All students in the program attend South By Southwest Film and Interactive Festival (SXSW) in the first year of the program (March), and Sundance Film Festival in the second year of the program (January). The MEIM curriculum also includes a number of seminars, workshops and special presentations in both Pittsburgh and Los Angeles that feature industry professionals discussing their experiences and the issues currently confronting the entertainment industry. Beyond exposing students to the insights of these professionals, the events also offer additional opportunities for network development. In addition, the MEIM program embraces the networking events made available by Heinz College and has developed opportunities and programs designed exclusively for MEIM students.
Seminar and course guest speakers have included:
David Ackert
Principal: Ackert Consulting
Norman Aladjem
Founder: Innovative Talent/ Agent, Head of International Packaging: Paradigm
William Atherton
Actor, DIE HARD, GHOST BUSTERS, REAL GENIUS
Michael Agustin
Co-Founder of GameSalad
Neil Baer
Producer: LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Eric Baum
Executive Vice-President, Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Legal Affairs
Brandon Beck
Co-founder, Riot Games
Brett Benner
Casting Director, SCRUBS
Richard Berger
Senior Vice President, Sony Digital Pictures Home Entertainment
Bruce Block
Producer, THE HOLIDAY, SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE, WHAT WOMEN WANT
Noel Bright
Producer: Tornante Animation/ Vuguru
Joe Boucher
Executive Producer, KING OF THE HILL
Deana Brown
Yahoo!
Nolan Bushnell
Entrepreneur, Founder of Atari, Founder of Chuck E. Cheeses
Vincent Bruzzese
President, Worldwide Motion Picture Group, IPSOS OTX
Sharon Chazin-Lieblein
VP of Casting, Nickelodeon
Kristin Chenoweth
Actress/ Singer: WICKED, PUSHING DAISIES, GLEE
Caldecot (Cotty) Chubb
Producer: HOFFA, MALL RATS
Gregg Colvin
Senior Vice President, Digital, Universal McCann
Jeanne Cotton
Warner Bros. Current Programming
David Courier
Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Ellen Crawford
Actress, ER, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Gregg Daniels
Writer & Executive Producer, THE OFFICE, KING OF THE HILL
Keith Eich
Director, Digital Distribution Operations at NBC Universal
Benjamin Elias
VP Advanced Services, Fox Networks Group
Dan Etheridge
Producer, VERONICA MARS
T.J. Escott
Former Talent Agent & Chairman of Cunningham, Escott, Dipene Agency
Steve Fisch
Vice-President, Business Affairs, Starz Media
Barbara Fisher
National Geographic Productions
Andy Forsell
Senior Vice President of Content Acquisitions and Distribution, Hulu.com
Kim Fox
President, Internal Sales – Inferno Entertainment
Jeff Franklin
Producer, Franklin/Waterman Entertainment; ex-music industry executive, founded ATI and repped Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Deep Purple, Marvin Gaye and Bob Seger
Joe Franzetta
Tandberg Television
Dan Freedman
SVP of Business and Legal Affairs: Mandate Pictures
Joe Friedman
Assistant Controller, International Creative Management (ICM)
Ron Friedman
Writer of sitcoms, variety shows, books, TV movies, films
Stephen Furst
Actor & Director, ANIMAL HOUSE, ST. ELSEWHERE
David Gale
Executive VP MTVX (Cross Media)
Julie Gelfand
Associate Director for The Oscars, beauty pageants, and other award shows
Margie Gilmore
Yahoo!
Michael Goldberg
Writer, COOL RUNNINGS, SNOW DOGS, LITTLE GIANTS
Charles Haid
Director & Actor, NIP/TUCK, THIRD WATCH, ER, BOSTON LEGAL
Sheila Hanahan Taylor
Producer, AMERICAN PIE, FINAL DESTINATION
Matt Hanover
Yahoo!
Geoff Hemwall
Producer, CSI: NEW YORK
Lee Hollin
CBS Drama Development
Eve Honthaner
Production Manager, TITANIC
Norman Horowitz
Former President/CEO of MGM/UA Telecommunications
Ellen Huang
Executive Director/ Founder, Queer Lounge, Sundance
Kevin Iwashina
Managing Partner, Preferred Content
Susan Kirr
Producer, Unit Production Manager
Franz Kurath
Programming Acquisitions, AT&T
Carl Kurlander
Writer: ST. ELMO’S FIRE/ CEO, Steeltown
Stuart Langley
Executive Counsel: The Walt Disney Company
Ken Larson
President of Kenter Consulting,
Lauren Lloyd
Senior VP of Production - Hollywood Pictures & Tristar Pictures/Columbia/ Founder BigIsGood.tv
Matthew Lesher
Talent Manager, Insight Entertainment
Gregg Maday
Producer/ Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures,
Philippe Maigret
Executive VP Acquisitions, Endemol Group
Carlo Martinelli
Vice-President Development, Bona Fide Productions
Jordan Mechner
Video Game Designer/ Author, PRINCE OF PERSIA franchise
Lee Miller
Producer: JERRY LEWIS/ MDA TELETHON
Stacy Milner
Author: How To Be a Great Intern
Bob Moczydlowsky
Director of Program Management, Topspin Media
Theresa Moore-King
Associate Producer of multiple reality series
Kevin Murphy
Producer & Writer, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Rick Nicita
Chairman and COO: Morgan Creek Pictures
Janet Carol Norton
Talent Agent, International Creative Management (ICM)
Nelle Nugent
Broadway Producer: AMADEAUS, THE ELEPHANT MAN, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, DRACULA
Lisa Osbourn
Founder, Jigsaw Media
Rick Parks
Screenwriter, EVER AFTER, SWEET HOME ALABAMA, HITCH, FOOL’S GOLD
George Perkins
Executive Producer, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Kristie Anne Reed
Executive VP Jerry Bruckheimer Television
Mike Reiss
Writer, THE SIMPSONS
Lou Romano
Senior Vice-President, McCann Erickson
David Sacks
Past Warner Bros. Sr. Vice President of Current Programming
Phil Scanlon
Festival Seminar Producer: Austin, Newport, Method, Sundance
Steve Schifrin
Vice-President, West Coast Facilities, CBS
Laura Schwartz
The White House Director of Events under The Clinton Administration
Steven Selikoff
Talent & Literary Agent, William Morris Agency
John Shaffner
President of the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences/ Prod. Designer, FRIENDS, BIG BANG THEORY
Danny Sherman
Talent Manager at Principal Entertainment
Kristen Simmons
Vice President Worldwide Motion Picture Group at IPSOS OTX
Scott Shooman
EVP of Acquisitions: CBS Films
Jenny Song
Manager of Corporate Development: Sundance Institute
Aaron Sorkin
Writer, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, THE WEST WING, SPORTS NIGHT
Rob Tokar
Former MARVEL COMICS Editor/ Editor-In-Chief of TOKOYOPOP
Nick Turner
SVP of Digital Media: Relativity Media/ Rogue
Thomas Tull
Owner, Legendary Pictures: THE HANGOVER, BATMAN BEGINS, INCEPTION
Chuck Viane
President, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Paula Wagner
CEO: Chestnut Ridge Productions
Jan Ward
Manager of Research, ABC Television
Nicky Weinstock
Vice-President of Comedy Development, Fox Studios
Michael Weiser
President/CEO, Pinnacle Entertainment
John Wells
Producer, Writer, Director: ER, THE WEST WING, THE COMPANY MEN
Ron Wheeler
Senior Vice President, Content Protection, Fox Entertainment Group
Rebecca Wimbrow deSouza
DreamWorks Animation, Recruiter
David Wohl
Head of Development/ Editor-in-chief or RADICAL COMICS
Sam Wolfson
Vice President, Labor Relations at Warner Bros. Television