Our Judging Panel

Cinzia Coassin started her career as a theatre/film and television actor. Challenging herself to develop ideas has led her to expand in all areas of the entertainment Industry. Nurturing cultural identity in family relationships on a universal scale has always been extremely present in her project choice previously leading her to work in association with The Multi-Cultural Arts Festival, Carnivale. Producing a short film festival - Ten to One, providing a platform for writers/producers/directors from culturally diverse backgrounds to showcase their stories/films. During the two seasons of Ten to One Cinzia requested that the filmmakers donate a prop from their film to then be auctioned off - donating the proceeds to The Childrens Starlight Foundation. Cinzia later found herself being nurtured in the Industry; by landing herself the role of Faith Martins Casting Assistant this allowed her to explore the film and television industry from another perspective, assisting on The Strip and Blood Brothers for the 9 Network, Spartacus, Blood and Sand; Spartacus, Gods of the Arena; Spartacus, Vegeance; Legend of the Seeker; K9 (children series), and the feature films 33 POSTCARDS; THE KING IS DEAD; SATELLITE BOY; EVIL DEAD (the re-make); CABIN IN THE WOODS ; four ABC USA pilot season. FOX, CBS, NBC. As a seasoned Casting Associate and industry professional Cinzia went on to guest star and thrive at Christine King Casting, where she was involved in the casting process for THE KINGS DAUGHTER; THE DRESSMAKER; KILL ME THREE TIMES; Camp (NBC, USA); the 2014 CBS pilot season; The Code; and Hiding (ABC Australia). Also involved with the Australian search for the hit HBO series Game of Thrones; Hercules; The Shannara Chronicles; The Badlands; and THE BFG. Cinzias U.S searches thus far also include Disneys A WRINKLE IN TIME and UGLY a true story based on Super Model Stacey Mckenzies life story. In 2019 Cinzia was nominated for a Casting Guild Award for Best Casting in a Feature Film for her work on UNSOUND, an Australian Feature Film supporting disability and diversity. UNSOUND also received an AACTA nomination for Best Indie Feature Film in 2020. As Casting Director on the Action Sci-Fi Feature OCCUPATION - Rainfall, Cinzia also took on the challenge of co-ordinating all the Background Artist/ Extras. In addition Cinzia cast , Suka, a choose your own adventure action series shooting in Sydney and Weapons of Choice a TV series shooting in QLD, Australia. Cinzia has a very busy slate across 2023/24 with many more feature film and tv projects that are in preliminary stages of production. Also recently becoming involved with attaching finance to film and tv projects has contributed to Cinzia developing ideas with teams of creatives. Cinzia is also a proud mother, daughter and sister.

David graduated from Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art to become anaward winning Stage and Screen Actor He has played major roles for the Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company He was also in the first Australian ROCKY HORROR SHOW David's TV and film credits include MAD MAX and MY FIRST WIFE and his multi award-winning performance in the TV mini-series WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE He is also an acclaimed VOICE OVER ARTIST David has also directed many TV Drama's including STATE CORONER GOOD GUYS BAD GUYS his AFI-award winning episode of THE WAYNE MANIFESTO the ABC's SEACHANGE Jonathan MShiff's WICKED SCIENCE and was Set-Up and Series Director for the undercover cop series STINGERS David also Directed many episodes of CITY HOMICIDE and was the Voice Director on the Media WorldBBCDisney Children's TV series DOGSTAR David is an Associate at the VCA School of Drama having run their FILM and TVCourse He also conducts Directing Workshops at the VCA FILM and TV SCHOOL and holds Screen Performance Workshops at 16th STREET FTSI and TAFTA

Im an AACTA and 3 x Australian Directors Guild (ADG) nominee Australian film and television director. My work draws heavily on my experiences growing up in Alice Springs and living with a disability to explore unique characters through a compassionate but darkly comic lens. I began making films in 2007 after a motorcycle accident led to me becoming a paraplegic. One of my early projects was filming the National Motocross Championship, and after realising I was out of my depth, I moved to Melbourne in to study film making. My graduating film, A Static Wind, won Best Tertiary Short Fiction at the 2016 ATOM awards and earned me a finalist position in the 2017 Lexus Australia Short Film Fellowship. I produced and starred in the feature documentary Finke:There and Back with Brindle Films, which was distributed by Madman Entertainment. The following year, I directed Burlesque Blokes, a 22-minute documentary exploring the life of an Australian male stripper, with over 3 million views online. I also directed The Legend of Burnout Barry, a TV special for ABC and ACTF, which earned me a nomination for Best Direction in a Childrens Program at the 2020 ADG Awards. In 2021, I made my series direction debut, directing two episodes of the ABC Kids/Netflix series MaveriX, where I also served as a co-creator with Rachel Clements and Sam Meikle. The show was nominated for Best Kids Television Show at the 2022 AACTA Awards and I received two further ADG nominations. Recently, I directed the short film Dont Come In Yet! featuring Oli Pizzey-Stratford, Ella Newton, Toby Truslove, and Warwick Capper. The film is currently on the festival circuit, having screened at; CinefestOZ, Flickerfest, St Kilda, Dances with Films and Calgary International Film Festival. I was listed as one of Inside Films RISING STARS director for 2022. In the same year, I directed the documentary We Are Sexual Beings for SBS/NITV, which explores what its like to be young, disabled, and sexual in modern Australia. Additionally, I served as series director for the 15-episode web series Wildlifers for ABC ME. I currently have several projects having received development finding, including SHAFTED, a dark comedy about a FIFO worker injured in a mining accident, and HARD AS PUCK, a feature documentary following Australias first national Para Ice Hockey team as they attend the world championshipsthink Cool Runnings meets Murderball.

With numerous award-winning credits to her name Lisa Duff's producing career spans over 20 years Her feature film credits include producer of feature films Last Train to Freo Last Cab to Darwin starring Michael Caton and the Academy Award nominated Jacki Weaver and Unindian the first feature film financed by the Australia India Film Fund starring Brett Lee and Tannishtha Chatterjee Lisa was producer of the critically acclaimed documentary Sexing the Label for SBS and theatrical release in Australia The Future Makers for Discovery Channel and a number of short TV dramas and documentaries for Australian broadcasters including drama Road for SBS and Leah Purcell's short drama Aunty Maggie amp The Womba Wakgun for the ABC's series The New Black Lisa has completed a Masters thesis on the impact of the global film industry on Australian film making culture has a Juris Doctor degree and most recently worked as a Senior Production Investment and Development Manager at Screen Australia for 5 years overseeing feature film and TV drama projects

Nick has appeared on radio, stage and screen across Australia, the UK and the USA. Stage credits include Alice In Wonderland, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical, Orry, Old Frenemies, Ruben Guthrie, Girls Night Out, 52 Pick Up, Cliffhanger, Something Cloudy Something Clear, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Nursery Crimes, Snow White and many more. TV credits include Pure Genius (CBS), The Emmy winning Socal Connected (KCET Los Angeles), Home and Away, All Saints and Saturday Disney (Network 7), Video Hits (Ten), Watch Your Own Wednesday and The Big Help News (Nickleodeon), Changi, Creature Features, Nick Gets The Knack, Kids in the Garden, Rollercoaster Video Chat and the Young Performers Awards (ABC TV), Flat Chat and Tanya and Floyd (Nine Network), Pizza (SBS). Nicks film credits include Love and Penguins, The Truth About Taro, Boytown, Liquid Bridge and 12 Pound Balls for which he also won best original composition for the song One Champion at the Portland International Comedy Film Festival. Nick is also an accomplished writer, producer and recording artist, having released albums through ABC Music, Shock Records, Universal and Warner records including his self-titled pop record that was named one of the top 20 albums of the year of its release by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Travis is an award-winning actor and film maker best known for his roles in blockbuster Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Angelina Jolies Unbroken, Gallipoli, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Other credits include Top End Wedding, Danger Close, Preacher, Love Child, and Heartbreak High. In 2024, Travis made his writing debut with Dusty, a multi-award-winning short film that has earned Best Film,Best Actor, Best Director, Best Makeup, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design honours across Australian and international film festivals. He will next be seen in upcoming dark comedy Birthright, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.

Tsu Shan Chambers, is a former Senior Executive turned Actor/Writer/Producer, passionate about bringing awareness to issues that matter through telling provoking stories. In 2023 she was elected to the SPA Council, IF Magazines Rising Talent List and was included in the inaugural AA122 list - recognising Asian Australians who have had the most impact on Australian culture. Tsu Shan was also awarded the Charlies Grant Residency with AiF in 2021. In 2022, Tsu Shan was selected in the AWG/Create NSWs First Break. She has also been selected to be on numerous industry committees, including the Diversity Justice Lens group for screen equity and inclusion and the AFTRS Alumni Advisory Group. Tsu Shan produced feature, UNSOUND, about deaf culture and pride. It won and was nominated for a raft of key industry awards including Best Indie Film at the AACTA awards in 2020 and has obtained distribution in multiple international territories, including Netflx in ANZ and Fuse TV in the US. She produced SUKA, a multi-cultural action drama, supported by ScreenNSW that broadcast on Ch9 in 2023 and was a top pick on Prime. Tsu Shans latest feature that she co-wrote/produced, MY EYES, a heartfelt family drama inspired by true events starring Adam Garcia (Coyote Ugly) and Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club) released theatrically across Australia and the U.S. in June 2025.

Niyati Libotte is an award-winning director, creative producer and musician working across film, television and digital media. Her work focuses on empathy, impact and amplifying voices, particularly those that are underrepresented. Alongside her professional practice, Niyati has lectured at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), working with emerging filmmakers on the creation of over 150 short films. She has also collaborated with Indigenous youth through Directing the Hero Within, and mentored students with disability through the Academy of Media and Focus on Ability Awards. Her screen work includes directing Growing Home with Jamie Durie (Channel 7, 2024), producing Australian Fashion: Past, Present & Future (SBS, 2025), and the Emmy-winning climate drama Scorched (Network 9, 2008). Her work in the disability space includes the ABC feature Duncan’s Story, as well as a biopic in development about an Australian of the Year. Niyati favours films that feel honest, carry a point of view, and stay with you, grounded in the belief that stories really can change the world.

ER Ruiz was born in Los Angeles California is an American actorburn survivor who played the role of Gillon the FX original series Sons of Anarchy Making his debut on the episode The Revelator in the series' first season ER portraying a lead member of the One-Niners His most recent projects includes BET The Family Business' Stephen King's Lisey's Story on Apple amp Worth with Micheal Keaton directed by Sara Colangelo for Netflix Sept 2021

Judi Levine has had an extensive producing career in feature films, television mini-series and documentaries, and has been associated with award-winning film projects since her first short feature PLEAD GUILTY, GET A BOND won an AFI award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film. Levine produced the award-winning feature film THE SESSIONS starring Oscar-winner Helen Hunt, and Oscar-nominees John Hawkes and William H. Macy. A highlight of Levines career, the film won numerous international awards including Audience Awards at the Sundance, San Sebastian and Mill Valley Film Festivals, a Sundance Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Cast, and acting nominations and awards at the Independent Spirit, Golden Globe and Academy Awards. In 2017, Levine was a co-producer on the WWII drama THE CATCHER WAS A SPY starring Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti and Guy Pearce which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and opened across the US that same year. Levine recently completed the romantic comedy FALLING FOR FIGARO starring Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald due for release in 2021, and is currently producing the comedic drama HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN, in Perth, Western Australia. While Levine has a number of projects in development through her company Such Much Films, she also tours with the seminars JUMPSTART HOLLYWOOD, aimed at helping aspiring artists find an easier path to establishing themselves in Hollywood.

Nicole Lynn Evans was selected as one of the TOP 20 Actors from Historically Underrepresented Communities in 2020 by the Casting Society of America She can currently be seen in her recurring roles on SUPERSTORE NBC GOOD TROUBLE freeform and SPECIAL season 2 Netflix - coming soon

Bryanna Reynolds is an Australian-born documentary filmmaker, director, and producer based in Los Angeles. Before transitioning into directing documentaries, she built a career producing more than 200 episodes of unscripted television across the United States, Canada, and Australia. Her credits include The Curse of Oak Island for the History Channel, Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch, and Filthy Fortunes for Warner Bros. Discovery. Drawing on years of experience crafting compelling factual stories in fast-paced television, Bryanna founded Jurassic Spud Productions to create cinematic documentaries that celebrate extraordinary people and the communities that shape them. Bryanna is passionate about documentary filmmaking because she believes real stories have the power to connect, educate, and inspire. She is drawn to subjects that spark curiosity and leave audiences with a deeper appreciation for the world around them, whether that is through stories of community, science, exploration, or human perseverance. Her recent projects include The Last Eight, a documentary celebrating the volunteers behind the iconic Rose Parade, and Outback to Orbit, her debut feature documentary. Through every film she creates, Bryanna strives to preserve meaningful stories, amplify remarkable voices, and remind audiences that some of the most extraordinary stories are the ones happening in real life. Bryanna is honored to be part of the Focus On Ability Short Film Festival and is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the festival. She believes festivals like Focus On Ability play an important role in celebrating diverse voices, fostering meaningful conversations, and showcasing the power of documentary storytelling to inspire positive change.

Entrepreneur, Executive, Financial Educator, Media Producer Brian Altounian's background includes business development, finance, operations and administration, and he has applied his skills to a variety of start-ups, Fortune 100 companies, and public and private organizations.  He currently provides financial advice to individuals, families and companies, working in the areas of investments and insurance products and services through his Harbor Light Financial Strategies and just completed 5 years as the co-founder/co-host of a weekly podcast supporting the Special Needs community called Just Two Dads. Altounian’s expertise is in the area of developing corporate infrastructure, and preparing early-stage companies to access capital through the public equity markets and via private equity. He was a Board director, COO and President of Platinum Studios, Inc., a publicly-traded entertainment company that controlled an international library of comic book characters which it adapted, produced and licensed for all forms of media. In addition to his experience with startup technology and intellectual property companies, Altounian has worked extensively in the entertainment industry.  He was Executive Producer on the romantic comedy feature film Audrey; he was the company representative for Platinum Studios on the feature film Cowboys & Aliens and was Co-Producer on the feature film Dylan Dog: Dead of Night; he served as Executive Producer of the documentary, Lost in Woonsocket and Consulting Producer on the reality television series Random 1. He has worked on numerous television series including The National Geographic Television Specials for NBC, a number of children’s series for Nickelodeon and Disney Channel and countless other national documentary series for PBS Affiliate WQED in Pittsburgh.  Altounian also serves as Producer and Executive Producer on a number of feature films and television projects currently in development. Altounian holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCLA. He recently served as Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Hollywood YMCA. He sits on the Board of YIC Unity, an educational program preparing young adults with disabilities for positions in music and entertainment.

Danny J. Gomez — is a professional actor who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2016 mountain bike accident that nearly killed him. He is best known for roles in such hit shows as NCIS: Hawai’i, New Amsterdam, All Rise, and feature film Martinez Margaritas and Murder . He is a two-time Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winner, for the films I/0 (2019) and Check Mate (2018), and was nominated for best actor for The Deadline (2025) which he produced and directed. He was awarded the Christopher Reeves Acting Scholarship in 2020. Most recently, Danny completed a successful Off-Broadway run in the play All of Me ,alongside Kyra Sedgwick, which garnered rave reviews and earned him a Drama Desk Award nomination for outstanding lead in a play.

Lucy McNulty (she/her) is an award-winning actor, filmmaker, and founder of Strange Company Productions, a boutique production company dedicated to championing underrepresented voices and telling female-centered, socially conscious stories. Her directorial debut CHICKEN—which she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in—won Jury’s Choice and the DEAI Award at the Thomas Edison Film Festival, alongside a Leo Award, Best Script at Santa Barbara ShortFest, and Best Performance at Oska Bright (UK). The film was acquired by CBC and screened at over 40 international festivals. Through Strange Company, Lucy has produced a growing slate of acclaimed films including Attendance (Whistler 2024, Pendance 2025), The Ballad of Niall McNeil (a spaghetti western musical created by and starring Niall McNeil), Rupture (about the gender pain gap), and How Brief, starring Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany and directed by Kelly McCormack. She is also a co-founder of DropShock Pictures, producing the genre-breaking feature Hunting Matthew Nichols, named one of Deadline’s “2025 Horror Movies to Watch.” A graduate of Studio 58’s acting conservatory and a 2024 resident of the CFC’s Norman Jewison Film Program, Lucy serves as President of Wet Ink Collective—a writer-led initiative for women in film and theatre. She’s drawn to bold, character-driven storytelling and is committed to making films that challenge convention, reflect the complexity of real life, and expand who gets to be seen and heard on screen.

Nicole Danek MacNaughton is a talent manager, producer, and co-founder of Untamed Artists LA, based in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. She represents a roster of actors working across film and television, with clients appearing in projects including The Pitt, Homestead, The Rookie, and 9-1-1. As a producer, Nicole recently produced My Type, a Super 16mm short film directed by Daniela Ruah that premiered at the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival and has since screened at BAFTA-qualifying festivals in Europe. The film will next screen at LA Shorts International Film Festival, a BAFTA- and Academy Award-qualifying festival. She also produced Reeling, which premiered in competition at SXSW 2025 before being acquired for distribution by NEON. Through her production company, High High Productions, Nicole develops filmmaker-driven scripted and documentary projects. She continues to work at the intersection of talent representation and independent film, championing distinctive voices and stories with lasting impact.

Alyssa Stratton is an accomplished, Los Angeles-based screenwriter and author whose credits span major global networks and international film festivals. An alumnus of the prestigious London Film School, Alyssa has written over 40 episodes of television airing across Disney Junior, Warner Bros., Netflix, and HBO Max, including work on the GLAAD Award-winning series Firebuds. Her original filmmaking and screenwriting have earned critical acclaim, with her short film The Idea of Growing Old winning the Audience Award at the Citizen Jane Film Festival, and her script Poodle Lagoon taking "Best of the Fest" at the 2025 LA Animation Festival and honors at the 2026 British Animation Festival. Beyond her extensive work for the screen, Alyssa has authored eight picture books, all about discovering awe and celebrating the wonderment of nature.

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.

Sarah Barton is a 2010 Churchill Fellow with 30 years filmmaking experience mainly with the disability community. Her first film Untold Desires (1994) about sexuality and disability won the first Logie Award for SBS television and an AFI Award. In 2003 Sarah created and produced 70 episodes of the award winning disability community television series No Limits. In 2017 Sarahs feature documentary Defiant Lives about the disability rights movement premiered at Sydney Film Festival and also screened at the United Nations in New York. Sarah runs a video on demand service dedicated to streaming great films about disability. In 2024 Sarah was the key support person for her daughter Stella who competed in the Paris Paralympics in para-dressage.

Sarah E. Faheys notable work includes her significant contributions to Vh1s Hit The Floor (featuring Teyana Taylor, Logan Browning, Taylour Paige, and Kimberly Elise) from 2012 to 2019. Her role spanned across various aspects of the show, including producing over forty episodes, writing five episodes, and guest-starring in two episodes. She also demonstrated her creative prowess by writing, creating, and directing the Emmy-qualifying, supplementary series Dancers Diaries, which aired on Vh1 and Vh1 digital. Prior to her tenure on the staff of Hit The Floor, Sarah showcased her versatility by creating digital content for esteemed companies such as Universal, Disney, ABC, and Viacom. Her writing skills are also evident in her work for ABC primetime hits No Ordinary Family, Brothers & Sisters, Eli Stone, and Dirty, Sexy, Money. In the summer of 2009, Sarah returned to her hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, to work on the Academy Award-nominated film The Fighter. Sarah holds an M.F.A. from Emerson College, a B.F.A. from the University of Massachusetts and attended the Southampton Writers Conference in New York as a workshop apprentice to Playwright Joe Pintaro, Poet Laureate Billy Collins, and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Frank McCourt. Her screenwriting has placed her on the short list for several coveted competitions such as Sundance Episodic Lab, Warner Brothers Writers Workshop and the ABC/Disney Writing Fellowship. Outside of writing and producing, Sarah has also worked on the agency and development side of the industry. She worked as a TV Lit Assistant at CAA and then supported Jon Harmon Feldman at his ABC banner Oh that Gus, during which time he sold three pilots. Sarah also worked as Manager of Development for Craig Ferguson and Tracey Pakostas Green Mountain West. Projects penned by Fahey have been developed with Westbrook, MarVista, FX, Kerner Entertainment, Wildline Entertainment, Warner Horizon, Echo Lake and ABC Studios. Sarah E. Fahey is a Writers Guild of America, Television Academy and Women in Film member. She also utlizes her talents to advocate for the OneLegacy Foundation, The Sandy Hook Promise, Everytown, and PEN America.

Most recently, Sybil and her writing partner, Michael Ellis sold their female-driven, sportsthemed, feature dramedy, SEEING FAITH, to Hallmark in 2024 . They are currently in the last stages of development. 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 X-Men 1 and 2, The Watchmen) as EP. Sybil began her career producing and starring in much sought-after Sundance and Los Angeles Film Festival hit independent films. As an actress, she went on to star opposite Helen Mirren in the life story of Ayn Rand for Showtime and many other films and television series, including the lead female role, opposite Ving Rhames, in the reboot of Kojak, for USA Network. Sybil was then granted a coveted Producing Fellowship at Film Independents Producers lab and concurrently began writing her first short, PIECE A CAKE, which premiered through Women in Film and The American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. Sybils debut feature as co-writerproducer soon followed with AUDREY, which premiered in theaters, presented by Helen Mirren and PopSugar. Sybil then began writing and developing ANNIE TAKES OFF, a digital comedy series for Influencer superstar IJustine. Next, ANNIE TAKES OFF was optioned by Trium/INE. Soon after, Sybil and Michael developed a half-hour comedy for Jay Scherick and David Ronn. Concurrently, Sybil was hired by Oscar and Tony Award Winner, John Patrick Shanley, as script assistant, after he discovered her comedy writing on Twitter. Following that up, Sybil began working for Showrunner/Executive Producer, Janine Sherman Barrois, (CLAWS, ER, CRIMINAL MINDS) doing story notes for her on her series created with John Wells. Subsequently, Sybil was hired by Janine and Eliot Laurence, show creator of CLAWS, on TNT, as the in-room Writers Assistant on the show. Barbra Streisand then hired Sybil as her film assistant for her upcoming historical biopic. More recently, Sybil was Showrunners assistant to Pamela Adlon on her series, BETTER THINGS, on FX, which debuted its last season this year. Sybil is currently developing, PREP, a half-hour dramedy, about her life as the only scholarship student in the worlds most prestigious Prep/Boarding School.

Gil Seltzer is a screenwriter based in NYC with roots in South America and the Middle East. He crafts pressure cooker scenarios that focus on characters who are on the outside looking in and struggling to make connections. He’s won the Page Award, has been selected for Roadmap’s writing program and is a Stowe Story Lab fellow. He’s also a Sundance, Tribeca and SXSW-award winning film editor who recently worked with director Bradley Cooper on “Is This Thing On”, starring Laura Dern and Will Arnett.