8:00 - 8:30 am
Registration, Continental Breakfast and Networking

8:30 - 8:45 am
Welcome and Introduction: Content. Technology. Collaboration.
The goal of the Confluence Summit is to bring together game-changing entertainment and technology pioneers with the next generation of innovators and storytellers for a day of education, exchanging of new ideas and establishing connections for future collaboration.

SUMMIT CO-CHAIRS: Katherine Winston and Amy Baker, Co-Founders, Winston Baker
SUMMIT FACILITATOR: Ken Coelho, Partner, Armanino

8:45 - 9:15 am
Taking Risks in Storytelling with Paramount Pictures Futurist Ted Schilowitz
Ted is a pioneer who has been an integral part of the film industry's groundbreaking innovation into next generation visual storytelling. He works with studio leadership and the technology teams at Paramount/Viacom, exploring immersive cinema, augmented reality and beyond to implement the latest advancements and strategies that will enhance the audience experience across film, television and interactive content.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Ted Schilowitz, Futurist, Paramount Pictures

9:15 - 10:15 am
Exploring Advanced Volumetric Capture Solutions
Volumetric capture technology is still a new concept for most; however it is advancing at a very rapid pace, driven largely by increased demand for 3D assets for virtual and augmented reality. Gain insight from this panel of visionaries on what the implications are for content creators and discover the latest developments in this nascent technology.

MODERATOR: Ted Schilowitz, Futurist, Paramount Pictures
PANELISTS: Hayes Mackaman, Chief Executive Officer, 8i
Steve Sullivan, General Manager, Mixed Reality Capture Studios, Microsoft
Tonaci Tran, Chief Executive Officer, HypeVR

10:15 - 11:00 am
The Next Generation of Innovators: Disruptors vs. Destructors
How do you plan for what’s next when the rules and boundaries seem to change daily? Companies such as Facebook, Apple, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, and Google have shaken the entertainment industry to its core from how content is made, distributed and marketed to how it’s consumed, shared and its data analyzed. It’s also meant more interesting opportunities for investors and avenues for strategic executives to create new revenue streams. Find out from investment experts where the next wave of innovators are headed.

MODERATOR: Kevin Khanna, Managing Director & Group Co-Head, TMT Group, Fifth Third Bank
PANELISTS: Eric Briggs, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Financial Officer, MACRO
Carmen Carpenter, Managing Director, Evolution Media
Ernestine Fu, Venture Partner, Alsop Louie Partners
Vinay Singh, Partner, Archer Gray

11:00 - 11:30 am
Networking Break

11:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Future of Collaboration with Skydance Media
Sisgold has played an instrumental role in building Skydance Media into a multi-faceted media company and has contributed greatly to the growth of their theatrical, television, animation and interactive businesses. Sisgold led the charge on Skydance’s first acquisition to establish Skydance Interactive and negotiated a partnership with Ilion Animation in Madrid which led to the launch of Skydance Animation. He has played a key role in the company’s global TV distribution and co-production deals with Netflix, Amazon, AMC, DirecTV, and Apple. He also oversaw the company’s film distribution and co-financing pacts with Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros. And on a global level, Sisgold worked to establish Skydance’s strategic relationship with Tencent as well as deals with other key distribution entities in China. During this session, gain insight into what’s next for Skydance Media as the company continues its growth and evolution through the confluence of entertainment and technology.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jesse Sisgold, President and Chief Operating Officer, Skydance Media
MODERATOR: Joseph Chianese, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Partners

12:00 - 12:30 pm
Storytelling Across Cultures and Mediums with 'Crazy Rich Asians' Screenwriter Adele Lim
Adele Lim is a screenwriter for TV drama series and film. Most recently she wrote the screenplay adaptation of 'Crazy Rich Asians' (Warner Bros). A Malaysian native of Chinese descent, she came to the States at 19 and graduated from Emerson College, Boston. She has written and produced multiple primetime TV dramas, including One Tree Hill, Private Practice and Lethal Weapon. She also mentors writers through CAPE's New Writers Fellowship and is a judge for the WGA’s Writers Access Project. Currently she is developing a drama series for FOX and writing a screenplay for Disney Feature Animation.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Adele Lim, Screenwriter, 'Crazy Rich Asians'
MODERATOR: Rebecca Sun, Senior Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter

12:30 - 1:30 pm
Power Luncheon and Networking

1:30 - 2:15 pm
The Breakdown: Financing Movie Projects vs. Tech Startups
This session will dive into the benefits and risks of financing movie projects and tech startups. Speakers will explore the differences and similarities from development to fundraising approaches and financial structures to returns on investment.

MODERATOR: Aaron Yamada, Tax Partner, BDO
PANELISTS: Shirley Davis, Production Executive and Lecturer, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Edward Hartman, Co-Founder, LegalZoom and Lecturer, Stanford University Law School
Davida Lara, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Partners
Vinay Singh, Partner, Archer Gray

2:15 - 2:45 pm
Visualizing Blockbusters and the Future of Entertainment Design
Chris Edwards has been at the forefront of visualization for over a decade. After starting his career as a layout artist and character animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation, he joined a team of digital artists at Lucasfilm who would collaborate with the filmmakers to previsualize Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith from the "third floor" of George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. In October 2004, Chris spearheaded the founding of THE THIRD FLOOR as a dedicated visualization studio. Since then, the company has become the most prolific previs studio in the world, contributing to major projects from Avatar to Gravity with credits on wide-ranging film and television projects such as Game of Thrones, Ready Player One, Wonder Woman, The Jungle Book, recent and future Star Wars theatrical releases and dozens of movies within the Marvel Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Infinity War, Captain America and Iron Man cinematic franchises.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Chris Edwards, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, THE THIRD FLOOR

2:45 - 3:30 pm
Video Game Adaptations: Get Ready to Answer the “Call of Duty”
That’s right, this $15 billion-dollar gaming franchise is being adapted into a full length live-action feature film. The two people in charge of turning this iconic game into a film franchise are Stacey Sher and Nick van Dyk, the co-presidents of Activision Blizzard Studios, a studio devoted to creating original content based on Activision Blizzard’s rich catalogue of over 1000 game titles.

KEYNOTE CONVERSATION: Stacey Sher and Nick van Dyk, Co-Presidents, Activision Blizzard Studios
MODERATOR: Jon Penn, Chief Executive Officer, National Research Group (NRG)

3:30 - 4:00 pm
Networking Break

4:00 - 4:45 pm
Driving Evolution: Technologies Shaping Audience Experiences
Instant gratification and engaging all human senses seem to be the future of entertainment and technology. At least for the moment. From immersive experiences and voice applications to on-demand programs and decentralized technologies, it’s all about finding ways to drive evolution rather than being disrupted by it. This session will explore next generation voice-activated experiences, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain and beyond.

MODERATOR: Holly Liu, Co-Founder, Kabam and Visiting Partner, Y Combinator
PANELISTS: Max Child, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Volley
S. Diana Hu, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Escher Reality (acquired by Niantic)
Elexa Ruth, Senior Vice President, MovieCoin

4:45 - 5:30 pm
Pitch Perfect: Getting Your Voice Heard in a Crowded Marketplace
It’s a competitive landscape for the world of startups. So how can entrepreneurs standout to the investment community? During this session, gain insight from investors and advisors on new pitching techniques and find out what strategies work through live pitches from a select group of entertech startups. Learn more about the pitching opportunity here.

MODERATOR: Kevin Winston, Founder, Digital LA
PANELISTS: Holly Liu, Co-Founder, Kabam and Visiting Partner, Y Combinator
Rachel Springate, Founder and Partner, Muse Capital
Lily Xu, Program Lead, Sephora Accelerate

6:00 - 8:00 pm
Summit Reception

Speaking faculty and agenda are subject to change.