Scriptwriters Network @ Los Angeles Comic Con

• Panel date:Sunday, October 28
• Time:  11:00 am to 12:30 pm
• Location:  Room 301
• Topic: Screenwriting for Animation
• Panelists:  Craig Miller, Bill Freiberger, Joelle Sellner, Jorjeana Marie and Scott Russell – see info on each below
• Moderator: Scott Russell

Craig Miller is a well-known and respected writer/developer/producer with over 200 credits.  He has worked in live-action and animation, written scripts, developed series, pitched to studios and networks, produced, cast, approved storyboards, character designs, and animation – the entire gamut of what goes into creating, selling, and producing a TV series.

Miller has worked as an executive and consultant in publicity, marketing, and licensing for Lucasfilm, Warner Bros., Universal, Disney, Columbia, Henson Associates, and others.  His work included the films Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Excalibur, Superman II, Altered States, The Dark Crystal, The Wicker Man, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Splash, My Science Project, Real Genius and many more.

But for most of his career, Miller has been writing, developing, and producing for television, films, and games.  He has worked directly with George Lucas and Jim Henson on projects including a syndicated magic special and Sesame Street.  The majority of Miller’s work has been for the children’s, tween, and teen/young adult market, including the 104 episode TV series Pocket Dragon Adventures on the BBC and in over 125 countries around the world.  He’s also written on action-adventure projects G.I. Joe and Beast Wars as well as comedy-adventure series The Real Ghostbusters and The Smurfs.  He spent three years writing the multiple-Emmy-winning Curious George for PBS.

His most recent work includes developing and writing for: Resistance, a live-action science fiction adventure series; Fortune Teller, a live-action fantasy adventure that’s a mixture of Vampire Diaries and Game of Thrones; Playtime Buddies, an animated pre-school series; Basketeers, an animated sports-themed adventure series; Grandpa’s Robot, a new series for Latin America; Cheddar Man & the Mysteries of Food, an animated educational series developed for a food channel; Wingin’ It, an animated comedy-music series based on a country singer’s children’s book; two series –Majid and Karamella – created and produced for airing in the Middle East, and Pet Parade, a series for the web.

Bill Freiberger is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he has written, produced and directed for television for the past thirty years. A former stand-up comedian, Bill directed animation for the Emmy Award winning Pee-wee’s Playhouse. He has written for such diverse comedies as “The Howard Stern Show”; “Get A Life”; “The PJs” (for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award); “Two Guys, A Girl, And A Pizza Place”; “The Simpsons” (for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award); “Greg The Bunny”; and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” He’s been an Executive Producer and/or Showrunner for “Manhattan, AZ”; “3 South”; “Drawn Together”; “Warren The Ape”; and currently “Sonic Boom” for Cartoon Network. Bill has taught television writing at Chapman University and lectured at colleges and universities around the country. He is also a frustrated actor and often casts himself in his projects because no one else will.

Joelle Sellner began her career as an advertising copywriter, writing award-winning print, radio and television ads for clients such as Lexus, In-N-Out Burger, and Kleenex. Her writing for animated shows includes Sonic Boom, Ben 10: Omniverse, Teen Titans, Shin Chan, and Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.Her animated web series work includes LEGO DC Superhero Girls, Mattel’s Monster High, and the upcoming Super Slackers,which she created. Joelle has also worked on comics for DC, Marvel, Dynamite, Blizzard and IDW, as well as Lion Forge/Roar Comics (including Saved By the Bell and MER). In addition, she has written several live action made-for-cable romantic comedies which have aired on the Lifetime Movie Network.

Jorjeana Marie is a professional storyteller. Whether writing on Disney’s “Mickey and the Roadster Racers”, finishing up her forthcoming book “IDEA MACHINE” (Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Press – 2019) opening for Richard Lewis as a nationally touring stand-up comic, or being a produced Playwright in New York City, her stories have been as varied as the lives she has led.

Having written for Writer’s Digest Magazine and leading successful workshops (with Scriptwriter’s Network, Writer’s Digest Novel Writing Conference) combining her experience as an instructor and performer, she has been bringing the power of the games of improvisation to writers and other creatives for years.

As an award-winning narrator, Jorjeana’s storytelling skills have been employed in narrating over 250 audiobooks for Scholastic, Harper Collins, Audible, etc.  She has earned multiple Earphones awards, Best Voice of 2014, 2015 and 2016 and a prestigious Audie Award.  Publisher Weekly calls her “Pitch-perfect.”

Her voices can be heard on Nickelodeon, Final Fantasy, Star Trek, Travel Channel, The New Nancy Drew Diaries and a new animated series coming son.

Jorjeana is represented by William Morris Endeavor, Fuse Literary and The Cartel Management.