Phillip Christon
Director & Screenwriter
Phillip Christon is a critically acclaimed, award-winning writer/director with a career spanning over two decades in mainstream Hollywood and Independent feature film production for virtually every major studio including Paramount Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros., New Line and Fine Line Cinema, and Columbia TriStar, in addition to Superbowl and Oscar contender commercials for DDB Needham, Leo Burnett and TBWA/Chiat/Day, as well as groundbreaking music videos for Sony, Arista, Maverick and Virgin. Full Biography »
Ndoema
Producer & Global Outreach Strategic Director
Ndoema is an award-winning motion picture producer, actress and international performing artist whose humanitarian and barrier-breaking achievements in conjunction with the United Nations and other highly respected Human Rights organizations are rooted in her lifelong fight for social change. Ndoema‘s multiracial origins, multicultural upbringing and global-minded lifestyle manifest in her unique ability to effortlessly bridge cultures and cement meaningful relationships between diverse communities worldwide. She not only personifies the dreams and aspirations of today’s global youth, she gives them the voice and recognition they’ve been waiting for. Full Biography »
Bruce Block
Film producer, visual consultant, and 5D founder Bruce Block has over 30 years experience encompassing every type of film and digital production including feature films, TV series, commercials, documentaries, digital and traditional animation, computer games and IMAX films. HIs feature film producing credits include a string of hit comedies: What Women Want starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black, Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves, Christmas with the Kranks starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, Father of the Bride I and II starring Steve Martin, and America’s Sweethearts starring Julia Roberts and Billy Crystal, to name a few. Bruce is the author of the book The Visual Story which is used worldwide by students and working professionals in every area of visual communication. He consults for clients including PIXAR Studios, Walt Disney, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon and Industrial Light & Magic.
Jane Kagon
For the past fifteen years, Jane Kagon has been a pioneer in globalization and digital technology with clients including: the Executive Director of the Japanese Ministry of Economics Trade and Industry (METI); the Tokyo Tower Group; the West Coast Bureau Chief for China Central Television (CCTV); the City of Cannes, France; the UK’s South East Media Network (SEMN); and the Rwanda Cinema Center. Jane began her career as an entertainment lawyer before becoming a long-term Hollywood production executive, working as Vice President of Production for Michael Douglas and at Fox Studios among other Hollywood majors. For almost a decade, Jane served as Director of Entertainment Studies at UCLA’s Continuing Education Division, in addition to being a Senior Fellow at the USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future. She has lectured on media, culture and the entertainment industry at venues around the world including the Beijing Film Academy, the World Culture Forum, Screentraining Ireland, the Brazilian Film Festival Panel Discussions and the West Coast Asia Society.
Paul Kim
Professor Jae-Ha (Paul) Kim, Ph.D is a leading authority on CGI and the burgeoning international visual effect industries. He is the newly re-elected President of the Korea Computer Graphics Industry Alliance, the official governing body of the Korean CGI industry, as well as Head of the Department of Digital Arts Technology at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. Paul is the recipient of the 2007 Presidential Citation and the 2005 Ministry of Information & Communication Citation, as well as author of several CGI-centric books and publications including The Analysis & Strategy for Digital Content (LightBook.com), The Principle of Gameology (Chungmoongak Publishing) and Computer Science for Digital Content Production (E-Han Publishing). Paul serves on the Board of Directors of the Digital Storytelling Society, the Korea Creative Contents Agency, and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. He is Chairman of the Governing Committee of the Ansan IT Industry Promotion Agency, and Vice President of the Korea Association of Digital Moving Image.
Jong Wi
Professor Jong H. Wi is an internationally recognized game expert, president of the Contents Management Institute, vice president of the Japanese Online Game Focused Association, advisory member of the Korean National Assembly, and consultant to several global game companies and their respective governmental boards. Currently a visiting professor at the CRESST National Research Center at UCLA, Jong is the author of numerous books, white papers and business reports on games and the virtual industry including: Innovation and Strategy of Online Games (Imperial College Press, UK), Industrial Development Strategy of Online Games (Tsinghua University Press, 2008, China), Culture Marketing (Hankyungsa, 2008, Korea), Business Strategy of Second Life (Joong-Ang books, 2007, Korea), Innovation Strategy of Japanese Firms (Jipmundang, 2007, Korea), The History of Korean Online Game Industry Development (Seoul National University Press, 2006, Korea), Economic Analysis of the Game Industry and Structure and Business Strategy of the Game Software Industry (Toyokeizaishinposha, 2003, Japan).
William Archer
Bill is a partner and head of the Entertainment practice at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, where he has handled legal matters for numerous entertainment and media clients including recording artists Ashanti, the Dixie Chicks and Toni Braxton, record labels Interscope, Zomba and Maverick, motion picture producers, production companies, screenwriters, music publishers, record executives, composers, sales agents and authors. Bill has represented entertainment industry clients in state and federal courts, before the California Labor Commission, and in AFMA, IFTA, WGA and ICDR arbitrations. He has been practicing law for over twenty five years.
Elsa Ramo
Elsa is an entertainment attorney representing a broad spectrum of corporate and individual clients in the film, music and television industries. She began her career at Davis Dixon Kirby LLP, establishing their Los Angeles Office before founding her own firm in 2005 on the Universal Studios backlot. Her practice has successfully grown and is now located in Beverly Hills. Elsa has lectured on film financing and film delivery for the California Lawyers for the Arts and the Institute for International Film Financing. She has been a panel speaker at Boston University School of Law, University of San Diego School of Law, the University of Southern California, for numerous film festivals, and for Film Independent.