Pitchfest Schedule

30 MAY

Stuart Arbury - Director of TV & Episodic Content, Ramo Law

30 MAY

Nathan Samdahl - Creative Executive, Parmount

30 MAY

Jairo Alvarado - Literary Manager, Redifine Entertainment

30 MAY

Matt Kniaz - Manager, Industry Entertainment

30 MAY

Paradigm -

30 MAY

Sapna Vyas - Manager, Lifetime

30 MAY

Sophia Sikora - Creative Executive, Legendary

31 MAY

UTA (First Time Exec With Us!) -

Online PitchFest - Big Dogs V

Entry Fee (Skype or Written): $45 per session

Online PitchFest - Big Dogs V

We are thrilled to announce our new pitching perks for our Online PitchFests:

  • Sign up for any pitch session and your logline will be seen by all executives participating in that Online PitchFest at no additional cost.
  • Also, by signing up for any pitch session you will receive interviews from all the executives from that Online PitchFest.

We have seen a number of success stories recently and the executives we have brought in over the past few weeks have been really impressed by the caliber of pitches coming through. So it makes sense that our next Online PitchFest we bring our Big Dogs back! We are bringing you some of the biggest and most prestigious companies in the industry. On tap we have ICM, Dreamworks, Paradigm, Dimension Films, Paramount, Lifetime, Gersh, UTA, The Weinstein Company, Industry Entertainment and Circle of Confusion.

Please be sure to check out some of the recent successes we mentioned from our online pitchfests below, and in our success stories section. Also, read what our executives and writers are saying about these groundbreaking Stage 32 Happy Writer Online PitchFests here! Every month we will spotlight a success story from a Stage 32 Happy Writers member and that writer will be featured in Robert McKee's STORY Magazine.

PLEASE NOTE: These companies do NOT accept unsolicited material. Do not reach out to the executives directly as they do not accept unsolicited material.

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Company Executives

Stuart Arbury

Stuart Arbury - Director of TV & Episodic Content, Ramo Law

Stu Arbury has been with Ramo Law since 2017, where he works with the attorneys to review, collaborate, develop, submit and supervise creative materials on behalf of clients within the firm.

Recently, Stu put together the sale of Amazon Prime’s ALWAYS JANE Docuseries on behalf of a Ramo Law client. He’s placed TV projects with a number of high profile producers and actors, including Sophia Vergara and Peter Dinklage, and has projects in numerous stages of development at top buyers and streamers.

Prior to joining the Ramo team, Stu served as Director of Development at Captivate Entertainment (THE BOURNE IDENTITY series) and Creative Executive at Dimension Films (SCREAM).

Stu specializes in TV packaging and sales and helps oversee creative content represented by the firm.

 

Stu looks for all genres and formats of episodic, scripted or unscripted series. Scripted Projects based in IP have stronger prospects, especially genre titles, and unscripted series are in better positions if there is accompanying media and/or celebrity involvement.

 


Note: If requested, Ramo Law will charge a discounted review fee to fully assess materials and work for an hourly rate to shepherd the project or on percentage if the project has some sellable elements attached. This is all dependent on the project's fit; to read, develop, package and/or sell your content. Questions? Email writerhelp@stage32.com


 

Company credits include:

Stuart ArburyStuart ArburyStuart ArburyStuart ArburyStuart Arbury

Nathan Samdahl

Nathan Samdahl - Creative Executive, Parmount

Nathan was recently promoted to creative executive at Paramount Studios. Before working at Paramount Studios, he worked in development at Paramount Insurge which was Paramount's indie division specializing in projects under $5M, Nathan worked at agency powerhouse APA in the lit department. He originally worked for agents Debbie Deuble, Sheryl Peterson and Sarah Amico before being promoted to features coordinator. Before APA he read and developed scripts at Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (MONEYBALL, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES) and New Regency Productions (MR AND MRS SMITH).

Jairo Alvarado

Jairo Alvarado - Literary Manager, Redifine Entertainment

Jairo Alvarado is a Literary Manager at Circle of a Confusion, a leading management and production company with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Circle and their clients have worked on some of the biggest releases in film, television and online including Oscar-winners and Nominees THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, THE MATRIX, COCO, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, MUDBOUND, and ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY; as well as commercial hits including BLACK PANTHER, "The Walking Dead", THE BOOK OF ELI"Alias Grace", THE SHALLOWS, "Sense8", V FOR VENDETTA, JOHN WICK, "Outcast", and THE CONJURING.

Jairo Alvarado's eye to develop high concepts and genre work is what led him to Circle of Confusion. As a manager, Jairo is responsible for discovering Amsterdam-based filmmaker Mischa Rozema and developing his short film Sundays which sparked a multi-studio bidding war and was eventually acquired by Warner Bros. for a 7-figure development deal.

 

Prior to joining Circle of Confusion, Jairo built a reputation for finding up and coming talent working as a Manager at 3 Arts Entertainment and as a Creative Executive at Warner Bros., where in 2009 he was credited for spotting Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez and his short Panic Attack! Alvarez would go on to direct EVIL DEAD and DON'T BREATHE.

 

Jairo Specializes in Big Action Features and High-Concept Horror/Suspense in the vein of THE OTHERS or LIGHTS OUT.

 

Company and client credits include:

Jairo AlvaradoJairo AlvaradoJairo AlvaradoJairo Alvarado

 

 


 Guidelines

  • You may only pitch ONE project per reservation. Execs are looking for projects they can develop, NOT portfolios.
  • You should have a completed script available upon request for the project you pitch.
  • Do not reach out to the executives unless directed by Stage 32. They do NOT accept unsolicited material or appreciate being cold-called/emailed by strangers.
  • Missed reservations are not refundable and will not be rescheduled.

Live Pitches

Within 15 minutes of your scheduled pitch, the exec will reach out by Skype or Phone. Your pitch session will last approximately 8 minutes.

Written Pitches

Written Pitches will be no more than 2 pages submitted as a PDF or WORD document. Any written pitch uploaded past the deadline will not be shown to the executive and will result in a non-refundable forfeiture of your pitch.

Scorecards

Within 3-4 weeks of your pitch session, you will receive a Pitch Scorecard on which the exec you pitched will provide pitch feedback and note if they are PASSing, or would like to REQUEST your material.

Matt Kniaz

Matt Kniaz - Manager, Industry Entertainment

Matt Kniaz is a Manager at Industry Entertainment, representing clients whose credits include Green Book, Deadpool 2, La La Land, and television's "This Is Us," "Always Sunny," and "Grey's Anatomy"  

Matt 's prior experience includes working in the talent/television packaging department of CAA, and the motion picture talent department at ICM .

Industry Entertainment is a premier production and management company representing talent including Alisha Mullally, Krysten Ritter, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Prepon, and Jimmi Simpson of "Westworld". Industry Entertainment has already signed 3 Stage 32 members!

Industry Entertainment also represents literary clients including:

  • Gary Dauberman (IT, ANNABELLE)
  • Jonathan Herman (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON)
  • Jane Espenson ("Game of Thrones", "Once Upon a Time", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer")
  • Santa Sierra ("Narcos")
  • Harley Voss ("Orange is the New Black", "Mad Men")
  • Michael C Martin ("Lethal Weapon", "Hell on Wheels")
  • David Handelman ("The West Wing", "The Newsroom")
  • Rita Hsiao (MULAN, TOY STORY 2)
  • Angela Nissel ("Scrubs", "The Boondocks")
  • Adam Kane ("American Gods", "Star Trek: Discovery", "Daredevil")
  • Gustin Nash (YOUTH IN REVOLT, CHARLIE BARTLETT)
  • Nick Adams ("New Girl", "People of Earth")
  • Lawrence Kaplow ("House", "Law & Order: SVU")
  • JaSheika Ashel James ("Empire", "Revenge")

Matt is looking for all genres and formats of feature and television. He's especially interested in television comedies and thriller/horror features.

Please no Sci-fi.

Company and client credits include:

Matt KniazMatt KniazMatt KniazMatt Kniaz

 

Paradigm

Paradigm -

Company writers credits are very extensive but some titles include:

  • Role Models
  • Wanderlust
  • Raising Hope (TV)
  • We Are Marshall
  • Dear John
  • American Pie

TIPS ON PITCHING TO PARADIGM:

  • Make sure the conflict is clear in your project.
  • Keep it streamlined. Don't include too many set pieces in your pitch. Don't clout it with too many moving pieces. 
Sapna Vyas

Sapna Vyas - Manager, Lifetime

Sapna Vyas is Manager, Scripted Series Programming and Development, for Lifetime. Based in Los Angeles, she manages both current series, including Devious Maids, from Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria, Lifetime’s fastest-growing scripted program ever; as well as upcoming program UnREAL, Marti Noxon’s dark comedy that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos surrounding the production of a fictitious dating competition program.

Vyas joined Lifetime in 2008, working closely with Nina Lederman, the network’s Senior Vice President, Scripted Series Programming and Development. In this role, she worked on such shows as Army Wives, The Client List andWitches of East End.

Prior to Lifetime, Vyas worked in scripted development at The CW Network, where she worked alongside the teams responsible for Gossip Girl, 90210 and The Vampire Diaries. She began her career in the TV Literary department at Creative Artists Agency.

Originally from Chicago, Vyas graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She also received a Fine Arts Degree from the Natraj Dance Academy.

Sophia Sikora

Sophia Sikora - Creative Executive, Legendary

Legendary is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to mainstream audiences. Credits include Jurassic World, Seventh Son, Interstellar andAs Above/So Below.

UTA (First Time Exec With Us!)

UTA (First Time Exec With Us!) -

UTA (United Talent Agency) is one of the top 3 literary agencies in the industry with over 160 staff members and clients ranging from A-list talent to up and coming filmmakers.

Client credits include:

  • Kill Your Darlings
  • Our Idiot Brother
  • Glee
  • Family Guy
  • Remember Me
  • Like Crazy
  • The Hangover Park II
  • How to Get Away with Murder

Tips on pitching to UTA:

  • Focus on one project. Come in passionately with one project.
  • Streamline it. Keep it concise. The pitch should be no longer than 6 minutes and no longer than 2 pages.
  • Make sure the set pieces in your pitch complement the tone. For example, if you are pitching a comedy make sure there are comedic set pieces in your pitch.
  • Make sure your characters (or at least the protagonist) has redeemable qualities.
 
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