The PROOF Pitch Deck Show & Tell

ABOUT THE EVENT:

The PROOF Pitch Deck Show & Tell event offers filmmakers and creators the exciting opportunity to present their pitch decks and project ideas to a live audience of peers, industry professionals, and potential collaborators. Whether it’s a feature or series concept, participants will have 5 minutes to show off their materials. Afterwards, attendees will receive real-time feedback from seasoned filmmakers, producers, and executives, providing invaluable insights to refine their projects and take them to the next stage.

This year’s selected pitches:

“Eat the Children,” from Andrew Merrill

A college freshman house-sits for an older couple, only for them to abduct him and force him to be their long dead son.

“The Lambing,” from Jillian Corsie

An American teen visits her grandmother in Scotland for the summer, where her uneasiness about the town reaches a boiling point when she discovers a dark secret.

“Photocopy,” from Mike Klubeck

An aspiring photographer begins to lose his grip on reality as he fears he is being replaced by a ghostly doppelgänger.

“Silver Spoon,” from Lucy Porter

The dysfunctional family behind a midwestern restaurant chain struggle to reconcile their egos to maintain their declining comfort food empire.

“Poppyfields,” from Maria Belafonte

In the heart of Los Angeles, 9-year-old Maria discovers the complexities of adulthood, family, and fame as she spends a transformative week at a hotel in Beverly Hills with her grandfather, Harry Belafonte, a fading pop star, ahead of his final show.

“House of Dixie,” from Netta Walker

After a group of self proclaimed Patriots overthrow the South Carolina House of Representatives on a major voting day, a renegade group of military trained femmes fight to save the women trapped in their new fascist colony.

“Paul Ruins a Wedding and Destroys an Entire Community,” from Brad Roelandt

A clueless man’s attempt to reconnect with a lost love goes awry when he unwittingly leads a town’s violent insurrection.

“She Lies in Pieces,” from Joaquin I. Dominguez and Mike Cuenca

A woman without a past, lost in an urban landscape befriends a family of drug-addled transients. One day, her world is turned upside down when she encounters a group of brutal men forcing her to answer for her long absence.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Noah Morse

NOAH MORSE is a director, writer, and producer from Johnston, RI. He is one of the co-founders of sogbots, a production company based in Los Angeles, as well as a co-founder of LA’s Rich and Successful Film Festival (RSFF). At RSFF, he currently serves as Creative Director and Director of Development. Annually, he volunteers at the Galaxy Theatre at Telluride Film Festival. Formerly, he worked as assistant to Larry Charles on A24’s DICKS: THE MUSICAL as well as assistant to the head of the Literary Division at WME. Noah is a recipient of the 2024 Big Sky Film Grant for his upcoming short film “Simon’s Ride” and currently works as a Content Manager at ShotDeck.

PANELISTS INCLUDE:

Laverne McKinnon

Laverne McKinnon is an Executive and Leadership Coach who draws upon her diverse background in the entertainment industry and academia to help individuals and organizations overcome loss and setbacks in order to rediscover their capacity for impact and innovation. With over 20 years of experience as a senior executive and film & television producer, and a unique skill set in leadership and creativity, Laverne is passionate about grief literacy as a tool to rebuild resilience after challenges and failures. A significant portion of Laverne’s career was spent on the corporate side, notably as Senior Vice-President of Drama Development at CBS and Executive Vice-President at EPIX. Her involvement in the CSI and CRIMINAL MINDS series highlights her ability to identify and develop highly commercial and financially lucrative franchises. As the inaugural programming chief for EPIX, she earned the platform its first Emmy nominations. Her tenure as Head of Television at Charlize Theron’s production company, Denver & Delilah, further showcased her ability to bring projects to life including three direct-to-series orders. Laverne’s academic background, comprising a BS in Radio-TV-Film from Northwestern University and an MBA from Pepperdine, underscores her commitment to continuous learning. In addition to her certifications as a coach and grief recovery specialist, she has expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy and neuro-linguistics, and is currently training to become a Reiki master. Her involvement with the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) as a former Co-President and ongoing mentor in their Leadership Fellowship programs reflects her dedication to nurturing emerging talent and contributing to the broader creative community in a meaningful and enduring manner.

Steven P. Wegner

Steven P. Wegner is an independent feature-film producer and the former Head of Development/Production for Alcon Entertainment, where he oversaw the company’s entire slate for over 16 years.

His feature film producing credits include the inspirational true story, DOLPHIN TALE (2011) starring Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman, and its sequel DOLPHIN TALE 2 (2014); the romantic comedy, CHASING LIBERTY (2004) starring Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode; the family comedy, RACING STRIPES (2005) featuring Dustin Hoffman and Whoopi Goldberg; the Oscar winning BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017) with Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, directed by Denis Villeneuve; the critical favorite PRISONERS (2013) starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal; the beloved young adult drama THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS  (2005); and its sequel (2008); the romantic drama P.S. I LOVE YOU (2007), starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler; the breakout hit THE BLIND SIDE (2009), starring Sandra Bullock, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture; THE BOOK OF ELI (2010), starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman; and the Christopher Nolan directed INSOMNIA (2002) starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams, which was the first film Wegner shepherded into production.

In release this year, are Sony Pictures THE GARFIELD MOVIE (2024) featuring the voice talents of Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson, which has grossed over $250 million worldwide, as well as the inspirational family film, MY PENGUIN FRIEND (2024) for City Hill Arts; based on an extraordinary true story, starring Jean Reno and Adriana Barraza. Born and raised in San Diego, Wegner is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Kyle Castellanet

Kyle Castellanet is the VP of Development and Production at Echo Lake Entertainment. Kyle manages Echo Lake’s film and television slate which includes both domestic and international co-productions. A Colorado native, Kyle began his career at Paradigm Talent Agency after receiving his BFA in Film Production from Chapman University. In 2022, Kyle was honored on Coverfly’s Industry Next List for his work to support emerging filmmakers.

Valerie Steinberg

Named one of Variety’s 10 Producers to Watch in 2023, Valerie Steinberg is a producer based in Los Angeles. Her feature film producing credits include KARMALINK, a Cambodian sci-fi that opened Venice Film Critics’ Week 2021, executive produced by XYZ Films. She is Executive Producer of WAR PONY (dir. Riley Keough/Gina Gammell), winner of the Caméra D’Or award at Cannes 2022; A24’s THE INSPECTION, world premiere TIFF 2022; and SILVER STAR (dir. Lola Bessis/Ruben Amar), world premiere Deauville American Film Festival 2024. Valerie also served as EP of Disney’s Bite Size Halloween series, streaming on Hulu, overseeing budgets and production globally.

Valerie’s award-winning short films – distributed on Criterion Channel, HBO Max, and Hulu – including “Hair Wolf” (Sundance winner), “Fry Day” (SXSW, Tribeca winner), “The Breakthrough” (SXSW), “Neo-Dome” (SXSW winner), “Coffee Shop Names” (Soho House winner), and “Blocks” (Sundance, SXSW). Valerie has taken part in labs including Berlinale Talents, Sundance x Women in Film Financing Intensive, Frontières, Rotterdam Lab, Venice Biennale College Cinema, Film Independent Producing Lab, and Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum. Valerie graduated from Yale University with a degree in Philosophy and Chinese.