Ideation Workshop Mentors – March 18 – 19, 2017

Chevonne O'Shaughnessy

Chevonne O’Shaugnessy

Chevonne O’Shaugnessy is the co-founder and president of American Cinema International.  She began her career as the President of International sales for PM Entertainment. Her 10 years in the position resulted in the production and sales of over 176 feature films and two successful television series.  PM produced and distributed original prime time product for numerous international TV clients and domestic cable networks, with the distinction of being one of the first suppliers of HBO World Premier Movies.  PM remains one of few companies amid the competitive world of independent filmmaking that consistently generates high quality Action Adventure feature films. She has also served as the executive producer of numerous films and TV mini-series including the Jack Hunter trilogy, El Dorado, Born to Race, and many more.

In 2000, Chevonne founded American Cinema International, along with George Shamieh, with the goal of distributing and producing high quality commercial motion pictures throughout the world.  In less than ten years, ACI produced 20 feature films with international sales and domestic prime time broadcasts on USA, SyFy, and HBO Premier.

Through her experience in international sales, Chevonne recognized a niche market for inspirational and family-oriented material.  In 2008, she co-founded Mission Pictures International with the goal of creating a brand of quality content to best serve that unique market. Within their first year, Mission Pictures successfully acquired more than 12 titles for theatrical and TV release, and quickly achieved their mission to bring positive, inspirational messages back to the global marketplace.

Since its inception, MPI has acquired over a hundred films for theatrical, home video and TV release, and has become the international destination for films appealing to the family and faith market. Some of their major feature films include box office hit October Baby, 2012 Emmy nominee The Heart of Christmas, Letters to God, Mighty Macs and more.  The company’s original production Love Finds You in Sugarcreek released in 2014 became the highest-rated broadcast ever for UP Channel and garnered Movieguide’s Epiphany Prize for the year’s Best TV Movie.  A second film, Love Finds You in Charm, premiered on UP Channel in June 2015.  The latest film, Love Finds You in Valentine, premiered Valentine’s Day 2016 with the best ratings in the series yet.  To date the Love Finds You movies have reached more than nine million viewers.

With Chevonne’s departure from MPI, she has created ACI INSPIRES with George Shamieh, the newest brand of inspirational entertainment focusing on family films for everyone. She hopes to continue creating and acquiring strong inspirational stories, and plans to expand ACI INSPIRES to become the largest title holder for inspirational content.  The company’s first television series, Fearless Hope, begins shooting for UP TV in 2016.  ACI Inspires is also developing The Girl From Felony Bay with Walden Media, adapted from the best-selling book of the same name.

In addition to her corporate responsibilities, Chevonne currently sits on Board of Directors of the Bentonville Film Festival.  She also serves on the Board of Directors of her family’s I. A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation which gives generously to the University of Notre Dame, St. Thomas University, and numerous other philanthropic causes each year. Chevonne was also a member of the Glendale Memorial Hospital board for five years, and served 15 years on the Board of Directors of the Women in Film Foundation.  Additionally, she makes guest appearances at Chapman University each quarter teaching International Film Distribution.


Joe Chianese

Joe Chianese

Joe Chianese is an Executive Vice President with Entertainment Partners. Entertainment Partners (EP) is the global leader in entertainment payroll, residuals, tax incentives, finance, and other integrated production management solutions, with 16 offices in the U.S., Canada, London, and Tokyo.

At EP, Joe oversees the EP Financial Solutions division which provides advisory, administrative, financial, tax and other consulting services for domestic and international film, television, and commercial productions. He has over 30 years of accounting, tax, and production experience, and has held senior tax and accounting positions at Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, The American Broadcasting Company, Paramount Pictures, and Ernst & Young.

Throughout his career, Joe has been responsible for the tax, finance, and production structures for film and television productions in excess of $5 billion. He is regarded as one of the leading experts in worldwide production incentives and other government subsidies.

Joe is a CPA with a BBA in Accounting, a Masters in Tax, and an MBA from Fordham University.


Orly Ravid

Orly Ravid

Born in Israel, raised in Manhattan and living in Los Angeles, Orly Ravid is the founder/co-executive director of the distribution non-profit The Film Collaborative (TFC) and an entertainment attorney at MSK (Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP). Non-profit on purpose, TFC specializes in distribution of documentaries and arthouse cinema without taking filmmakers’ rights. TFC offers free educational resources and advice regarding distribution and provides distribution services including sales/licensing, festival, theatrical and digital distribution, as well as fiscal sponsorship. TFC recently co-published How Not to Sign a Film Contract: Know What You’re Saying Yes To and co-authored and published the case study book series Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul.  Orly has a 16-year career in independent film as an acquisitions and business affairs executive, all aspects of distribution, domestic and international sales/licensing, development, production, grassroots marketing, and festival programming. Orly regularly speaks at film schools and on film festival panels about film distribution, new media, splitting rights and entertainment legal issues and is a passionate advocate for filmmakers.

For more info: www.TheFilmCollaborative.org & www.msk.com.