LOWW Development panel
The League of Women Writers is excited to host a panel of development executives for an afternoon of intel on how to break into the business, tales of the industry, current trends, and an opportunity for questions from the audience, followed by a short reception.
Our guests include Bethany Bellinger (Fenix Studios), Davia Carter (Kronicle Media), Rachel Foley (Film44), Alison Mann (Sony Pictures Animation), and Rachel Sklar (Everywhere Studios).
Date: Sunday, February 2nd
Time: 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: 755 N. Highland Ave, LA, CA
our featured guests
Bethany Bellinger is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston Massachusetts.
Originally from Philadelphia, Bethany always knew that entertainment was her passion. As a child, she was exposed to the theater and started acting in plays and musicals. She quickly learned that she had more fun during rehearsals than the actual performances. Upon this realization, it became clear that she wanted a behind the scenes role and switched her focus.
After graduating from Emerson, she moved to Los Angeles and worked in all facets of the business including casting, business and legal, and development.
It became clear that her true passion was development. Bethany then became a story analyst helping writers with their ideas, giving them direction and being honest about the work.
Bethany has also produced short films and a successful web series. She is currently the Creative Executive at Fenix Studios, founded by F. Gary Gray.
Davia Carter is the newly appointed Features Executive for Kronicle Media in charge of developing a slate of diverse film content. A seasoned talent for the past 14 years, Carter’s TV and Film chops spans a variety of experience.
Prior to joining Kronicle Media, Carter was a freelance producer and feature consultant for Viola Davis’ production company, JuVee Productions. Additionally, she was the Associate Producer for the 11 Daytime Emmy nominated ‘Giants’ digital series which most recently had its network premiere on CleoTV.
Carter launched her career in 2007 with Sony Pictures Screen Gems as an assistant in the development ranks, contributing to the feature releases of Straw Dogs, Think Like A Man, and No Good Deed. From there, she moved on to Will Packer Productions as a Feature Development Coordinator where she contributed to the development of box office hits: Ride Along, Girls Trip, and Breaking In.
Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Carter has a passion for uplifting andmagnifying filmmaking voices that represent women and people of color. In 2016she directed the short ‘Mothers of the Movement’ for Blackout for Human Rights which was featured on Mic.
Carter received her BFA in Digital Media with a minor in Radio, Television, and Film at San José State University, She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Rachel Foley is a Manager of TV at Film 44, director Peter Berg’s scripted production company. She participated in the development and production of several television shows, including the USA series DARE ME.
Before joining Film 44, Foley worked for Protozoa Pictures, Darren Aronofsky’s production entity, as a Creative Executive. During her time with the company, she participated in the production of the films mother!, JACKIE, and others.
Rachel received her MFA in Film Production from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her bachelor’s in Theatre and Journalism at the University of Georgia.
Alison Mann is the vice president of creative/strategy at Sony Pictures Animation. In her role, Mann is responsible for managing the development and talent for the studio’s feature film, international and series-based projects, collaborating with business affairs, recruiting, and the creative team to foster new relationships with key creatives within the animation industry.
As an artist, Mann always knew she wanted to work in animation. She began her career at Nickelodeon as a finance department intern while attending Columbia College in Chicago. After graduating, she was offered the amazing opportunity to continue working with Nickelodeon/MTV as their recruiter/coordinator of talent relations. Through her 17 years in the industry, she gained experience in TV, film and gaming while working at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Zynga, Disney Interactive, Paramount Pictures Animation, and Illumination Entertainment.
Mann is the co-founder and CEO of the BRIC Foundation, an organization set up to solve how to create new access points for women and people from underrepresented groups so they can excel at creative leadership and to enable culture change through engaging and empowering talent.
As creative and supporter of talent, Mann is passionate about storytelling and identifying and working with inspiring creators that can continue to elevate the animation industry.
Rachel Sklar is Manager of Creative Affairs at EveryWhere Studios, an independent production company.
EveryWhere produces both series and films with a large focus on book adaptations. EveryWhere's development slate includes a new adaptation from Liane Moriarty, films with Viola Davis’ JuVee Productions and Big Beach, a true crime limited series with UCP, and more.
Past work includes SAME TIME, NEXT CHRISTMAS (ABC), DATE MY DAD (Up Network) and WHO KILLED JONBENET RAMSEY (Lifetime).
Rachel graduated from Carleton College with a bachelor’s in Cinema and Media Studies.