TV Executive Rebecca Hobbs Joins Cohort VI

Rebecca Hobbs, Executive Vice President of MacLaren Entertainment, heads development and production for Director, Producer Michelle MacLaren (BREAKING BAD, GAME OF THRONES, WESTWORLD) under their First Look deal at Sony Television Studios. She is attached to produce Michelle MacLaren’s feature film debut THE NIGHTINGALE based on the NYT bestselling novel of the same name by Kristen Hannah for Sony TriStar which will shoot later this year.

In addition, Rebecca is producing THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE based on the NYT bestselling book by her husband Jeff Hobbs for IM Global and Antoine Fuqua. Formerly, SVP at Film 44 (director Peter Berg’s company) she was the Co-Executive Producer on HBO’s STATE OF PLAY and developed a whole slate of projects including HBO’s THE LEFTOVERS. Prior to that she was a VP at Oprah’s Harpo Films focusing on book adaptations for film and television.

Rebecca graduated from Cornell University and lives in Los Angeles with her husband Jeff and their two children.

If you want to watch Rebecca's talk with Cohort VI, follow the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4DA-LEwPmE

Entertainment Attorney Mahdi Salehi visits with the TVWS

Our guest this week was Mahdi Salehi, partner at the law firm of Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush & Kaller LLP.

Mahdi joined Hansen Jacobson in 2012.  There he represents on-camera talent, writers, directors, producers and production companies in the television, film and digital media industries.  Mahdi is a 2009 graduate of the UCLA School of Law, where he served as Editor of the Entertainment Law Review, and a 2004 graduate of Brown University, where he earned his B.A. in Theatre.

YouTube Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoUsc_ZZhJc

Producer/Writer/Host Natasha Alford Speaks to Cohort VI

Natasha is Deputy Editor of theGrio.com and host of theGrio Live.  She has also contributed to Salon, Sirius XM and WhoSay. A former educator, Natasha was also a local TV news reporter in Upstate New York. Her 2015 TEDx talk “The Courage to Report” chronicled her news reporting experience in the era of digital media and #BlackLivesMatter.

Natasha holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a B.A. from Harvard University.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFjS4FJctf8

TV Executive Ben Zurier Talks With Cohort VI

Ben Zurier has been involved with a number of significant media launches, including serving as the initial programming strategy executive for Comedy Central (and its HBO-incubated predecessor The Comedy Channel).  He later oversaw programming for MagRack, an innovative collection of niche SVOD offerings launched by Cablevision in 2001.  Later, he was in charge of Programming Strategy and Acquisitions for VH1, where he also was instrumental in designing and executing the launch programming models for LGBT-focused brand Logo, and the all-music performance brand Palladia.

If you want to watch Ben's talk with Cohort VI of the TVWS, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swDgIHtvpto

(Please note Ben arrives to class at the 47 minute mark)