The Confluence Summit is a conference that sits at the Intersection of Tech & Entertainment fostering conversations between Innovators, Storytellers, Entertainment Executives, Producers, Filmmakers, Strategy Executives, Investors and Advisors for a full day of meaningful conversations with the very Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists who are disrupting and influencing the entertainment industry.

As the forces of technology and entertainment continue to both disrupt and influence one another, thought leaders will explore the latest developments in Multi-Platform Storytelling, Finance and Impact Investing!

SPEAKING FACULTY:

peter shiao
founder and ceo
immortal studios

Peter founded Immortal Studios to advance his lifelong passion for the martial arts fantasy genre, known as Wuxia, to help awaken the latent heroes in everyone through Immortal's interconnected storyverse.

He has been at the forefront of the convergence of content and technology, Hollywood and the East, and empowering underrepresented communities.

He produced the first ever US-China film co-production, launched the first ever Hollywood-Asia content fund, and led the implementation of the California-China strategic initiative with then Governor Jerry Brown.

chris poirier martin
co-founder and president
sator

Chris Poirier Martin, Sator Co-Founder & President, has over 20 years of experience investing in liquid markets and alternative assets. Martin has advised fintech companies, music festivals, hedge funds and entertainment companies. She has served for 3 years as Trustee of the $1 billion Foundation and Endowment of the University of Colorado, her undergrad alma matter. Martin is a published writer and earned her MBA from UCLA Anderson, Series 7 & 63 and VFR private pilot license. 

Martin is currently the Senior Writer and Executive Producer of the “Hold On For Dear Life” series and she has been recognized for her TV writing by Nashville Film Festival.  

Martin served 3 years on the Board of Geena Davis’s Institute on Gender in Media and is currently on the Board of Community Leaders Vital Voices. She established a scholarship fund in the name of her late Grandfather and served for six years as Mentor within the “I Have a Dream Foundation.” Ms. Martin has been an invited guest of Forbes Women of Power dinner and has received official recognition from many government officials for her leadership and philanthropy.  

rob weiss
emmy award nominated
showrunner, producer, director

Rob Weiss is an American television and film director, producer and screenwriter. A native New Yorker Weiss studied film and fashion in New York City at Parsons School of Design – The New School. Weiss wrote and directed the 1993 cult classic Amongst Friends which premiered at The Sundance Film Festival. The independent feature, shot for $900,000 in 24 days, garnered both strong industry buzz and acclaim receiving a nomination for the festivals top Grand Jury Prize. A true visionary in the television landscape Weiss has had the distinct honor of serving as Executive Producer, director, and writer of three critically acclaimed HBO television shows including Entourage (2004-2011), How to Make It in America (2010 – 2011), and Ballers (2015-2019) starring Dwayne Johnson. The massive pop culture success of Entourage earned Weiss six Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Best Comedy Series, and three Writers Guild of America Awards for Best Television Comedy Series. Weiss executive produced and originated the story for the film adaptation of Entourage (2015). In his spare time, Weiss can be found pursuing his passion for martial arts and his love of writing.

jason chen
EVP of Digital
bron studios

Over the past year, Jason has served as Producer on BRON Digital’s upcoming Fables and Heiress. He previously worked across a variety of titles including Star Trek: Into Darkness, Ant-Man, Thor Ragnarok, and Jojo Rabbit. Chen's next objective is to make visual effects a more approachable medium by supervising a new generation of creatives in "Invisible FX" by seamlessly integrating Computer Generated materials into real locations around the world.
BRON Digital is a state-of-the-art virtual production and service company that utilizes Epic Games' Unreal Engine to develop and produce premium animation, original content, interactive games, motion pictures and other forms of innovative programing.

Chen's experience began working under Academy Award-winning director James Cameron on one of the biggest films in history, Avatar. Having honed his craft at Peter Jackson's premier visual effects company, Weta Digital, and George Lucas' Industrial, Light, and Magic, Jason has been instrumental in pioneering BRON’s international remote virtual production workflow with teams across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. Ever the innovator, he oversaw the studio’s partnership with EPIC Games, creating brand new virtual production and animation workflows using inspiration from live action filmmaking techniques. Currently, Jason is working to reshape the digital landscape, taking a non-linear approach to producing linear content for the future. He oversees properties as part of interactive environments, giving audiences the opportunity to engage in in-depth worldbuilding and delve into the stories they fall in love with on screen.

Jason’s responsibilities at BRON are a perfect amalgam of his enthusiasm for virtual production, technology, and film. Working with teammates from all corners of the world, he continues to inspire those around him to constantly go beyond the limits of what’s possible. He exemplified this over the past year by spearheading remote solutions to keep BRON Digital’s projects moving forward throughout the pandemic. During this time, he led his team in safely producing and remotely shooting not one, but two virtual production-based shows, with another in the pipeline for later this year.

caroline von kuhn
director of industry and catalyst
the independent film financing program - sundance institue

Caroline von Kuhn is the Director of Industry and Catalyst, the independent film financing program at Sundance Institute. Prior to this, Caroline was Director of Artist Development at the SFFILM (San Francisco Film Society) where she launched SFFILM Invest. She was a Co-Founder of the Points North Institute with Ben Fowlie and Sean Flynn—which produces the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF)—after coming from the Tribeca Film Festival, running the industry department after four years in publicity. She has worked extensively in film publicity in New York at Tribeca, Apparition (Bob Berney's distribution company), and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Caroline produced industry panels for Doha Tribeca Film Festival (Qatar) and programmed the launch of the crowd-sourced funding and distribution platform Seed&Spark with the team behind her first feature film, Like the Water. Caroline's producing work includes Paul Felten and Joe DeNardo's Slow Machine (2020 Rotterdam, New York Film Festival); Ian Olds' Burn Country (formerly titled The Fixer, 2016 Tribeca Film Festival winner); and her directorial debut Like the Water, for which she also served as executive producer and writer. In theatre, she most recently produced and co-directed a US/UK/Norwegian production of I ,Peer, a modern take on Ibsen's Peer Gynt and disability in the arts (Oslo Norway's National Theatre, London's Old Vic / New Voices, and New York's Private Theatre). Caroline was a 2016 IFP Cannes Producers Network Fellow and sits on the Board of Directors at Points North Institute and Catapult Film Fund. She received her BA in Financial Economics from University of Virginia and an MFA from University of Manchester (UK).

sophia yen
partner
manatt, phelps & phillips

Recently named to Variety’s 2021 “Legal Impact Report” and 2020 “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, which includes several documentaries and independent films which have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Telluride, and Tribeca in recent years. In addition to financing, Sophia provides counsel to her clients throughout the lifecycle of a film, television or digital project, including during development, production, distribution and licensing deals. She also has experience in company formation, film foreclosures, dispute settlements, purchasing distressed entertainment assets, podcasts, 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 various trends in media innovation. Sophia graduated with a BSBA from 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.

carlos cruz
executive director
fifth third bank

Carlos Cruz is an Executive Director at Fifth Third Bank and has been financing middle market companies across a variety of sectors including: Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT), Restaurant & Retail, Energy, and Commercial & Industrial. For the last 9 years, Carlos has focused solely on the TMT sectors, including: film and television production and distribution, broadcast and cable television, music and new media (Ad-tech, Martech, and Ed-tech). Carlos began his career in the Investment Banking Group at Merrill Lynch before moving to Jefferies’ Leveraged Finance Group. Prior to Fifth Third Bank, Carlos spent 6 years at the CIT Group where he focused on media, entertainment and gaming transactions. Carlos holds a BA from Rutgers University and a MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

kathryn schotthoefer
founder & ceo
original media ventures

Kathryn Schotthoefer is Founder & CEO of Original Media Ventures, which invests in expanding opportunities for new storytellers. OMV also partners with brands like Nike, National Geographic, Uber, and Chime to produce content and marketing programs. In addition, Kathryn advises leading corporations, philanthropic organizations, and nonprofits on strategic storytelling for social impact.

Kathryn was previously president of award-winning agency Heavenspot (M&C Saatchi) where she led strategy and creative work for Netflix, Disney, Amazon, FX, Mattel, Hulu, Coachella, NBC Universal, and Warner Bros. Prior, she held in-house marketing roles with Warner Bros, New Line Cinema and Twentieth Century Fox.

joe plummer
president, executive producer
Wavelength productions

Joe Plummer is an Emmy-Winning Producer who oversees all in-house production and investment as President and Executive Producer at Wavelength

Joe produced the 2019 Sundance darling and Independent Spirit Award-winning Farewell Amor and executive produced the Emmy-winning documentaries Feels Good Man and Athlete A. Independent Spirit Award nominee Colewell, 2020 Tribeca “Best Documentary Feature” Socks on Fire. Sundance Special Jury Award winner Cusp and multiple award-nominated Where’s My Roy Cohn?.

Prior to joining Wavelength, Joe founded the digital ad agency and full-service production company, Gotta Kid To Feed Productions, where he made a splash with his Webby-nominated viral series Real Actors Read Yelp. He created, produced, and directed original content for ESPN, Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, HGTV, TRUTV, Court TV, The Food Network and more.

ned sherman
partner, leader digital & technology transactions
manatt

Ned Sherman is a partner at Manatt and leader of the firm’s digital and technology transactions practice. Ned’s practice focuses on the representation of individuals, corporations, venture capital and investment firms, and games, esports, entertainment, media and technology enterprises on matters such as investments, corporate and finance dealings, and licensing transactions (including technology licensing, TV and video output deals, and games development deals). He also has a vibrant talent practice in which he represents talent-centric enterprises as well as creators and influencers in brand and endorsement deals, podcasting and streaming deals, talent agreements with agencies and managers, and agreements for international touring and motion pictures. A hybrid attorney-consultant, Ned assists startups and emerging companies with their digital and growth strategies, advising on business plans, identifying strategic partnerships and funding sources, and often serving as outside general counsel. When working with more established companies, organizations and boards, he brings a fresh perspective and proven discipline that assists these clients in taking advantage of new opportunities and markets. Always at the forefront of market disruption, Ned was profiled by Variety as having “cemented himself as the top adviser operating in the flourishing esports industry.”

PROGRAM:

10:00am-10:05am

Welcoming Address

Amy Baker, Co-Founder and CEO, Winston Baker

10:05am-10:45am

The Making of Crypto Based Show, Hold On For Dear Life H.O.D.L

Conversation Between:

Chris Poirier Martin, Co-Founder & President, SATOR

Rob Weiss – Emmy Award Nominated Showrunner, Producer, Director (Entourage, How to Make in in America, Ballers)

10:45am-11:30am 

A Fireside Chat with Jason Chen, Executive Vice President of Digital, BRON Studios

Exploring the Current Landscape of Animation and Gaming

Moderating:

Carlos Cruz, Executive Director, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Corporate & Investment Banking, Fifth Third Bank

11:30am-12:15pm

Minding the Double Bottom Line

Making Your Dollars Count More When Investing in Film, TV, and other Content

Sometimes writing a check isn’t as straightforward as you would think.  Many investors these days are not just concerned about the fiscal performance of a project, but also care about the positive social impact of a project. This panel discussion will walk through the ins and outs of investing in new voices and independent content. We’ll discuss the different approaches and philosophies, ways to evaluate unproven talent, the right team you need to succeed, and lessons learned by the panelists.  This panel is great for both those who have the resources to help others tell their stories authentically, as well as those seeking to fundraise from such individuals.

Moderated By:

Sophia Yen, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Panelists: 

Caroline von Kuhn, Director of Industry and Catalyst, The Independent Film Financing Program, Sundance Institute

Joe Plummer, President and Executive Producer, Wavelength Productions

Kathryn Schotthoefer, CEO & Founder, Original Media Ventures 

12:15pm - 1:00pm

Bridging the Silicon Valley & Hollywood Divide:

A conversation with a startup founder looking to do just that...

• Major differences between the approaches and what’s changing

• What is taking a "product" approach to content

• Where do MVP's come in?

• Talk about your experimentation in direct to consumer and crowd engagement from Kickstarters to WeFunder

• Brand, genres and psychographics?

Speaker:

Peter Shiao, Founder & CEO, Immortal Studios

Moderator:

Ned Sherman, Partner and Leader Digital & Technology Transactions Unit, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

HOSTED BY:

Amy Baker
Co-Founder and CEo
WINSTON | BAKER

As Co-Founder and CEO of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, editorial programming, event production, business development and vendor relationships. Amy co-founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® SERIES, a series of conferences across the globe dedicated to bringing film and finance executives together.

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, healthcare 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 and is proud to be a member of the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
Amy is also a Certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer.

For more information please email:

Special Thanks to Our Partners