This week's podcast features a panel on the Screenwriter/Agent relationship with screenwriters Davia Carter and Cindy McCreery and literary agent Jim Ehrich, who visited UT on September 11, 2023. Davia Carter is an alumna of UT Austin's MFA Screenwriting program, and now works as a writer/producer for the Sylvester Stallone-led series, Tulsa King. Davia's other credits include Snowfall, Queen of the South, and Katy Keene. Cindy McCreery is Chair of the department of Radio-Television-Film at UT Austin, where she teaches screenwriting. Cindy recently premiered her independently produced film I'll Be There at 2023's Austin Film Festival and also just finished writing a film called Honey Girls for Sony Pictures. Finally, Jim Ehrich is a literary agent at Rothman Brecher Ehrich Livingston and represents both writers and directors in film, television, and IP, including Cindy and Davia. This panel focuses on the relationship between a writer and their representation, and on how to navigate the world of professional screenwriting. 

At the time of recording, the unions for both actors and writers working in the Hollywood system were on strike. Davia, Jim, and Cindy spoke with Dr. Alisa Perren about their experiences breaking into the industry, the structure and day to day operations of a writers' room, and their thoughts on where the industry was heading.

MIC: The Screenwriter/Agent Relationship

This week's guest is Elaine Frontain Bryant who is Executive Vice President and Head of Programming at A&E, Lifetime, and LMN. She manages the programming teams for all three networks and is responsible for overseeing the development, creation and execution of all programming.  Elaine has developed lots of groundbreaking unscripted programming, such as Storage Wars and Duck Dynasty, and her work on Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath garnered the show an Emmy.  Elaine previously held positions at the History Channel and Magna Global Entertainment, and she is a graduate of Texas Christian University. 

Elaine Frontain Bryant spoke to UT students on September 30, 2024 and the conversation was hosted by Dr. Alisa Perren. Their conversation focuses on Elaine's career trajectory, the challenges and opportunities that come from working in the industry during a period of contraction, and finding undeniable premises for unscripted shows.

Elaine Frontain Bryant - EVP and Head of Programming at A&E, Lifetime, and LMN - September 30, 2024

For this week’s MIC Podcast, we’re excited to present our conversation with Mark Shapiro, moderated by Dr. Alisa Perren and James Andrew Miller. For regular listeners of the MIC podcast, this episode will have a unique structure, as James Andrew Miller moderates the first half of the conversation and Alisa Perren moderates the second half.

Mark Shapiro is President and Chief Operating Officer of Endeavor and TKO.  Endeavor is a global sports and entertainment company, and the Endeavor network specializes in talent representation through the entertainment agency WME. Prior to joining Endeavor in 2014, Mark Shapiro was CEO of Dick Clark Productions, where he managed its day to day operations while also developing and producing programming for linear and digital media. Shapiro began his career at ESPN, where he earned 16 Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards in his role overseeing the production of sports and entertainment properties. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa.

James Andrew Miller, the co-moderator for this podcast, is an award winning journalist, media consultant, and author of five books including Live from New York: An Uncensored History of SNL and Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN. He got his start at the Washington Post, and has worked as a Senior Executive Producer of Anderson Cooper 360 and EVP of Original Programming for USA Network, among other positions. He got his bachelor’s from Occidental, a master’s from Oxford, and an MBA from Harvard. 

Mark Shapiro and James Andrew Miller spoke to UT students on February 10th, 2025. Mark discussed his career trajectory, the scope of his work in sports media, and his insights on building a career in a competitive field.

Mark Shapiro - President and COO, Endeavor and TKO

This week's MIC Podcast features a panel on the Screenwriter/Agent relationship with Jim Ehrich, literary agent, and Cindy McCreery, screenwriter and Chair of the Radio-Television-Film Department at UT Austin. Cindy McCreery is Chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film here at UT Austin, where she teaches screenwriting. Cindy has written many feature and television scripts, and most recently wrote and produced I'll Be There, which premiered at the Austin Film Festival. She also just finished writing a film called Honey Girls for Sony Pictures. Jim Ehrich is a literary agent at Rothman Brecher Ehrich Livingston and represents both writers and directors in film, television, and IP. This Media Industry Conversation focuses on the relationship between a writer and their representation, and on how to navigate the world of professional screenwriting. 

Jim, and Cindy spoke to UT students on September 16th, 2024, and the conversation was hosted by Dr. Alisa Perren. They discussed their experiences breaking into the industry, how to shape a career in screenwriting, and their thoughts on the future of entertainment.


Screenwriter/Agent Relationship: Cindy McCreery and Jim Ehrich

This week's MIC podcast features James Emmanuel Shapiro, who was President of US Distribution at XYZ films at the time of this recording. James Emanuel Shapiro is an entertainment executive veteran of twenty years and has been the COO of both Drafthouse Films and NEON, where he helped build both distribution companies from the ground up. He's worked on several academy award campaigns including Bullhead, The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence, and I, Tonya. He most recently started the analytics department and helped build the booking department at the Alamo Drafthouse. He's also active in the festival world, having worked with both Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest and he occasionally writes about the entertainment industry for Birth, Movies, Death and The Bulwark. 

James spoke to UT students on December 9, 2024 and the conversation was hosted by Dr. Alisa Perren. He discussed the scope of his work as a distribution executive, the methods and strategies that distributors use when acquiring films, and the changing landscape of American exhibition and distribution. 


James Emmanuel Shapiro - Former President, US Distribution at XYZ Films

Today, we’re bringing you the first episode in a special series about the Texas media industries. This podcast was recorded at the Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium, which took place on September 20th, 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin. The symposium and this podcast were co-produced by the Center for Entertainment and Media Industries and the Department of Radio-Television-Film, and were made possible by the generous support of Wofford Denius. 


The Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium showcased the breadth of film, TV, music, gaming, and digital media opportunities available in Texas in an all-day event on the UT Campus. This podcast series is also part of the Center’s larger focus on Texas Media, and will be included in a white paper compiling our research on the Texas media industries that will be published later this summer. Keep an eye out for that paper to learn more about what’s happening here in Texas. 


This episode of the series will feature the first panel of the symposium, which focused on Development. Panelists include Megan Creydt (Executive Producer of TV, Film, and Podcasts at Texas Monthly), Michael Garcia (President of 26 Keys Productions), Evan Narcisse (Senior Writer at Brass Lion Entertainment), and Sara Robertson (Chief Content Officer at Austin PBS).

Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium: Development

Today, we’re bringing you the second episode in our special series about the Texas media industries. This podcast was recorded at the Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium, which took place on September 20th, 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin, which was made possible by the generous support of Wofford Denius. 
 
The Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium showcased the breadth of film, TV, music, gaming, and digital media opportunities available in Texas in an all-day event on the UT Campus. This podcast series is also part of the Center’s larger focus on Texas Media, and will be included in a white paper compiling our research on the Texas media industries that will be published later this summer. Keep an eye out for that paper to learn more about what’s happening here in Texas! 
 
This episode of the series will feature the second panel of the symposium, which focused on the Texas production ecosystem. Panelists include Chip Rives (President of Texas Crew Productions), Red Sanders (President of Red Productions), Steph Swope (President at Minnow Mountain), and Stephanie Whallon (Director of the Texas Film Commission). This panel was moderated by Micah Barber, Associate Professor of Practice at UT Austin. 

Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium: Production

Today, we’re bringing you the third episode in our special series about the Texas media industries. This podcast was recorded at the Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium, which took place on September 20th, 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin. The symposium and this podcast were co-produced by the Center for Entertainment and Media Industries and the Department of Radio-Television-Film, and were made possible by the generous support of Wofford Denius. 

The Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium showcased the breadth of film, TV, music, gaming, and digital media opportunities available in Texas in an all-day event on the UT Campus. For the next several weeks, we’ll be bringing you podcasts from four panel discussions with industry leaders, which focused on Development, Production, Exhibition, and Live Events. Finally, we’ll conclude with our one-on-one with Elizabeth Avellán, a longtime leader in Texas film.  

This podcast series is also part of the Center’s larger focus on Texas Media, and will be included in a white paper compiling our research on the Texas media industries that will be published later this summer. Keep an eye out for that paper to learn more about what’s happening here in Texas. 
This episode of the series will feature the third panel of the symposium, which focused on Distribution and Exhibition. Panelists include AJ Feliciano (General Manager of The Roost Podcast Network), Holly Herrick (Head of Film and Creative Media at Austin Film Society), Francis Román (Senior Film and TV Festival Programming Manager at SXSW), and Adam Zehner (SVP of Acquisitions and Global Content Strategy at Crunchyroll). This Panel was moderated by Caroline Frick, who is Associate Professor at UT Austin. 


Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium: Development and Exhibition

Today, we’re bringing you the fourth episode in our special series about the Texas media industries. This podcast was recorded at the Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium, which took place on September 20th, 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin. The symposium and this podcast were co-produced by the Center for Entertainment and Media Industries and the Department of Radio-Television-Film, and were made possible by the generous support of Wofford Denius. 

The Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium showcased the breadth of film, TV, music, gaming, and digital media opportunities available in Texas in an all-day event on the UT Campus. We’re in the middle of our five-week series featuring discussions from that day, so check out our previously published episodes on Development, Production, and Distribution and Exhibition, and tune in next week for our concluding conversation with Elizabeth Avellán, a longtime leader in Texas film. 

This podcast series is also part of the Center’s larger focus on Texas Media, and will be included in a white paper compiling our research on the Texas media industries that will be published later this summer. Keep an eye out for that paper to learn more about what’s happening here in Texas. 

This episode of the series will feature the fourth panel of the symposium, which focused on Live Events and Experiential Entertainment. Panelists include Jordy Barksdale (Director of Brand Experience at Magnolia), Lisa Hickey (Strategic Advisor in Media & Entertainment), Louis Messina (CEO of MTG), and Barbara Morgan (CEO of Austin Film Festival). This panel was moderated by Korey Pereira, Assistant Professor of Practice at UT Austin. 


Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium: Live Events and Experiential Entertainment

Today, we’re bringing you the final episode in our special series about the Texas media industries. This podcast was recorded at the Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium, which took place on September 20th, 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin. The symposium and this podcast were co-produced by the Center for Entertainment and Media Industries and the Department of Radio-Television-Film, and were made possible by the generous support of Wofford Denius. 

The Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium showcased the breadth of film, TV, music, gaming, and digital media opportunities available in Texas in an all-day event on the UT Campus. We’re wrapping up our five-week series featuring discussions from that day, so check out our previously published episodes on Development, Production, Distribution and Exhibition, and Live Events and Experiential Entertainment. 

This podcast series is also part of the Center’s larger focus on Texas Media, and will be included in a white paper compiling research on the Texas media industries that will be published later this summer. Keep an eye out for that paper to learn more about what’s happening here in Texas. 
This episode of the series will feature the fifth and final panel of the symposium, which was a conversation between Elizabeth Avellán, who is a longtime leader in the Texas media landscape and RTF Chair Cindy McCreery. Elizabeth Avellán is Co-Owner and Vice President of Troublemaker Studios and is the president of EYA productions. She has produced such groundbreaking films as Machete, Sin City, and Spy Kids, and is a key figure among the cohort of filmmakers that have built Austin into the movie town it is today.


Texas Entertainment and Media Industries Symposium: Conversation with Elizabeth Avellán

This week's MIC podcast features a panel on the anatomy of a production company. Guests Michael Garcia and Maddy Bilder join us to explore the production process and everyday workflows of 26 Keys Productions, a production company based right here in Austin. Michael Garcia, who is the President of 26 Keys, has extensive experience as an executive producer and studio executive, having worked with LucasFilm, Televisia USA, and HBO on projects like Andor, The Sopranos, and The Wire. Maddy Bilder, Project Director at 26 Keys, has a background in producing events and festivals, and has also worked in development at Texas Monthly on titles like Love and Death and Hitman. 


Michael and Maddy visited the UT Campus on March 25th, 2025 and the conversation was hosted by Dr. Alisa Perren. 

Anatomy of a Production Company: 26 Keys Productions

Conversations with professionals throughout the entertainment industry. Created as part of a course in the Department of Radio Television and Film in the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. 

MIC: The Screenwriter/Agent Relationship

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