
Digital Hollywood: The AI & Entertainment Summit
Noon – 12:50 PM Eastern Time Zone
Streaming + The Creator Economy + Podcasts = A Media Realignment
Marc Scarpa, Co-Founder, DeFiance Media
John Vitti, co-founder & CEO, Versus
Chris Rodriguez, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder, REVRY
Jared Gutstadt, Founder & CEO, Rebel Audio
Mark Kapczynski,
President, Storymill, Moderator
Christopher J. Rodriguez, Esq. is the Chief Content Officer and one of four co-founders of Revry. An attorney with a background in entertainment law, he previously worked at Original Productions, working on reality shows like Storage Wars, The Deadliest Catch, and Jay Leno’s Garage. Chris was then the show attorney for Shark Tank and The People’s Choice Awards at United Artist/MGM. He met his co-founder, Alia Daniels, at law school, and he and his husband (and additional co-founder) Damian Pelliccione have been together for 15+ years. They collaborated on one of their first productions in 2014 before founding Revry - the world's first LGBTQ+ streaming service - two years later. Revry was founded by an authentically assembled team of diverse individuals: 75% queer, 75% POC, 50% women of color, and 50% non-binary. This ethos naturally has trickled down into how Revry does business and who they do business with.
Jared Gutstadt, Founder & CEO, Rebel Audio is founded by serial entrepreneur and two-time Emmy nominee, Jared Gutstadt (Jingle Punks, Audio Up), who has long pioneered the intersection of music, branded content, and storytelling. Gutstadt’s career catalog includes projects with entertainment icons and brands like Bob Dylan, Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, NAS, Machine Gun Kelly, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, SiriusXM, Audible and The Weeknd, and was the key architect in defining the sound of global unscripted television with his award winning contributions to The Voice, Pawn Stars, American Pickers and countless sports marketing endeavors.
Mark Kapczynski has a successful track record as a serial entrepreneur, chief executive, and cross-industry expert. He serves as an Executive Director of the UCLA Venture Capital Fund, helping to foster innovation connected to the university. Programs include early stage investing, mentoring, and access to Intellectual Property from university patents. Mr. Kapczynski advises startup businesses as part of the LA Chamber of Commerce’s Bixel Exchange. In this role, Mr. Kapczynski assists technology startups in Southern California to design their businesses, build out their teams and raise capital to fuel their growth. He also serves as a Venture Partner for Arrowroot Capital in Santa Monica, CA. At Arrowroot, Mr. Kapczynski focuses on investments in the SaaS market in need of growth capital to further develop their businesses. The areas that Mr. Kapczynski addresses are Big Data & Analytics, Financial Services, and Consumer Internet. Mr. Kapczynski last served as VP of Corporate Development and Strategy for Experian's consumer businesses which include leading consumer brands: Experian, FreeCreditReport.com, and ProtectMyID. Through executing on over 8 M&A transactions, Mr. Kapczynski helped to facilitate Experian’s under-lying growth and profitability. Mr. Kapczynski graduated from UCLA film school and continues to be active in multiple industry associations that span media, mobile telecom, technology, and consumer internet. He has 12 patents to his name and an additional 40 patents pending.
John Vitti is a seasoned entrepreneur and operator currently serving as CEO of Versus Game, where he leads both business strategy and product development. He oversees all operational aspects of the organization, managing a team of employees while driving growth, innovation and execution across the company. Prior to his current role, Vitti co-founded and served as CEO of Local Merchant Advisor and Artificial Flavor, two ventures that were successfully acquired reflecting patterned success in building, scaling and positioning companies for strategic exits. Vitti holds a Bachelors degree in Business Management from Merrimack College.
Marc Scarpa, an influential figure in media and technology, is renowned as a dynamic entrepreneur with a prolific career spanning over a thousand original TV and digital programs. His innovative endeavors have not only captivated billions of views but have also secured tens of millions in sponsorships and financing. As a creative visionary and prominent business leader in the media industry, Scarpa currently holds the position of founder and CEO at DeFiance.tv. This groundbreaking venture stands as the premier TV and digital network exclusively catering to news and entertainment for the new economy. DeFiance.tv offers a comprehensive media experience, accessible globally to an impressive 150 million households via Free Ad Support Streaming Television, across various platforms including desktops, mobile devices, and connected TVs. At the forefront of innovation, DeFiance.tv has revolutionized content creation by integrating AI video into unscripted content and news media. Notably, Scarpa's brainchild, Raxana, the world's first AI-powered digital twin news anchor, delivers breaking news every two hours in up to 45 languages on the global channel. Scarpa's illustrious career is punctuated by remarkable milestones, from orchestrating the Town Hall with President Clinton to shaping the digital landscape of X Factor USA and curating Grammy Live experiences. His influence extends to monumental events like Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day and League of Legends World Championships 2012, showcasing his versatility and expertise across diverse platforms and industries. With a knack for collaboration, Scarpa has worked with Grammy-winning artists, Oscar-winning directors, Fortune 50 brands, and even the White House. His responsibilities encompass various facets of content development and production, talent acquisition, technology partnerships, and budget management, reflecting his multidimensional skill set and leadership prowess. Scarpa's contributions have earned him esteemed recognition, including a Cannes Lion Award, two Teddy Awards, four Social TV Awards, a Webby Award, and the Producers Guild of America distinguished service award. He remains actively involved in prestigious institutions such as the National Press Club, Television Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Recording Academy, further solidifying his commitment to excellence and impactful endeavors.
