12 | 03:15 PM – 04:00 PM

Mark Gantt, Creator - Actor - Producer, The Bannen Way, Crackle's The Bannen Way

Mark Gantt's latest project that he co-wrote, produced and starred in called The Bannen Way has been an incredible success. Financed by Sony's Crackle distribution arm, this unique Web Series/Feature Film, has broken records with over 14 million views, won 4 Streamy Awards including Best Actor (Mark), Best Drama, Best Director and was nominated for 2 Webby Awards. It has been released as a feature on DVD, VOD, iTunes/Amazon, Domestic and International Television. Due to its vast success, Sony Pictures Television is currently developing the project into a TV series Before creating The Bannen Way, Mark wrote, directed, produced and/or edited over a dozen short films (including the award-winning Martine) and has acted in many films and TV series. Mark is currently developing several web properties as well as film and TV projects with other production companies. He recently started Gantt Workshops, a daylong class that will cover the gambit of web entertainment topics like "Producing for the Web," Monetizing Your Content" and "Benefits of a Pitch Website."

Ruth Livier, Writer/Producer/Actress/Creator, Ylse

gt;Ms. Livier, was featured on the cover of the WGA’s WRITTEN BY magazine (Nov.’09) for being the first writer to join that union via her work in New Media. Her web series YLSE (www.Ylse.net), now in early development for season 3, recently won the IMAGEN Award for Best Internet Program; the first in this category.

As an actress, Ruth has worked extensively on screen, stage and voice-overs. Most recently she was seen in Sam Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell and she played opposite Val Kilmer in Theater of the Ear’s THE MARK OF ZORRO. She’s guest starred in numerous TV shows and starred in the groundbreaking TV series Resurrection Blvd., which among many recognitions, received the NAMIC Legacy Award. Her voice can be heard in popular animated series such as FOX TV’s King of the Hill and Playhouse Disney’s Handy Manny. Leading roles in some of the top theatres on the West Coast include: The premiere play at The Kirk Douglas Theatre (A PERFECT WEDDING, dir: Gordon Davidson), South Coast Repertory (LOVERS & EXECUTIONERS, dir: Bill Rauch), Long Beach Opera (THE INDIAN QUEEN, dir: David Schweizer).

She is a participant in the UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Latino Leadership Institute, an alumnus of Jeff Gordon’s Writers’ Bootcamp and she studies with Jeffrey Tambor. Ms. Livier is a founding member of INSIDE OUT, a successful after-school program for at risk youth (www.insideoutca.org).

Ruth has been a keynote speaker at the LATINA YOUTH CONFERENCE and the HISPANIC LIFESTYLE CONFERENCE. She has been a panelist at several New Media events including: The FCC’s OPEN INTERNET WORKSHOPS in DC, The BUSINESS SYMPOSIUM at LMU, SAG, WGA and DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD and was also a guest speaker at USC. She has been featured in prominent publications such as: WRITTEN BY, TV Guide, EMMY magazine, People en Español, Latino Leaders, Hispanic and Latino Future. (www.RuthLivier.com/www.Ylse.net)

Annabelle Gurwitch, Actress, Author, Activist

Annabelle Gurtwich started as an actress, became a comedian, writer and activist. What's next? Who knows? Credits include; co hosting Dinner and a Movie for 6 years on TBS, she has hosted programs on ABC, HBO, and most recently has been the host of Wasted on Planet Green. Gurtwich has appeared in Seinfeld, Dexter, Medium, Boston Legal, The Shaggy Dog, and Melvin Goes to Dinner.

In 2001 she made the NY Times critic's Top Ten Performances of the Year List for her work Off-Broadway. She was a regular commentator for 5 years on NPR, now has two books to her name Fired (S&S) inspired when she was fired by Woody Allen and the new memoir; "You Say Tomato I Say Shut Up" (Random House). Her documentary based on the book "Fired," has played everywhere from The Labor Department to The Showtime Network. She has promoted secular humanist activism on CNN, FOX, CBS and even on Oprah. She spends a lot of time driving her kid around town and her husband crazy. She's rarley been seen without a coffee in her hand, even when sleeping.

Melissa Fitzgerald, Actor / producer / Activist, Voices of Uganda; The West Wing

Melissa Fitzgerald is a dynamic actress producer and social activist.  Her acting career has included film, theater and television in New York and Los Angeles.  She is best known for playing the role of Carol on NBC’s award-winning political drama The West Wing.  She recently completed filming the independent feature, This is Not a Test. Her other film roles include Simple Things, Monument Avenue, Frequency, and Love and Sex. 

Earlier in her theatrical career, Melissa attended the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater, where she studied with Sanford Meisner. Melissa worked closely with Israel Horovitz on his plays North Shore Fish and Stage Directions, and also starred in the Los Angeles premiere of Graham Reid’s modern Irish classic, Remembrance, with James Gandolfini and produced by Sean Penn. 

Melissa is a founding member of Lunacy Theater Company.  Based in Los Angeles, Lunacy’s mission is to create and produce original stage productions and experimental work exploring seminal aspects of American culture. www.lunacytheater.org.

Throughout her life Melissa has been dedicated to community service and outreach.  In 1995 she co-founded Voices in Harmony, a non-profit youth arts organization committed to empowering at-risk teens by cultivating personal, academic, and artistic excellence.  www.voicesinharmony.org.

Melissa is currently very involved in advocating Peace in Northern Uganda and has spoken several times on Capitol Hill.  In the summer of 2006 she traveled with the International Medical Corps as a volunteer to Uganda to work on several of their programs giving birth to “Hope Not Lost” a short film she produced narrated by Martin Sheen documenting her experience. She most recently traveled back to Northern Uganda as the producer of the film “Voices of Uganda”, a documentary film that follows Voices in Harmony as they take their unique theater program to northern Uganda. The result will be a compelling film illuminating the situation facing teenagers in war-torn Northern Uganda.  Melissa has partnered on this project with two respected Humanitarian Organizations the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and International Medical Corps (IMC).

In addition to her own organizations and projects she is passionate about lending her support to others.  She was a spokesperson for Environmental Alliance a political organization designed to educate voters about environmental issues. 

In 2004 she traveled to battleground states carrying the organization’s message to prospective voters.  Melissa represented the International Medical Corps at the Live 8 Concert and the G8 Summit as part of the ONE Campaign to end poverty. Major media coverage of Melissa’s work with the ONE Campaign included CNN, BBC Radio, NBC, CNBC, People Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer and others.

In 2005, Melissa performed with Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Aaron Sorkin, Janel Moloney, America Ferrara and Alfre Woodard at a Speak Truth to Power event for Kerry Kennedy’s nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of human rights awareness through engaging the public in issues-related programs and events.  She is on the Advisory board of the “American Democracy Institute” which is committed to engaging American citizens in a national conversation about our democracy and its meaning in the 21^st century.

Melissa received her BA in Literature from the University of Pennsylvania and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Photos from the spring event.