From Concept to Completion: Navigating the Studio Development Lifecycle

Navigating Costs, Demand Shifts, and Delivering Studio Projects from Vision to Reality

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  James Haggarty

  Jamie is a senior executive in media and entertainment. He also has 13 years of experience on the Board of Directors of private and public companies, as well as not-for-profit Boards. Jamie has led subsidiaries of public companies with operations in the US, Canada, Europe and India, as well as founder-owned private companies and a portfolio company of private equity. He has a track record of helping take operations and management to the next level through scale, optimization and/or innovation. He combines strategic, operational, leadership and inter-personal skills in his lets-get-it-done style to achieve stakeholder goals, KPIs and overall strategy. Jamie is adept in highly matrixed organizations and fosters collaboration across sales & marketing, creative, production, technical operations, finance, business affairs and corporate.

  Amazon Studios

  WW Studio Facilities & Client Services, Real Estate

  James Haggarty

  WW Studio Facilities & Client Services, Real Estate

  Amazon Studios

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  Jonathon Yormak

  Jonathon manages all activities at East End, along with co-founder David Peretz. For Jonathon, each day represents an opportunity to further establish East End as an institutionally governed best-in-class real estate investment firm. Prior to founding East End, Jonathon was a Managing Principal at both Ruben Companies and Broadway Partners. On a combined basis, he acquired, repositioned, and managed an office portfolio exceeding 15 million square feet located throughout the U.S., as well as 1,000 residential units within New York City and Boston. Jonathon has extensive capital market knowledge, having sourced and structured billions of dollars of equity and debt. He also has broad platform-building experience, having started and grown various real estate related businesses. Earlier in his career, he was a real estate attorney at Fried Frank and Pryor Cashman, handling acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financings, and REIT mergers. A graduate of Colby College and Fordham Law School, Jonathon sits on the Board of Directors for the Wynwood Business Improvement District and was a long-time board member of both the UJA-Federation of New York and The Children’s Hearing Institute.

  East End Studios

  Founder and Managing Principal

  Jonathon Yormak

  Founder and Managing Principal

  East End Studios

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  Jeremy Hariton

  Development, finance and operations exec with a focus on entertainment real estate, entertainment businesses and film/television production. Experienced in helping producers as well as public and private entities take advantage government-sponsored film and television incentive programs around the world through investment in entertainment real estate and related support businesses. Strong background in motion picture and television distribution, finance, physical production, production incentives and production consulting.

  The MBS Group

  EVP & COO

  Jeremy Hariton

  EVP & COO

  The MBS Group

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  John Wiedner

  As Leader in Gensler's Firmwide Media Practice, John brings extensive experience in working with a variety of entertainment clients. With more than 25 years of professional experience and 20 plus years with Gensler, he has developed an expertise in creating visionary design and planning solutions for media companies. He has filled multiple roles from design, to technical, to project management on a variety of project types ranging from master planning to highly technical spaces including sound stages, screening rooms, post-production facilities and broadcast. A testament to John’s project leadership and dedication, the majority of his projects are through repeat client relationships. His portfolio includes several major entertainment clients including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., Amazon Studios, NBCUniversal, and 20th Century Fox and studio developer clients including Hudson Pacific Properties, Hackman Capital Partners, Blackstone, and Worthe Real Estate Group. John holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Arizona State University and a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles.

  Gensler

  Principal and Media Leader

  John Wiedner

  Principal and Media Leader

  Gensler

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  Craig Bailey

  Craig Bailey is a Project Executive at Layton Construction, specializing in commercial construction throughout Los Angeles County. He is currently leading the Mission Studios project which is an East End Capital development in Boyle Heights. With experience on both the builder and developer sides, he previously worked with Combined Properties, as a development manager on the Culver Steps project—now home to Amazon Studios—in partnership with Hudson Pacific. Over his career, he has managed nearly $4 billion in real estate development and construction. He was recently honored as one of ENR’s 2024 Western Region 40 Under 40. He holds an engineering degree from Arizona State University and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

  Layton Construction

  Project Executive

  Craig Bailey

  Project Executive

  Layton Construction

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  Lena Dremonas

  Lena Dremonas, a systems executive with Clark Construction, oversees the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems on projects in Southern California from project development through project delivery. Since joining Clark in 2013, Lena has ensured that MEP systems comply with company and client requirements by interpreting design and applying complex construction methods. She has experience in market sectors ranging from healthcare and education to museums and government. Her portfolio includes projects such as the A. James Clark Bioengineering Building, the Orange County Museum of Art, Century City Center, and Menifee Justice Center. Lena earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a LEED-accredited professional and is a Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP) through the Building Commissioning Certification Board (BCCB).

  Clark Construction

  Systems Executive

  Moderator

  Lena Dremonas

  Systems Executive

  Clark Construction

Building and Designing State-of-the-Art Studio Spaces

Exploring Production Needs, Flexibility, Efficiency and Sustainability in the Age of Content Expansion

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  Keith Donovan

  Bringing 25 years’ experience across all facets of real estate and project delivery, I provide the mentorship, technical acumen, and clarity to lead large and dynamic teams toward the same goals. Originally trained as an architect, I moved into development management for large real estate development firms, then to leadership in corporate real estate—experience which leaves me uniquely qualified to provide strategic oversight of real estate development projects, and to drive for solutions tailored to goals of the business.

  Netflix

  Senior Director, Global Design and Construction

  Keith Donovan

  Senior Director, Global Design and Construction

  Netflix

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  Mike Mosallam

  Mike Mosallam is an award-winning producer and entertainment executive with nearly 20 years of experience in creative development, physical production, and the leasing, development, and operations of studio production facilities. Mike began his career as the first head of the Wayne County Film Office in Detroit Michigan, where he oversaw nearly 80% of all production activity in the State. In 2011, Mike moved to Los Angeles to become the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Sunset Studios portfolio, overseeing 33 sound stages and approximately 1.5MM SF of production and creative office in the heart of Hollywood. Mike helped revitalize the historic studio lots by developing relationships with key industry talent, including Shonda Rhimes, Aaron Sorkin, and Amy Sherman-Palladino. In 2017, Mike was tasked with creating a newly minted division at Netflix called Production Planning. At Netflix, he led a team responsible for global facilities planning and strategy, coordinating a robust slate of both self- and partner-managed productions and helping to grow Netflix’s studio portfolio to over 140 soundstages globally. In 2020, he joined the Apple Studios/ Apple TV+ team to oversee a new division called Studio Strategy and Operations where he grew the studio portfolio over 900% during the first 30 months. Mike is active in his community, serving on the Boards of Outfest, Noor Theatre, and actively teaching musical theatre workshops to high school and college students in his spare time. He has consulted on productions for major production companies and streaming services around the world, and recently won a Tony Award as a Co-Producer on the 2023 Broadway production of Parade (Best Revival of a Musical). Above all, the terrific friendships he has made are his favorite part of Hollywood.

  Shadowbox Studios

  COO

  Mike Mosallam

  COO

  Shadowbox Studios

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  Eric Komar

  Eric Komar is the VP, of Master Planning & Development at Fox Corporation, where he leads the FOX FUTURE master plan for the Fox Studio Lot in Century City. Previously, he led real estate & development efforts for a public agency in Sacramento and advised on real estate matters for a major research university. He has been actively involved in organizations such as the Urban Land Institute, Association of University Real Estate Officials, and numerous efforts to promote affordable housing and smart growth. Originally from the East Coast, he is a graduate of the University of Delaware and attended Pepperdine University for his MBA.

  FOX Corporation

  VP, Master Planning & Development

  Eric Komar

  VP, Master Planning & Development

  FOX Corporation

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  Peter Grueneisen

  Peter Grueneisen, FAIA is the founding principal of nonzero\architecture, an architecture firm in Los Angeles. He is also the design and managing principal of studio bau:ton, nonzero\architecture's media production facilities division.

  nonzero\architecture

  Founder and President

  Peter Grueneisen

  Founder and President

  nonzero\architecture

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  Tima Bell

  Tima Bell, Founding Principal of Bell Design Group, brings extensive experience and leadership to the studio. Born in NYC and raised in both Venice Beach, California and Peaks Island, Maine, Tima’s artistic passion led him to architecture, exploring three- dimensional space through his paintings. He studied at Rice University and the Southern California Institute for Architecture. In addition to his American studies, Tima spent considerable time studying throughout Europe. He also completed a one-year artist-in-residency in Israel. Through Bell Design Group, Tima continues to explore the intersection of art and architecture through his work, designing across widely varying typologies ranging from studios and tech, to residential, hospitality, housing, commercial, civic, and institutional spaces. Tima was an adjunct professor at Woodbury University and acts as a guest juror for universities and awards. He is an AIA Associate and has received an AIA scholarship as well as two AIA Hospitality Design awards. Additionally, he is the recipient of both the Individual Boutique 18 Design Award and the Boutique 18 Design Restaurant Award. Tima has been a speaker on numerous industry panels and podcasts, as well as featured in several publications. He currently serves as Secretary on the Venice Neighborhood Council Board of Officers.

  Bell Design Group

  Founding Principal

  Tima Bell

  Founding Principal

  Bell Design Group

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  June Bardwil

  June Bardwil started her career with PLANNET in 2002 as a Consultant and Project Manager. Today, as an Owner, she plays a pivotal role in cultivating client relationships, a responsibility she passionately embraces. She is actively engaged in most of PLANNET’s projects, including PLANNET's vast entertainment and media portfolio, which includes industry giants such as Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and Riot Games. With a career spanning more than four decades in the technology sector, June has witnessed the remarkable evolution from the early days of IBM mainframes to the advent of Artificial Intelligence. June is known for her vibrant presence within the architectural, engineering, and real estate communities, and is enjoying the best part of her career – just ask her!

  PLANNET

  Director & Partner

  Moderator

  June Bardwil

  Director & Partner

  PLANNET

FilmLA’s 2025 Behind the Scenes: Soundstage Demand, Tax Incentives & Market Trends

Insights and Actionable Data on Soundstage Demand, SB 132 Film Tax Incentive, and Projections for 2025-2026 Trends

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  Paul Audley

  Paul Audley has been the President of FilmL.A., Inc. since October 2008. Prior to this role, he served as the Arizona State Director for The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization dedicated to land conservation. His extensive background in community-based nonprofit organizations and government includes positions as Mayor of Fairfield, Connecticut; Chief of Staff and Counsel to a U.S. Congressman; Deputy Secretary of State for Connecticut; and Public Affairs Director for the City of Scottsdale. Under his leadership, FilmL.A. has implemented significant initiatives, including negotiating new long-term contracts with client municipalities and school districts, launching the "Film Works" public education campaign, and enhancing the organization's online permit system, "OPS." Audley is known for his strong management skills, particularly his ability to listen, which he believes fosters relationships, respect, and creative exchanges

  FilmLA

  President

  Paul Audley

  President

  FilmLA