Producers Today: Inspiration and Insights for Emerging Creators
Join us during Black History Month for an insightful and empowering panel discussion featuring esteemed Black women producers as they share their invaluable experiences navigating the dynamic landscape of the entertainment industry. This engaging session offers a platform for these trailblazing producers to delve into their unique journeys, challenges, and triumphs, shedding light on their responsibilities behind the scenes.
Our distinguished panelists, who have played pivotal roles in creating, writing, and producing feature films, will offer firsthand insights into the creative process, from ideation to production, and the intricate storytelling techniques that shape compelling narratives. They will share advice and experience from their time in the entertainment industry, offering invaluable guidance for aspiring filmmakers and industry professionals.
The session will also include an interactive Q&A segment, offering attendees the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with our esteemed panelists.
✨ Who are your speakers? ✨
Tamika Lamison- Executive Director of CDDP (Commercial Directors Diversity Program)
Tamika is a Virginia native who graduated from The American University with a BA in Performing Arts & Theatre. She worked at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences helping to develop the Academy Gold program. And now works as the Exec. Director of the CDDP- Commercial Directors Diversity Program- a diversity and inclusion program she created for the Directors Guild of America and the Assoc. of Independent Commercial Producers. Her first screenplay, JAR BY THE DOOR, was a Sundance Finalist and won several awards including the Gordon Parks Indie Film Award. She won several other fellowships and awards in writing and directing including the ABC/Walt Disney Fellowship in Screenwriting, Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Fellowship, the CBS Director’s Initiative and AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women Fellowship in which she wrote, directed and produced the multi-award-winning short film, HOPE. Tamika has produced several other short films including the award winning, THE MALE GROUPIE which aired on HBO and SPIN, which she also directed.
In addition to producing the documentary feature, THE REAL BLOODGHOST; Tamika wrote, produced and directed the feature documentary, THE 3rd ERA of MEDICINE. She also produced the feature film, SEX AND VIOLENCE OR: A BRIEF REVIEW OF SIMPLE PHYSICS, directed by Sundance Alum, Christopher Scott Cherot.
In an effort to give back, Tamika created the non-profit, Make A Film Foundation (MAFF) which grants film wishes to children with serious or life threatening medical conditions by teaming them with noted writers, directors & producers who help them to create short film legacies. She has produced 4 Award winning narrative shorts and over 100 short docs via MAFF.
Tamika was a writer on the Amazon Prime/ALLBLK show MONOGAMY & showrunner on a series of shorts for Effie T. Brown/Gamechanger films for the One Love Foundation. Tamika produced the Tribeca Audience Award winning doc feature FERGUSON RISES (PBS Independent Lens/Amazon Prime), the narrative short BOURN KIND which premiered at Tribeca this year and the short doc ARE WE THERE YET, about Christian Nationalism, which is beginning its festival run. As a Producer, she is currently developing the feature “Yasuke” about the only African Samurai Warrior ever to exist. Her award-winning feature narrative, “Last Life” in which she produces and stars can be found on TubiTV. Her original pilot B.E.E.S was a PGA Power of Diversity Finalist. She is currently writing a script for a studio that she got greenlit from a one paragraph emailed pitch. And her short film, “Superman Doesn’t Steal” which she wrote, directed and produced- premieres at the Oscar Qualifying Pan African Film Festival in February. Tamika graduated from the American University, Howard University and is an AFI alum.
Nerissa Williams Scott- CEO and Owner of TCGT Entertainment in Boston, MA.
Mrs. Williams Scott is a seasoned professional in the world of Performing and Media Arts, currently serving as the CEO/Owner of TCGT Entertainment in Boston, MA. With over thirty years of rich experience, she has cultivated her expertise from the stage to the screen, ascending to roles such as Producer, Creative Producer, UPM, and Line Producer for both film and television.
A distinguished alumna of Hampton University, Mrs. Williams Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine and Performing Arts. Furthering her education, she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film Production with a focus on Producing from Emerson College.
In all her accomplishments, Mrs. Williams Scott attributes her success to her unwavering faith in God. Her career journey reflects her passion for storytelling and artistic expression. Over the past ten years, she has produced and served as Producer and/or Production Manager for a diverse array of projects, including Live Events, Theatre productions, Fashion films, Documentaries, Narrative Features & Shorts, and Music Videos. Her global travels have uniquely positioned her in the role of Creative Producer, contributing to the distinctiveness of her work.
Recognized for her dedication and talent, Mrs. Williams Scott was honored with the LEF Foundation Fellowship to attend the prestigious Flaherty Seminar in upstate New York. Her documentary and experimental projects have earned her a place in the final rounds of the Creative Capital granting process, showcasing her commitment to impactful storytelling. She has recently been awarded a place with P.G.A Creates fellowship for her producing roll in the feature film “Dill.”
As the driving force behind TCGT Entertainment, Mrs. Williams Scott is poised for ongoing success and forward momentum. Her guiding principle, rooted in her faith, is encapsulated in her favorite quote, "Wow them with Brilliance," a testament to her dedication to creating compelling and extraordinary experiences through the art of filmmaking.
For more information about Mrs. Williams Scott and TCGT Entertainment, visit [www.tcgtentertainment.com].
Jessica Boss- Actress and Founder of Boss Pictures
Jessica Boss is an American actress of Nigerian descent. In high school, Jessica was on track to become a medical doctor. That all changed when she had to choose between taking art or theater as an elective class. Since she could only draw s<ck figures, she decided to take theater, and to her surprise, fell in love with it!
After graduating from film school at the University of Texas at Austin, Jessica moved to Los Angeles and began her professional career as an actress. She won a "Best Actress" award in the feature film, ANONYMOUS 616, which she also produced and won a “Best Film” award.
Alongside her husband, Mike Boss, they founded the production company Boss Pictures, which has over 20 feature film scripts. Jessica just finished the third feature film that she wrote, produced, starred in, and made her directorial debut with called UNNAMED. Inspired by true events, UNNAMED is a thriller about a young and beautiful Nigerian woman working as a hairstylist who meets a successful female producer on location in her country and convinces her to come to Hollywood. But her dreams of stardom turn into a living nightmare when the producer forces her into sex trafficking. The film is set to be released late Fall 2024.
Dr. Karen Moore- Founder of Urban Poetik Ministries, Inc
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA Dr. Karen Moore developed a love for the arts at an early age. As a classically trained pianist, she used her gift to play for choirs and churches in the Philadelphia area. During her early adult years, Karen developed a love for poetry and musical theater. This ultimately led to combining her music, poetry, and song writing into theatrical productions performing on stages in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware, and Atlanta.
Karen is the founder of Urban Poetik Ministries, Inc (UPM) a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring urban poetic works that include the mediums of music and dance to the theatrical stage in service to our performers and our audiences. She has written and produced for the theater such works as Song of Solomon: Poetry in Motion, a tribute to black love, and Packing Up The Marion Williams story in honor of the legendary gospel singer. She has written 85% of the prose/monologue for her productions and, along with her husband, Robin Williams Sr., has composed all of the original music.
Karen’s signature production Poetik Blues: A Sistah’s Story, premiered in 2012 and is a journey through the blues African American women face throughout their lives. She began to notice how her personal story of “Brown Skin Blues” was resonating with her audience. The hurt and trauma of colorism were still running rampant. Karen was compelled to act on this discovery.
In May of 2019, I AM The Colour of Beautiful Global was established. I AM The Colour of Beautiful Global is a movement designed to redefine the standard of beauty for black women. In support of that mission, she has produced a short film Who Told You Your Black Is Not Beautiful? The tagline is Somebody lied. It is a glimpse into the origin of colorism and how it has affected black women in our lives in our communities and our country. This project's focus is on education, inspiration, and transformation. It educates on the origins of colorism; and the hurt and trauma it has inflicted on the lives of black women and their families, communities, and country. Inspiring women to open up and talk about their experiences and begin the healing process and lead to transformation so that women across the globe can walk away saying I Am The Colour of Beautiful.
Karen is certified in Computer Graphics and Computer Programming with Web Technology. She has been awarded the Women Add Value Recognition Award by Ambassador Dr. Clyde Rivers and I Change Nations Governing Body and the Human Rights Global Commission. She has also received the Sharing My Voice Award from Black Belt Speakers and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Arts & Worship from Kayiwa International University in Uganda. On April 9, 2020 she was appointed as a World Civility Ambassador by iChange NationsTM.
Carolyn Pitt | Entrepreneur + Attorney + DE&I Advocate
Carolyn Pitt is Founder and CEO of Productions.com, an AI-enabled talent solution for production professionals that connects studios, networks, corporate brands, and live event venues to vetted local production talent.
Productions.com is headquartered in Atlanta and partners with clients across North America and the United Kingdom. The company advocates for production professionals of all backgrounds and is proud to intentionally level the playing field for women, professionals of color, and members of the disabled and LGBTQIA+ communities, all of whom are underrepresented in the entertainment industry. Productions.com’s talent community spans the US, Canada, and 30 additional countries.
Immediately prior to the passage of the CARES Act, Carolyn addressed the U.S. Senate and House Subcommittee for Small Business and Entrepreneurship to advocate for stimulus funding for the film industry and underrepresented founders. She also participated in two small business roundtables at the behest of the Biden-Harris campaign in October 2020.
Carolyn was recognized as a recipient of Google’s inaugural Black Founder Fund and was named 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year by Envolve Global. Carolyn is an Intellectual Property and Entertainment Attorney with significant experience in Human Capital Management Consulting, Strategy, and Business Development. She previously practiced law at Alston & Bird LLP and received her BS in Psychology from Vanderbilt University and her JD from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Beverley A. Gordon - Producer/Executive Producer
Beverley Gordon is an award-winning producer who began her career as an attorney. She is the owner of BrownBag Pictures, an independent production company, and the production services company, Blended Road Entertainment, both based in Los Angeles. She previously spent several years in International Television Distribution at Warner Bros. Studios. Most recently, Beverley executive produced TO HER WITH LOVE for the Hallmark Channel. Prior to that, Beverley produced the feature film ABOUT SCOUT, a coming-of-age dramedy starring India Ennenga, Ellen Burstyn, Danny Glover, and Jane Seymour.
Additional producing credits include feature films CHUTNEY POPCORN, directed by Nisha Ganatra, THE OTHER BROTHER, directed by Mandel Holland, and the Student Academy Award-winning short film WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, directed by Alonso F. Mayo. Beverley also has several projects in development, including a Christmas movie for Hallmark. Beverley is a Sundance Producing Lab and Producers Guild of America (PGA) Create Lab fellow. She is also an alumna of Tribeca Film Institute’s All Access Program. Beverley was selected to participate in the prestigious Producers Guild Diversity Workshop, and was one of ten producers selected worldwide to participate in the PGA ProShow Competition.
Beverley is a graduate of Harvard University, Tulane University School of Law, and has an MFA in producing from the American Film Institute. She was born in Antigua, W.I., and grew up in New York. She’s an avid NYT crossword puzzler, wordler, and diehard New York Jets fan. She currently resides in Los Angeles.
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Don't miss this enriching opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge, inspiration, and perspective from these powerhouse producers who continue to break barriers, challenge norms, and pave the way for future generations of storytellers during Black History Month.