InfoList

SPEAKER SERIES - An Evening With Danny Sussman:

W/ Special Guests Eric Schrier, Peter Traugott & Nancy Gates as they discuss

The Future of Television - On and Off the Screen

Thursday, August 12th @ 7:00 pm

About our guests:

DANNY SUSSMAN, Talent Manager at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, has been an XRT supporter since he first appeared in our Speaker Series evening with John Stamos & Friends last year. He has been a talent representative for over 20 years, and spent the first half of his representation career as a talent agent at The William Morris Agency. At Brillstein, some of his clients include Jimmy Smits, Heather Locklear, John Stamos, Bob Saget, and Noah Wyle. Danny has also been an instructor in a number of classes over the years in and around the Los Angeles area, as well as in Israel.

He is currently a professor at the University of Southern California in the Business and Cinematic Arts Program, and also spent a number of years teaching at UCLA, in addition to teaching several classes outside of the University system. Every semester, Danny instructs a 6 week class about the “business of the biz”, held at XRT, which gives an in-depth insider look into the entertainment business in Los Angeles.

He also teaches acting classes, and will be facilitating an actors showcase in Fall 2010, which will have an audience of some of the top industry professionals in Hollywood.

ERIC SCHRIER is Executive Vice President, FX Productions, overseeing FX’s in house production unit, and Senior Vice President Series Development, overseeing the development of all new original series for the network.

AS EVP of FX Productions, Schrier oversees production and collaborates with FX’s sudio partners, as well as overseeing FX’s interest in foreign sales, home entertainment, new media opportunities and merchandising on all FX original series under the FX Productions banner.

With his recent promotion in July 2008, Schrier is responsible for the development of all new original series for FX, which includes drama, comedy and alternative series. Schrier has been on the fast track at FX, having been promoted Manager of Current Series in June of 2001, then to Director of Current Series in July of 2002, then to Vice President of Current Series and Alternative Programming in March of 2004, then to Senior Vice President FX Original Programming in December of 2005. During his tenure as head of current series from 2001-2008, Schrier had day-to-day oversight of all of FX’s original series: Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning drama The Shield; Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning drama Nip/Tuck; Emmy and award winning drama Damages; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; and 30 Days.

Schrier began his career as an assistant at CAA and then Brillstein-Grey Entertainment before landing at FX. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

PETER TRAUGOTT is the President of Television at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, where he has served in that capacity for the past eight years. (In addition to TV Production, Brillstein Entertainment is also a management company representing actors, writers, and directors including Brad Pitt, Adam Sandler, Courteney Cox, Vin Diesel, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston.) The television company has produced series for all the major broadcast networks, pay cable and basic cable outlets. Shows include The Sopranos, The Larry Sanders Show, According to Jim, Just Shoot Me, News Radio, and Real Time with Bill Maher. The reality series, Strange Days with Bob Saget, premieres on A & E this fall. Peter began at Brillstein Entertainment in 1996 as a Vice President of Development.

Prior to joining BEP, Peter was the Director of Current Programming for Fox Broadcasting, where he worked on several series, including King of the Hill, Party of Five, The Simpsons and Married with Children.

Peter graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley and holds a Masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business.

Nancy Gates - Nancy Mendelson Gates is an agent and Co-Head of the TV Talent department at United Talent Agency, a position she has held since August of 2008. At UTA, she oversees the careers of some of television’s biggest stars, as well as some of the industry’s most exciting emerging talent.

Gates graduated from Barnard College/Columbia University in May 1989 with a degree in Economics. She secured a Masters of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin in May 1993 and followed this with work in Economic Development in New York City. She moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and began her entertainment career in UTA’s Agent Training Program. She was one of the fastest-promoted UTA agents, earning her talent agent stripes in less than two years.

Having worked in the Television Talent department for over 13 years, Gates has been instrumental in growing the agency’s television talent operations, as well as for developing and packaging successful network and cable series.

Among a long list of clients she represents such talented actors as Lake Bell, Jason Biggs, Sarah Chalke, Tim Daly, Kristin Davis, Dana Delaney, Patrick Dempsey, Anna Friel, Brooke Shields, Jessica Simpson, Jimmy Smits and Scott Wolf.

Gates is active in the UTA Foundation and the Barnard College Alumni organization. She is also a founding member of the Step Up Women’s Network.