Tuesday, June 9, 2026 

James Bridges Theater, Melnitz Hall, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

Get ready for an unforgettable night at Producers Marketplace!

On Tuesday, June 9th, four standout graduate students from the UCLA Producers Program will take center stage to pitch their original feature film or television projects to a panel of elite industry judges—live!

In this showdown, finalists will present their best pitch in a lightning round of creativity and strategy, followed by a round of probing questions from the judges about their vision and funding plans. Two top honors are up for grabs: the Dan Angel Family Producers Award, chosen by the judges, and the Barbara Boyle Promising Producers Prize, picked by the audience.

Don’t miss this dynamic evening of bold ideas, real-world insights, and the next generation of producing talent!

Hosts: Caitlin Carmichael & Marina Klimann

Faculty Speaker: Paul Green

Paul Green is the co-President of ClearCube Productions (The Medler, Joika). He is in preproduction on the feature film Standing Bear and in active development on the limited series The King of Late Night about the life and times of legendary Tonight Show host Johnny Carson.  The series was created by David Milch (NYPD Blue, Deadwood) and will be directed in part by Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents, Bombshell). Paul previously served as the President of Anonymous Content, Executive Vice President for Propaganda Films and as a Business Affairs Executive at the Walt Disney Studios. He has developed, supervised, and produced over one hundred film and television projects including Academy Award-winning films and Emmy Award-winning TV series such as Babel, The Revenant, Spotlight, Mr. Robot and True Detective. Paul is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, and he lectures at the University of California Los Angeles School of Theater, Film & Television.

 

The Judges

TARA JOSHI – Director, Drama Development at Fox Ent. Studios

TYLER KONNEY – President, Taylor & Dodge

REGINA “GENIE” THOMAS – Producer, Original Film at Netflix

The Finalists

AMANDA LEE

Bio: Amanda Lee is a filmmaker, producer, and MFA candidate in the UCLA Producers Program. She is passionate about genre storytelling and championing female voices of color in spaces where they are often underrepresented. With over five years of experience in physical production, Amanda has worked across commercials, television, and film, and has interned at companies including Universal Music Group, Atomic Monster, Roadside Attractions, and Project X Entertainment. She is currently building her career as a producer and filmmaker in Los Angeles, with the long-term goal of founding her own production company dedicated to bold, character-driven storytelling in the genre space.

 

 

 

 

Project: AKANE (Independent Feature Film, Horror)

Logline: A young woman begins a new job at an art gallery that becomes a nightmare after she discovers a cursed painting of a geisha—awakening a vengeful spirit that forces her to confront the darkness within both the art world and herself.

 

CORY BISHOP

Bio: Cory Bishop is a Washington, D.C.-area writer-producer with over a decade of experience across news, late-night television, scripted comedy, and independent film. A Hampton University graduate, he spent six years on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS) and earned an Associate Producer credit on the Emmy-nominated The Problem with Jon Stewart (Apple TV+). His credits also span Al Jazeera America, MTV, TBS, Showtime, and PBS. Cory enrolled in UCLA’s MFA Producers Program to deepen his craft on the creative and business sides of filmmaking. While at UCLA, he has completed development internships at Valhalla Entertainment, Skydance Television, Project X Entertainment, and Roadside Attractions. His thesis project marks his first exploration of animation, a natural extension of his long-standing interest in genre-forward, character-driven storytelling. After graduation, Cory plans to pursue development and creative production opportunities.

 

 

Project: Bodega Cats (TV/Digital, Animation, half-hour)

Logline: In a magical version of New York City where monsters are real and being a witch is like having a 9-to-5, a monster hunter, a talking cat, and a witch in grad school have to deal with rent, romance, and stopping the occasional apocalypse.

 

MAYA SOPHIA BRASLAW

Bio: Maya Sophia is an independent producer from Southern California whose work explores the intersection of philosophy, identity, and emotional experience. Of mixed heritage, she draws on both personal and academic influences to develop stories that balance grounded human relationships with surreal, introspective elements. She began producing at 17 and is an alum of The Ghetto Film School. Maya studied Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego, where her interest in existential thought and meaning-making began shaping her creative voice. She started her industry career at Madison Wells before working with the directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, where she met her mentor, Jonathan Wang. Most recently, she worked with Josh Peters at Spark Features, where she gained experience supporting projects through development labs, including Sundance and Film Independent. She is currently a candidate in UCLA’s Producers Program, where she continues to develop films that reflect her interest in surreal realism and philosophical storytelling.

 

 

Project: Crocodile (Independent Feature Film, Drama)

Logline: In a dreamlike Florida swamp, an expectant father finds himself out of place hunting alligators, where his encounter with a crocodile draws him into a dangerous fixation.

 

LAURA B. ABELLAN

Bio: Laura B. Abellan is a Spanish film producer based in Los Angeles, completing her MFA in the Producers Program at UCLA. Her professional journey includes physical production, development, independent producing, and sales and distribution, with credits in Fear the Walking Dead, The Long Game, and Loki, as well as recent experiences at Gaumont, Valhalla Entertainment, and West Side Pictures. She has recently produced several short films that are beginning their festival run, collaborating with different filmmakers and perspectives on the topics of identity and transformation. Laura’s work blends the rawness of reality with the magic of everyday life, championing female-led, coming-of-age stories about what it means to grow up, to belong, and to build community. She recently co-founded the Loving Latino Film Festival with two of her cohort friends to celebrate Latin storytelling on campus, bringing an international and collaborative approach to bridge stories that move between cultures, languages, and traditions.

 

 

Project: Dreamer (TV, half-hour)

Logline: When aging out of her immigration status after turning twenty-one, Zoe, a brave Latina raised in East LA, will do anything to secure a student visa to stay in the country. But as she discovers the importance of friendship, family, and helping others, she’ll come to terms with her lack of belonging while reclaiming for herself the only home she’s known.