Producer’s Panel: Championing First Time Filmmakers

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Supporting first-time filmmakers is both a challenge and a rewarding experience for producers. This panel will feature seasoned producers who have successfully guided debut directors through the filmmaking process. They’ll share insights on how they identify promising talent, and navigate the obstacles of working with new filmmakers. The conversation will also cover the unique role of a producer in fostering a director’s creative vision while managing the practicalities of production.

Stay tuned for more panelist announcements!

PANELISTS INCLUDE:

Jenna Cavelle

Jenna Cavelle is an entertainment executive and producer with over a decade of domestic and international experience setting up content studios and overseeing content lifecycles, she has managed over $50M of content at various stages of development, production, and distribution for streamers, networks, and independent production companies. Cavelle is currently the Head of Production and Business Operations overseeing a first-look slate of feature length Hulu Originals. Formerly she served as a VP of Production and Operations for 20th Digital at Walt Disney Television and the Head of Development and Production for NBA Allstar Baron Davis’ content studio No Label. Projects under Cavelle’s leadership have premiered at top film festivals such as Canneseries, Sitges, Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW, and held top spots on premium streaming platforms. Cavelle has set-up television projects at Paramount, Warner, and FX, and her feature films can be found streaming on platforms such as Disney+, Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix. Cavelle holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, an MLSc from UCLA’s School of Law, and an MFA in Film & Television Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she also serves on the board of USC’s Media Institute for Social Change.

Sarah Cornelius

Sarah J. Cornelius is a Producer in Los Angeles. Her mission is to produce film and TV that “buzz” in the marketplace and align with the cultural conversation. Her creative choices are influenced by her desire to empower women and marginalized communities, acknowledge good men, and remind people that humor and beauty are often found in the most unexpected places. Sarah recognizes the challenges film distributors face, and aims to provide solutions that are marketable, bankable, and relevant. In her 9+years as Creative Executive and Producer at Whitewater Films(the production company owned by Oscar and Emmy-nominated Director and Producer Rick Rosenthal), Sarah has worked on such films as THE BOY BEHIND THE DOOR, which released on AMC-owned horror streamer Shudder, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR starring Jon Bernthal and Shea Whigham, STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN starring Billy Crystal and Ben Schwartz, and more. Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University. She grew up as the youngest sibling in a multiracial family in Wisconsin, and she entered the industry by way of acting.

Adrienne Childress

Adrienne Childress, a Chicago native, is a producer and writer based in Los Angeles. Her credits span documentary, commercial, music videos, and short and long-form narrative content. Most recently, Adrienne produced the film MY DIVORCE PARTY, starring Rumer Willis as well as post-produced the PBS documentary series A TOWN CALLED VICTORIA.  In 2022 she produced THE HATER starring Bruce Dern and Meredith Hagner alongside Pulse Films. In 2019, Adrienne’s project GIRL CALLIN’, a proof of concept she wrote and produced, was accepted as a part of Refinery 29’s Shatterbox Anthology Series and premiered at Palm Springs in 2020. From 2015 – 2019 Adrienne managed and oversaw production for the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute. This ignited her focus to specifically work with directors and creatives who have not been able to have their voices heard in the industry.