Film Row LEAD is thrilled to announce our FIRST In-Person Speaker Series:
CHANGING LANDSCAPES OF THE WORKPLACE & ON SCREEN
Join us for a live conversation as we highlight the importance of advancement in the workplace and on screen.
From Marketing to Distribution, we will discuss how the film industry is evolving, the positive impact of representation has had throughout the years and the work that still lies ahead.
DATE: Wednesday, April 5th
TIME: 6pm
LOCATION: AMC Century City, Los Angeles, CA
Guest Speakers:
Jocelyn Cruz – Director of Multicultural Film Marketing, Paramount Pictures
Gigi Lestak – Vice-President, Sales, Warner Bros.
LaMont Shedrick – Chief Distribution Officer, Fall Line Entertainment
Nicole Weis – Vice-President, Sales Distribution, A24 Films
Moderated by:
Richard Ioannou – Theatrical Domestic Distribution Manager, Sony Pictures
We will begin promptly at 6pm.
Come with your questions for our panelists and connect with the speakers & Film Row LEAD members for some post-event networking!
We are happy to welcome students to this live event- please share.
This is a FREE EVENT with limited seating, reserve your spot TODAY!
Jocelyn Cruz is the Director of Multicultural Film Marketing at Paramount Pictures.
Jocelyn has been with Paramount for 10 years as she started at the company as a Paramount Page.
She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and as a Latina – representation and perception of People of Color in media is very important to her. Multicultural audiences profoundly impact the box office as we/they show up to the theatre in larger groups and are definite frequent moviegoers.
She finds relatable themes and touch points to authentically reach multicultural consumers in the United States through targeted events and advertisements such as digital, broadcast and radio spots.
Jocelyn is determined to help the next generation see themselves on screen and to continue amplifying People of Color’s voices in the film industry.
Gigi Lestak has been in Theatrical Domestic Distribution for 37 years and counting. After graduating from CSUN with a BA in English, she joined New World Pictures in 1986 as a Western Division sales trainee. She eventually became the salesman/booker for all the Western branches as New World continued to downsize. In 1989, she joined Triumph Releasing (Columbia and Tri Star’s distribution arm) as the San Francisco Sales Manager, and soon became the Los Angeles Sales Manager. In 1994, she joined the stellar distribution team at Warner Bros. as the Los Angeles Sales Manager. Over the years, she was promoted to LA Branch Manager, LA Regional Manager, then Vice President of the Central Division. Today, her title is Vice President, Sales, and she oversees sales efforts in the Eastern Division, the Central Division, and Canada.
Gigi and her husband, Rob live in Thousand Oaks, Ca. They have two fantastic sons, Robby and Trevor. One of 8 children, Gigi grew up in Yonkers NY. in a family who has long embraced the film industry. Her father was a film salesman, and her grandfather worked in accounting at Warner Bros. Several other family members have been in the business as well. Gigi’s passion for the movie business began early. In high school, she worked at the Movieland Theatre in Yonkers, NY (now the Alamo Drafthouse).
Every single day, Gigi knows just how lucky she is to work in this magical business.
LaMont Shedrick is a 20-year plus industry veteran who joined Fox Searchlight as a sales trainee in 1997, LaMont rose through the ranks and moved to the Twentieth Century Fox division, selling larger scale movies domestically to exhibitors, such as AVATAR, X-MEN installments, and DEADPOOL. In 2017, LaMont moved over to Annapurna Pictures and did a stint with Megan Ellison's company as VP of Sales - Eastern. Currently, LaMont is based in Los Angeles and is Chief of Acquisition and Sales with Fall Line Entertainment, a startup production and distribution company based out of Columbus, GA. From his 20+ years' experience, LaMont has distributed 270 films.
Nicole Weis is the VP of Sales in Distribution at A24 Films, she is the day-to-day lead of Theatrical Domestic Sales and Non-Theatrical Sales for A24 Films; theatrical, day-and-date, co-production theatrical releases. Wearing more than a dozen hats working with all internal departments domestically and internationally from production to home entertainment across TV and Brand.
Nicole joined A24 in January 2019, in her 4 years she has released over 50 titles, including but not limited to Uncut Gems, Minari, Midsommar, The Whale, and Everywhere All At Once A24s highest grossing film to date & 11 Oscar Nominations. Prior to joining A24, Nicole spent 7 years at Universal Pictures and Focus Features on the Theatrical Distribution Team.
Nicole received her MBA at Pepperdine School of Business and Management with a focus on Leadership and Strategy, studying abroad at Oxford University. And a bachelor's degree in Marketing and International Business at Oral Roberts University receiving a full-ride Division 1 Volleyball Scholarship. She, her fiancé, and dog live together in Los Angeles.
Richard Ioannou is a Theatrical Domestic Distribution Manager at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Reporting to the EVP & President of Sony Pictures Releasing, he is responsible for supporting the studio in release strategy & departmental management. Originally hired in the New York office as an assistant, he was relocated to the Culver City Lot in 2018 and has been with the company ever since. He is also the Vice President of OUT@Sony Pictures Employee Resource Group, for which he received an Impact Award for his dedication to fostering inclusion at SPE. This is his second term serving on the advisory committee at Film Row.
Richard holds a Master of Science in Corporate Communications from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Hofstra University.