- MediaSphere
- Bios
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Gary Wheeler is a multi-award-winning producer, writer and director with almost thirty years of experience in the film industry. He has made more than forty motion picture and television productions seen by millions of viewers on platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Redbox, Fox Nation, INSP and many more.
These films include #1 box office hit WAR ROOM, Emmy-nominated THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS, 20th Century Fox’s THE TRIAL and most recently, the award-winning western FAR HAVEN. He currently is the showrunner on the new television series BLUE RIDGE starring Johnathon Schaech, Sarah Lancaster and A Martinez. Gary is a longstanding member of the Producer’s Guild of America and is a frequent speaker at universities, conferences and seminars focusing on the power of cinema to inspire and transform lives.
Gary Wheeler
Multi-Award Winning Producer
Adam Anders,
Executive Music Producer
Creating the soundtracks of our lives, Adam Anders and Anders Media Inc. have sold more than 100 million albums and created the music for some of the most successful major motion pictures and television shows in history. His songs have broken music chart records and his work has earned him 3 Grammy nominations, 2 People’s Choice Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards and an ARIA Award and has established him as one of the most in demand creators and producers of music driven content in the business. Adam is a veteran governor of the LA Chapter of the Recording Academy, having served 4 years thus far. Most recently, he produced and executive music produced the movie adaptation of the acclaimed musical, The Prom for Netflix, which features a star-studded cast.
Prior to this project, Adam served as the Executive Producer of the hit television series, Perfect Harmony on NBC starring Bradley Whitford. In 2017, Adam signed a co-production deal with Nickelodeon Latin America for the new music series Kally’s Mashup. The series was created by Adam Anders and is inspired by his own life. He also served as Executive Song Producer and Soundtrack Album Producer for the hit Dreamworks film, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, and was the Executive Producer and Executive Music Producer for The Passion, a two-hour musical event on Fox Television which was the first major network production for Anders Media and the first album released on his Deep Well/Virgin Records label. The Passion: New Orleans Soundtrack went to #1 on the Billboard Soundtrack Charts, was a Top debut on the Billboard 200 Charts and produced a Top 20 Radio hit with the song “Broken” by Trisha Yearwood. Anders was Executive Music Producer for the Warner Brothers film Rock Of Ages and for FOX-TV’s wildly popular television show Glee. Anders’ music can be heard on many major motion pictures, movies made for television, and television shows including, Glee, The Descendants, Disney’s High School Musical 3, The Young Victoria, Cheetah Girls 3, Evan Almighty, The Wedding Planner, Rugrats In Paris, Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2, Hannah Montana, and Starstruck, among many more. Adam is currently the Executive Music Producer for FOX’s multi-generational musical Monarch and in postproduction for his directorial debut, Journey to Bethlehem.
Karen Abercrombie is an award-winning actress, singer-songwriter, master oral storyteller, writer and producer. She is also an activist and an avid environmentalist. Born and raised in Aliquippa, PA, Karen is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.
Karen has a long list of credits to her name which include playing Grandma Quill in the Marvel Franchise’s, The Guardians of The Galaxy Volume 3, Judge Eleanor Thomas in the Sony Provident TV Series – Eleanor’s Bench, Miss Virginia in OWN’s TV Series – Delilah, and Miss Clara in the Kendrick Brothers film, War Room. You may have also seen her on Vampire Diaries, Saved by The Bell, Judging Amy, The Inspectors, Ali McBeal, Strong Medicine, etc. As for stage, Karen has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions. Some of her favorite stage experiences include portraying Aunt Ester in August Wilson’s Gem of The Ocean at The Actors Theatre, Three Views of Mt Fuji at Playwrights Horizon, portraying Peggy in Charles Randoph Wright’s Blue at The Actors Theatre, and Tambourines to Glory at The Billie Holiday Theatre.
Karen Abercrombie
Award-Winning Actress, Singer-Songwriter, Storyteller
Kelly Merryman,
CEO, Wonder
For the last 20 years, Kelly has been at the forefront of innovation in digital media and technology, holding senior leadership roles at Netflix, YouTube and Aura. Most recently, Kelly was President & COO at Aura where she spearheaded the company’s product and go-to-market strategy and oversaw the product, sales, marketing and operations teams. From 2015-2021 Kelly served as Vice President of Content Partnerships at YouTube, where she led the global partnership strategy and management of content creators and media companies across the Americas. Prior to YouTube, Kelly was Vice President, Content Acquisition at Netflix from 2007-2014, driving the company’s international expansion across markets in Western Europe, Canada and Latin America. Kelly also held positions at Sony Pictures, Bain & Company and Audax Group.
Cory Edwards
Writer, Director
Cory Edwards made his feature film debut with Hoodwinked, but he’d already had a long career as a filmmaker before that. Involved in almost every creative area of the business for over thirty years, he has served as writer, director, producer, actor, animator, art director, and editor. Since his childhood “Super 8mm” days, Cory has been making movies. He shot everything from adventure serials to superhero comedies, complete with storyboards, miniatures, animation, and pyrotechnics. From grade school to college, Cory would turn any class project into a film or video project, sometimes winning national contests. He interned at an animation studio in Ohio during his collegiate summers. After college, Cory worked at a Tulsa production company, directing music videos and commercials.
After founding Blue Yonder Films in 1995, Cory produced and acted in his brother’s feature debut, Chillicothe, an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. Soon after, Cory and his brother Todd pitched a Red Riding Hood crime story to a private investor, and Hoodwinked was born. Made totally outside of the studio system and for a tenth of the cost, the film was picked up by moguls Bob and Harvey Weinstein. Cory worked with the voice talents of Glenn Close, Anne Hathaway, Chazz Palminteri and Jim Belushi, and voiced the coffee-addicted squirrel, “Twitchy” himself. He also wrote two of the songs for the soundtrack. Hoodwinked was one of the top grossing movies during its theatrical release in spring of 2006, and grossed over 150 million dollars worldwide. It is still widely regarded as the most profitable animated film of all time. Edwards recently finished writing and directing Fe@rleSS, an animated superhero comedy for Netflix, as well as writing the #1 Netflix feature “Woody Woodpecker Goes To Camp.”
Dan Rupple’s unique strength lies in his ability to integrate the cultural insights of a media professional with the visionary voice and inspirational heart of a pastor. Dan Rupple has over 40 years of media experience as a respected producer, writer and speaker. Today, Dan serves as CEO of Mastermedia International, a respected voice of faith and trusted Christian presence within the mainstream global media industry. Mastermedia consults regularly with leading media executives and influencers world-wide.
In his ten years as a supervisor at CBS Television, he oversaw some of the most iconic shows in America television history, including The Price Is Right and The Late Show with David Letterman. Later Dan served as head of digital programming and development for five Internet TV companies. Dan began his career as a founding member of the pioneering Christian comedy team Isaac Air Freight.
Dan is co-founder and Honorary Chairman of the national Christian Comedy Association and is a contributing partner of the Windrider Summit at the Sundance Film Festival. He is an honored graduate of Biola University, with MFA work in Screenwriting from Regent University and an ordained minister.
Dan has been married to the love of his life Peggy, for over 45 years, and together they celebrate three married children and seven wonderful grandkids. Today, Dan and Peggy co-hosts the popular podcast, Life Off Screen.
Dan Rupple (Moderator)
CEO, Mastermedia/Act One
July 26, 2024
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