Industry Standard w/ Barry Katz

Gavin Polone began his career as an assistant at ICM IN 1985. After becoming an agent, he joined Bauer/Benedek which became United Talent Agency, where Gavin was made partner at age 29. In 1996 he became a manager and producer when he partnered with Judy Hofflund to form Hofflund/Polone which led to being an executive producer on the Emmy-nominated HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm and the CW’s Gilmore Girls. In 2001, he formed the production company, Pariah, where he produced numerous TV shows including NBC’S Revelations, HBO’S Tell Me You Love Me, and TBS’S My Boys. In feature films, he produced HBO’S When Trumpets Fade, New Line’s Drop Dead Gorgeous, Artisan’s Stir of Echoes, Columbia’s Premium Rush, Panic Room, Secret Window and Zombieland, as well as the indy features Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Seeing Other People, Little Manhattan, My Super Ex-Girlfriend for New Regency and 20th Century Fox; Along with Disney’s Primeval and Dreamworks’ Ghost Town. Additionally, Polone has directed multiple episodes of Jane By Designand Twisted and has written numerous articles for publications like The Hollywood Reporter, GQ, and New York Magazine. 

Gavin Polone began his career as an assistant at ICM IN 1985. After becoming an agent, he joined Bauer/Benedek which became United Talent Agency, where Gavin was made partner at age 29. In 1996 he became a manager and producer when he partnered with Judy Hofflund to form Hofflund/Polone which led to being an executive producer on the Emmy-nominated HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm and the CW’s Gilmore Girls. In 2001, he formed the production company, Pariah, where he produced numerous TV shows including NBC’S Revelations, HBO’S Tell Me You Love Me, and TBS’S My Boys. In feature films, he produced HBO’S When Trumpets Fade, New Line’s Drop Dead Gorgeous, Artisan’s Stir of Echoes, Columbia’s Premium Rush, Panic Room, Secret Window and Zombieland, as well as the indy features Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Seeing Other People, Little Manhattan, My Super Ex-Girlfriend for New Regency and 20th Century Fox; Along with Disney’s Primeval and Dreamworks’ Ghost Town. Additionally, Polone has directed multiple episodes of Jane By Design and Twisted and has written numerous articles for publications like The Hollywood Reporter, GQ, and New York Magazine.

Steve McPherson is the former president & chairman of the ABC TV Entertainment Group, overseeing both the studio and network operations.  Under his visionary leadership, he is credited with orchestrating one of the most dramatic network turnarounds in history, transforming  ABC’s fortunes with iconic shows like Lost,Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing With The Stars, and Modern Family. Throughout his 25 year career McPherson has held positions at Witt/Thomas/Harris productions, Fox, ABC Productions, NBC, and the Walt Disney Company and is also responsible for an unparalleled list of classic TV shows, like the CSI, Scrubs, Monk, and The Amazing Race just to name a few. He is regarded as one of the most influential programmers of his generation and has been awarded close to 10 Emmy awards and separately won best show in comedy, drama, animation and reality.

Steve McPherson is the former president & chairman of the ABC TV Entertainment Group, overseeing both the studio and network operations.  Under his visionary leadership, he is credited with orchestrating one of the most dramatic network turnarounds in history, transforming  ABC’s fortunes with iconic shows like Lost,Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing With The Stars, and Modern Family. Throughout his 25 year career McPherson has held positions at Witt/Thomas/Harris productions, Fox, ABC Productions, NBC, and the Walt Disney Company and is also responsible for an unparalleled list of classic TV shows, like the CSI, Scrubs, Monk, and The Amazing Race just to name a few. He is regarded as one of the most influential programmers of his generation and has been awarded close to 10 Emmy awards and separately won best show in comedy, drama, animation and reality.

Illeana Douglas is an award-winning film and television actress, writer, director, and producer. Beginning her career as a stand-up in New York, she was once asked to dub screams for The Last Temptation of Christ, leading to a long collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, during which she appeared in several of his films including GoodFellas and Cape Fear. She has appeared in numerous television shows in guest and recurring roles, including The Larry Sanders Show, Frasier, The Drew Carey Show, Grey's Anatomy, and Entourage. She was nominated for an Emmy for her performance on HBO's Six Feet Under, and was a regular on the hit NBC series Welcome to Sweden. Her web series Easy to Assemble has won 6 Webby Awards and has ben viewed over 40 million times. Her first book "I Blame Dennis Hopper: A Life Inside and Outside Movies" came out in December 2015.

Illeana Douglas is an award-winning film and television actress, writer, director, and producer. Beginning her career as a stand-up in New York, she was once asked to dub screams for The Last Temptation of Christ, leading to a long collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, during which she appeared in several of his films including GoodFellas and Cape Fear. She has appeared in numerous television shows in guest and recurring roles, including The Larry Sanders Show, Frasier, The Drew Carey Show, Grey's Anatomy, and Entourage. She was nominated for an Emmy for her performance on HBO's Six Feet Under, and was a regular on the hit NBC series Welcome to Sweden. Her web series Easy to Assemble has won 6 Webby Awards and has ben viewed over 40 million times. Her first book "I Blame Dennis Hopper: A Life Inside and Outside Movies" came out in December 2015.

Kenya Barris is a prolific writer and director, known to many as the creator of the hit Emmy winning series Black-ish, a show loosely based on his own life. After leaving ABC he signed a 9-figure deal with Netflix to direct his first feature film, You People, starring Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy which is out now. Some of his other writing credits include the 2017 comedy Girl’s Trip, the new Disney+ Cheaper by the Dozen film, and Amazon’s Coming 2 America.

Kenya Barris is a prolific writer and director, known to many as the creator of the hit Emmy winning series Black-ish, a show loosely based on his own life. After leaving ABC he signed a 9-figure deal with Netflix to direct his first feature film, You People, starring Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy which is out now. Some of his other writing credits include the 2017 comedy Girl’s Trip, the new Disney+ Cheaper by the Dozen film, and Amazon’s Coming 2 America.

Rachel Watanabe-Batton is a film and television producer and founder of production company, Contradiction and Struggle. Some of her many credits include By Any Means Necessary, I Pity The Fool with Mr. T, HBO’s Cutting Edge, her debut narrative film Once You’re In, and most recently the Disney+ original film, Sneakerella, which was nominated for 11 Emmy awards, winning 4 of them.

Rachel Watanabe-Batton is a film and television producer and founder of production company, Contradiction and Struggle. Some of her many credits include By Any Means Necessary, I Pity The Fool with Mr. T, HBO’s Cutting Edge, her debut narrative film Once You’re In, and most recently the Disney+ original film, Sneakerella, which was nominated for 11 Emmy awards, winning 4 of them.