TheWrap’s annual conference, TheGrill, showcasing Hollywood and Silicon Valley’s top thought leaders begins today at the SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills — kicking off a two-day slate of panel discussions and interviews on the convergence of tech and entertainment.
This year’s spotlight conversations include Will Packer, producer of “Girls Trip” and “Night School,” and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner and executive chairman of the Los Angeles Times. Keynote speakers at the event include Josh Sapan, president & CEO of AMC Networks Inc., and David Nevins, president & CEO of Showtime Inc.
Day 1 begins with a discussion on the Future of Media. TheWrap’s Editor in Chief Sharon Waxman will moderate a conversation with Jason Hirschhorn, CEO and Chief Curator of REDEF Group Inc. Waxman and Hirschhorn will then lead a discussion on The Remaking of the Studio System and the trend of mergers across the industry. It will be followed by a panel discussion on how cryptocurrency and blockchain could impact the entertainment industry.
Following the keynote conversation with Nevins and Sapan, Wyck Godfrey, President of Motion Picture Group at Paramount Pictures, JL Pomeroy, Global Chief Marketing Officer at IMAX and Julie Rieger, President Chief Data Strategist & Head of Media at 20th Century Fox will take the stage to chat about innovating in movie marketing.
Then MoviePass’ Ted Farnsworth, the Chairman & CEO of Helios & Matheson, will participate on a panel discussing how online ticketing is disrupting the theatrical model. Finally, on Day 2, on-air host and gaming analyst Malik Forté will lead a conversation on the rise of eSports and how it is carving a niche in the entertainment world.
TheGrill 2018 will close with the unveiling of TheWrap’s annual Innovators List and a cocktail party.
For more information about TheGrill, view the full agenda of events here.
Follow along with all the events and join the conversation via the Twitter hashtag #TheGrill2018.
TheGrill 2017: Exclusive Speaker Portraits From John Singleton to Lena Waithe (Photos)
Director and producer John Singleton
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Emmy-winning writer-actress Lena Waithe ("Master of None")
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Lena Waithe
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Cindy Lin, CEO, Infotainment China
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Stanley Rosen, USC professor of political science
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David Grinberg, partner, Sidley Austin
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Tobias Queisser, co-founder, Cinelytics
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Susan Williams, deputy chair entertainment, Loeb & Loeb
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Jeff Weber
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Vicki Beck, executive in charge, ILMXLab
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Colin Brady, corporate development executive, CAA
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Chris Fenton, president, DMG Entertainment
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Sandra Stern, president, The Lionsgate Television Group
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Catherine Zhang, director of international content cooperation, Youku Tudou Inc
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Jan Pinkava, creative director, Google Spotlight Series
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Robert Goldberg, founder and CEO, Fresno Inc.
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Michael Bloom, president, First Look Media
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Sharon Waxman, CEO and founder of TheWrap
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Grace Helbig, comedian and vlogger
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Sky Moore, partner, Greenberg Glusker
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Kathleen Grace, CEO New Form
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Chris M. Williams, CEO and founder, Pocket.Watch
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Gary Newman and Dana Walden, co-chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group
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Screenwriter and director John Macinnes ("Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare")
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Rich Greenfield, managing director, BTIG
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Ted Schilowitz, futurist, Paramount Pictures
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Alec Shankman, SVP, Abrams Artist Agency
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Thai Randolph, svp, marketing & monetization, Laugh Out Loud, A Lionsgate Company
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Anthony Batt, co-founder, Wevr
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Andy Wood, chairman, Cubic Motion
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Megan Colligan, president, worldwide distribution & marketing, Paramount Pictures
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Emiliano Calemzuk, co-founder, Raze
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Darren Throop, president & CEO, EONE
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Dan Altmann, CEO and founder, WeBuyGold
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Franklin Leonard, founder, The Black List
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Beatriz Acevedo, founding partner and president, mitú
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David Lancaster, film producer
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Adi Sideman, founder and CEO, YouNow
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Chris Silbermann, managing director, ICM Partners
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Nina Jacobson, executive producer, Color Force
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Farhad Massoudi, CEO, Tubi TV
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Noel Maxam, co-founder and CEO, Emagispace
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Karyn Spencer, AT&T Hello Lab
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Billy Parks, AT&T Hello Lab
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TheGrill Speakers and Innovators
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Gary Newman, Dana Walden and Catherine Zhang are among featured speakers at TheWrap’s annual media leadership conference