Click on the Video Below and Sample a Session from a previous Digital Hollywood event. For Additional Video Sessions, Click Here Digital Hollywood Tuesday, May 6th 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM Track I: Hollywood Reinvented! Internet Video, Mobile, User Generated Media, IPTV and Broadband as Next Generation Mass Media Programming and Big Business Personal media has invaded the territory of the media giants. TV networks, even cable networks and radio networks can no longer ignore the potential threat posed by User Generated Media, broadband video, social networks, the blogosphere and the world of Podcasts. By the millions, consumers are flocking to the web and mobile experience provided by the new technologies. If you think that blogs are simply parasites of the news business that are to be slapped at and complained about, then you’re not paying attention to the business at hand. Bloggers may be individually unique and only sometimes accurate, but as a whole, as a blogosphere, they are a billion person universe of ideas and free expression that far exceeds the reach of all TV networks combined. While the world of personal media remained behind a disorganized technological barrier, it posed no threat to traditional mass media, but as new and amazingly inventive tools are created to unleash the power of personal media begin to appear so does its power as an information, entertainment and advertising force. In this session we will explore this new territory. Sean Carey, Senior Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Television Albie Hecht, ceo and founder, Worldwide Biggies Lewis Henderson, Senior Vice President, William Morris Agency David Armour, VP, Endemol Digital Studios David Wertheimer, Executive Director, ETC@USC Nina Guralnick, President, Live Earth Jason Kirk, Vice President, MySpaceTV Hamet A. Watt, founder, NextMedium, Moderator For Further Speaker Infomation - Click on highlighed Names to see their LinkedIn Profile David Wertheimer, Executive Director, ETC @ USC: David was the first president of Paramount Digital Entertainment and has been immersed in producing content, developing new technologies, and managing organizations (ranging from start-ups to divisions within publicly traded companies). With his appointment in early 2007 to head the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California (ETC-USC), Wertheimer has brought his expertise to bear on the technological and implications of providing content to consumers who desire it at any time and any place. Through this consortium, which brings together all the major studios, and several leading technology, CE and service providers, David is helping to evangelize and de-mystify digital content distribution and consumption. ETC's Anytime/Anywhere Content Lab, Anytime/Anwhere Consumer Research, and CxO Roundtables are helping multiple industries collaborate to make sense of content in the Internet age and to encourage consumer adoption of digital media. Wertheimer was previously the president of the Digital Entertainment division of Paramount Pictures; founder and CEO of WireBreak Entertainment, a digital content distribution and television production company; Executive Director of the Institute for Creative Technologies; and held technology and business management positions at Oracle and NeXT. Wertheimer was named one of five entertainment executives to watch by USA Today and one of three individuals leading the next generation of convergence by the Hollywood Reporter. Sean Carey, Senior Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Television: Sean Carey was promoted to Senior Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) in February 2007. In this role, Carey oversees all domestic digital entertainment distribution efforts across all electronically delivered platforms, including the Internet and mobile. This includes distribution of the Company’s vast library of films, TV series as well as acquired properties. In addition, Carey contributes to the long term strategy for the television group. Also under his purview is Crackle, one of the fastest-growing user-generated video communities on the Internet. Previously, Carey was Executive Vice President, Digital Distribution and Product Acquisition for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE). In this position, he was responsible for developing and managing the North American digital distribution of movies and other content, and oversaw all business aspects of the home entertainment unit's production and acquisition group and negotiated key acquisition agreements. From 2000 to 2006, Carey served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development for SPE. In this capacity, he helped to define overall SPE strategy and was responsible for all corporate transactions, including film financings that raised over $1 billion in production funding, acquisitions including Crackle, and divestitures including the sale of Telemundo to NBC. Prior to becoming Senior Vice President, Carey was Vice President, Motion Picture Finance & Corporate Development, a position he held at SPE since 1996. Mr. Carey joined SPE in 1993 as Assistant Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis. He was subsequently promoted to Director Motion Picture Finance and Corporate Development in 1995. Prior to that, Carey was a strategic planning assistant for Creative Artists Agency, a participation accountant for then-Columbia Pictures Entertainment and an associate analyst for Paul Kagan Associates. A graduate of Syracuse University, Carey received his MBA from UCLA. Albie Hecht noted as one of the most influential and powerful people in animation, has created hits, has been nominated for two Academy Awards, guided franchises into household names and introduced groundbreaking entertainment for people of all ages. In late 2005, Hecht launched Worldwide Biggies Inc., a new digital entertainment studio creating intellectual, web-based properties for kids, families and young adults that are designed for additional distribution in the film, TV and licensing arenas. Worldwide Biggies launched its first multi-platform hit on Nickelodeon and Nick.com in February 2007 with The Naked Brothers Band and has produced the Video Game Awards on Spike TV, which Hecht created during his tenure as the network’s president. Most recently, Worldwide Biggies signed on to develop a series of digital games based on the 1987 cult film classic The Princess Bride. Marking the first time the film will be brought into the interactive entertainment arena, Worldwide Biggies will create a downloadable game entitled The Princess Bride Game available summer 2008, featured exclusively on the film’s 20th Anniversary DVD from MGM Home Entertainment. Earlier this year, Biggies created MoCap, LLC, a new mockumentary webisode series that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a small motion capture company whose artists are willing to sacrifice anything and everything for their art. MoCap, LLC is the first of six all-new original web series developed by Worldwide Biggies which will be released throughout 2008. In addition to the MoCap, LLC webisodes airing on Gametrailers (www.gametrailers.com) and Spike.com, the free to play companion game MoCap Man: Men with Balls is available for pummeling at www.mocapllc.com. In 2007, Worldwide Biggies launched Worldwide Fido (www.worldwidefido.com) an innovative user-generated online competition where popular breeds and mutts compete snout-to-snout to be crowned America’s next top dog. Worldwide Fido is “the place for the best dog video on the web” with monthly contests and prizes in several categories. Worldwide Biggies also partnered with TMZ.com to launch Star Vs. Star an online celebrity fan community that features a celebrity fantasy league, a weekly video webcast and amazing Star Card artwork. Shine Global, a prime example of Hecht’s philanthropic nature, produces documentary films, books and other media to illuminate serious global challenges to children’s physical, emotional and social well-being. 100% of all profits earned by Shine are donated to their subjects and local non-governmental organizations to better children’s lives. Shine Global's first project War/Dance nominated for an Academy Award as Best Documentary Feature 2008 and winner of the US Director’s Award at Sundance 2007, is a documentary set against the backdrop of Uganda's 20 year civil war in which over 30,000 children have been abducted by a rebel army. Prior to starting Biggies, Hecht was the creator and President of MTV Networks’ Spike TV, the first network for men. Less than one month after launching the network, Hecht scored Spike’s first hit with The Joe Schmo Show, a program that gave birth to the genre of faux-reality. He also introduced the cult hit, MXC: Most Extreme Elimination, which Entertainment Weekly rated an “A” saying “take one part Jackass, two parts Iron Chef and 18 parts pure insanity and you have the recipe for MXC.” Along with two star-studded awards shows, The GQ Men of the Year Awards and Spike TV’s Video Game Awards (VGAs), the network achieved one hundred-percent unaided awareness among men 18-49 after less than two years in existence. By the end of his tenure in 2005, Spike was demonstrating double-digit earnings and ratings growth in all day parts and was the number three channel for men 18-49 and the number seven for adults 18-49. Lewis Henderson, Senior Vice President, William Morris Agency: Mr. Henderson is a Senior Vice President at the William Morris Agency and oversees the company’s digital media business. His responsibilities include building digital business opportunities for all William Morris clients across film, television, music, publishing, theater, sports, corporate and international. During his fifteen year tenure at William Morris, Mr. Henderson has worked with some of the agency’s leading clients in emerging platforms ranging from wireless, video games, broadband and VOD. Prior to running William Morris’ digital business, Mr. Henderson served as a liaison between the agency’s television department and advertising, working with the leading advertising agencies and media buyers to create and package television programming. In the area of entertainment marketing and brand extension, Mr. Henderson worked with leading brands to deliver their message through film, television and publishing properties. His clients in this arena have included Monster.com, the United States Olympic Committee, 24 Hour Fitness, and the NFL. Mr. Henderson started his career as a trainee in the company’s mailroom in 1989 and eventually advanced to the agency’s television department. After two years, Mr. Henderson was selected to participate in the formation of the William Morris Consulting division. He holds a B.S. from Southern Methodist University. Nina Guralnick, President, Live Earth: As president of Live Earth since September 2007, Nina Guralnick has honed the long-term strategic vision for the company, which seeks to harness the power of music and integrated entertainment to reach audiences worldwide, motivating them to take action to solve the climate crisis. For Live Earth’s concerts on 07.07.07, she was tapped to serve as Live Earth’s executive-in-charge while still acting as general manager of Control Room, the leading producer and distributor of world-class entertainment. As executive- in-charge, Nina oversaw broadcast relationships, strategic partnerships, brand communications, sponsorship integration, community development as well as all interactive and new media initiatives – all of which helped make Live Earth the largest global entertainment event in history, reaching an audience of nearly two billion people through television, radio, web and mobile platforms. Guralnick stepped into her role at Live Earth after serving as general manager of Control Room, the company that produced the Live Earth concerts. In this post she guided all aspects of the company, including strategic direction, business development, partnerships with content distributors (e.g., MSN, NCM, MediaFlo, DirecTV), marketing, communications, and operational aspects. From the Company‘s inception in 2005, Guralnick was a primary contributor in shaping Control Room’s pioneering position as a leading digital entertainment company which boasts production and distribution of nearly 100 live concert performances from artists such as Madonna, Elton John, and Foo Fighters. Prior to Control Room, Guralnick served as head of new media for DreamWorks Records where she built the innovative new media department. As head of new media she created groundbreaking online marketing campaigns for the rosters of all three label divisions, pop, urban and country including Nelly Furtado, Jimmy Eat World and soundtracks for Shrek, Almost Famous and other feature films. Guralnick cut her teeth in the music industry in New York overseeing numerous strategic marketing campaigns for independent and major record labels. David Armour, VP, Endemol Digital Studios: David Armour serves as the Vice President of Endemol Digital Studios. His responsibilities include developing, producing and marketing original, interactive entertainment programming across multiple platforms. He was instrumental in developing the company’s first U.S. interactive game show, Midnight Money Madness for TBS, as well as the successful interactive television game show, Take the Cake for BET, which grossed more than $12 million in revenue in the span of 17 weeks. With more than a decade of television and digital media experience, David has held several senior management positions at leading entertainment companies including, Sony Television, Telepictures/Warner Bros. and Twentieth Television/Fox, among others. He has also sold original shows to several networks including, CBS, MTV, BET, The Style Network, GSN, E! and many others. Prior to joining Endemol USA, Armour worked on several television shows, producing and developing multi-platform initiatives. As an executive producer for both The Ricki Lake Show and The Queen Latifah Show, David was influential in creating signature formats, doubling ratings and introducing direct response campaigns. As a result, Armour spearheaded several high profile projects at Twentieth Television/Fox, including a groundbreaking live event show with Ryan Seacrest. The show, a hybrid magazine entertainment program was one of the first live broadcasts to include direct text-to-air capability for its viewers. Additionally, by combining his television expertise to an emerging digital landscape, David helped to create a series of original digital programming for leading online and mobile companies. He helped to develop the first two original mobisodes, Love and Hate and Sunset Hotel (winner of the Golden Eagle Award for Excellence) on Verizon's VCAST in February 2005 and the first ever made-for-mobile reality series on GoTV Networks, in which he successfully integrated 24 brands. David earned his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. Jason Kirk, VP of MySpaceTV: Jason Kirk is Vice-President of MySpaceTV. In this role Jason oversees the development and marketing of original and licensed video partnerships for the company’s recently launched, hugely successful video platform catering specifically to the MySpace community. Partnerships thus far include Quarterlife, Sony, Michael Eisner’s “Prom Queen”, The Onion, National Geographic, and Lonely Girl 15 among others. Jason also manages the integration of advertisers into video, marketing and entertainment partnerships for the company including deals with Pepsi, HBO and Fox. Prior to MySpace, Jason's experience includes work in both the Internet start-up world and traditional entertainment. Most recently, he was the Director of Sales & Marketing at HBO in their new business development group. His primary focus was on strategic partnership development around the company’s two Comedy Festivals in Aspen and Las Vegas. Jason was part of the team that initially launched The Comedy Festival-Las Vegas in 2005 that included Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle and Dane Cook. He also successfully managed integrated sponsorships with advertisers that included Pepsi, Dell, AOL and TBS. Hamet A. Watt, founder, NextMedium: Hamet A. Watt is the founder of NextMedium, Inc., developer of the first turn-key platform to buy, sell and measure brand integration in entertainment content. The company is working with the industry to establish brand integration as a new standardized ad unit – to help advertisers connect with increasingly harder-to-reach audiences in a TiVo-enabled environment, while helping entertainment companies generate new revenue and offset rising production costs. NextMedium has also collaborated with Nielsen Media Research to develop analytics that help the industry measure the effectiveness and value of brand integration. An authority on advertising innovation, Watt is frequently asked to educate media companies on the changing entertainment landscape and the need for new approaches to revenue generation. He is also regularly a part of the public discussion on new advertising media, and has been quoted in Fortune Magazine, USA Today, Red Herring, Business 2.0, Advertising Age, AdWeek, MediaWeek, Television Week, Hollywood Reporter and Variety, among others. Prior to NextMedium, Watt was a general partner and vice president of business development at an international private equity investment firm managing capital in excess of $120 million.