Judging Panel: Mike Ellis

In television, Michael is proud to have worked as a writer/consulting producer on the Netflix smash-hit show, INSATIABLE for two seasons. His first smash hit, was THE WEDDING PLANNER starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, which was number one at the box office two weeks running. Most recently, Michael and his writing partner, Sybil Villette sold their female-driven, sports-themed, feature dramedy, SEEING FAITH, to Hallmark in 2023.
They are currently in the last stages of development with the producers.
Just prior, the duo created the half-hour comedy, RAISING THE BAR, on which Denis Leary and his Amoeba Films, through his deal with Fox, are on board as Producer. Bill Cunningham (Showrunner of Scrubs, The Goldbergs) is Showrunner, as well as David Hayter (writer of Warrior Nun, X-Men 1 and 2, The Watchmen) as EP.
Mike began his career, with his former writing partner, Pam Falk, after Mike went to AFI graduate school and got his M.F.A in screenwriting. Mike and Pam sold their first script, LET THEM EAT CAKE to Disney. After that, they sold projects to Fine Line Films, Savoy Pictures and Destination Pictures.
They then sold TV pilots to ABC and the CW, worked on a Disney animated feature about singing cows, HOME ON THE RANGE. Mike and Pam went on to sell movie pitches to DreamWorks, Working Title, Revolution Studios, Warner Brothers, Sky Dance Pictures and Universal. Theyve written movies for Lindsay Doran, Anne Fletcher, Jason Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vin Diesel, Salma Hayek, Meg Ryan, Dwight Yokam, Ellen Page, America Ferrera, and sold a salsa dancing movie with Sandra Bullock attached to produce and star.
Other credits include consulting producers on the ABC show JAKE IN PROGRESS, adapting the YA novel the A-LIST for Alloy Entertainment and Universal Pictures, and produced an independent movie from their script based on the acclaimed Aimee Bender novel, AN INVISIBLE SIGN OF MY OWN, starring Jessica Alba, Chris Messina and J.K. Simmons. They wrote a sequel to the hit movie, VALENTINES DAY, called, SUPER SUNDAY, about people finding love and happiness at the Super Bowl for Warner Brothers. Next, they sold two TV pilots in the same season, AMERICAN MARRIAGE, a drama with Ellen Pompeo to ABC and a comedy, MARSHA GOES TO JAIL, with Adam Shankman to FOX.
Not long after, Pam and Mike parted ways in 2021 and after that, Michael started writing with Sybil.