Jesse Yu – Week 2 – Icon

Emma Needell is a filmmaker from rural Colorado. When Needell was 24 years old, her talent caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey, who came on to produce her breakout script, The Water Man. The Water Man had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews and is now on Netflix, following a summer theatrical release. Needell has since worked with Oscar-winning directors and producers, and on original projects in partnership with Netflix, Anonymous Content, MGM/Orion, Steven Spielberg’s Amblin, Apple, and Viola Davis’s JuVee Productions. She was featured on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020, and is currently directing a hybrid live-action/virtual production short film in partnership with Anonymous Content and Unreal Engine.

Liz Montes, Head of Production at THE THIRD FLOOR and 10 year veteran of VFX driven media oversight including Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Wonder Woman.

Her vast experience and business acumen has elevated Montes to the oversight of a Global Production enterprise, centered in Hollywood that delivers over 100 titles annually. Milestones include pioneering methodology essential for the success of The Mandalorian and a reorganization of production methodology in face of a global pandemic seeing the rise of streaming content and Virtual Production.

Equally at ease on the set or the vision room of Tim Miller’s Terminator 6: Dark Fate, Liz is a sought-after public speaker and mentor, championing dedication and opportunities for underrepresented minority voices in our industry.

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Cory Strassburger