On April 8, the Asian American Committee’s meeting featured the panel discussion, Meet the Streamers. In a conversation moderated by Director Sam Kadi, Netflix’s Director of Original Films Christina Rogers and Hulu’s VP of Drama Content Development Tony Tompson discussed best practices for pitching, their respective development processes and the evolving role of streaming in the entertainment industry.
During the conversation, Tompson recalled that the best Director pitches are highly visual, tonal, thoughtful, and have comps for casting. Rogers highlighted the importance of believing in the storyteller’s vision with the most effective pitches coming from those who are very well prepared, get to the point quickly and are entertaining enough to hold the viewer’s attention.
While there are many development paths a project may take, Tompson encouraged members to develop their own styles and utilize film festivals and YouTube as avenues for self-promotion. Rogers agreed, noting that Netflix has staff regularly scouring film festivals and Youtube for emerging talent.
About the Asian American Committee:
The Asian American Committee (AAC) was created as a networking group to provide a forum for interests and issues that concern Asian-American Guild members. Through outreach efforts in the entertainment industry that emphasize career development and skills enhancement, the committee provides a variety of networking opportunities as well as screenings, seminars and discussions with industry professionals.
