External Affairs at The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE, Tracy oversees all marketing, promotion, advertising, development, sponsorship and contributes to curatorial efforts at the museum.
