Script to Screen: Tigers in Hollywood (Wintersession)

Date
Jan 24, 2025, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Lewis Center for the Arts Drapkin Studio and Tilghman Theater
Audience
  • Graduate Students
  • Undergraduate Students
Register

Details

 

Take a deep dive into the ins and outs of Hollywood careers, featuring Princeton alumni working in entertainment. Panel discussions, info-sessions and interactive workshops will offer participants an in-depth look at various aspects of the current entertainment industry, as well as advice on starting out in Hollywood. 

Sessions include:

  • Performers workshop
  • Assistants panel
  • Script writing workshop 
  • Business of Hollywood info session

Session leaders:

  • Tessa Albertson '20, Actor
  • Rachel Alter '14, TV writer (Outer Banks, The Society, Loki)
  • Brian Boone '12, Motion picture talent agent, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
  • Zennen Clifton '08, Creative executive, Apple TV+
  • Ben Diamond '19, Actor
  • Nick Ellis '14, Writer, Development Executive
  • James H. Shin '05, President Film & Television, HYBE America 

Presented by Center for Career Development, Lewis Center for the Arts, and Princeton in Hollywood.

Script to Screen: Tigers in Hollywood

Performers Workshop

Tessa Albertson '20

Tessa Albertson ‘20 is an actor, writer and comedian based in New York. Most recently, she reprised the role of Shelby Hinkley in I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire at Southwark Playhouse in London (Offie Nomination Lead Performance in a Play) after the New York world premiere in 2023. Other theater credits include: The Low Road (Public Theater), Shrek The Musical (Broadway), Happy Days (The Wild Project), Macbeth (dir. Elena Araoz), Girls (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins). Tessa is best known for her recurring role as Caitlin Miller on Younger. Other TV: Generation. Law & Order: SVU, The Family, The Good Wife & Instinct. Films include Blame and Barry.

Ben Diamond '19

Ben Diamond ‘19 is a working actor, singer, and dancer in NYC. Recent credits include “Davey” in Newsies (TUTS), “Sky” in Mamma Mia (Great Lakes CFA), “Bob Gaudio” in Jersey Boys (Paper Mill Playhouse), and a co-star in Bull (CBS). At Princeton, he was a member of Triangle, Shere Khan, and BodyHype. He graduated with a major in Sociology and minors in Theater and Musical Theater.

Assistants Panel

Sydney Johnson '24

Sydney Johnson ‘24 is an Executive Assistant to Peter Rice, an independent TV/film producer whose banner Peter Rice Productions is non- exclusively affiliated with A24 Films. Sydney is a Princeton in Hollywood Alumni Officer and a PCSC Liaison. In 2024, she graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Spanish and Creative Arts and certificates in Latin American Studies and Urban Studies, while serving as the 2024 Class President, Founder/President of Princeton in Hollywood’s undergraduate chapter, and on various university boards.

Jacy Duan '21

Jacy Duan '21 is a writer and actor based in Los Angeles. She currently serves as the Showrunner’s Assistant on Season 2 of CBS’s “Tracker”, starring Justin Hartley. Previously, she worked as an Executive Assistant at 20th Television and an Apprentice on the Hulu Originals team. At Princeton, Jacy majored in Sociology and minored in Theatre and Asian American Studies. 

Matthew Kuenne '23

Matthew Kuenne '23 a member of the class of 2023. Majored in Philosophy and wrote his thesis on the Free Will Problem and its moral implications. He was the vice president of the University Cottage Club and a writer for Princeton's late night comedy show "All-Nighter" Since graduating, he moved to Los Angeles and now works for Adam Harris, a covering Agent in the non-scripted television department at William Morris Endeavor. Clients he helps service on Adam's desk vary from football superstars like Marsahwn Lynch and DK Metcalf to titans of industry like Warren Littlefield, Dick Wolf, and Ari Aster. Though not a recipient of the Creative Writing Thesis, Matthew took many courses in the creative writing department within the Lewis Arts Center.  

Anna Yang '21

Anna Yang '21, Exec Asst to Co Presidents at Plan B Entertainment.

Samantha Liu '22 

Samantha Liu '22 is an entertainment professional, aspiring producer, and indie coming-of-age drama enthusiast. A first-gen Chinese American born and raised in Los Angeles, she is currently an assistant at Shawn Levy's production company, 21 Laps, where she works for Oscar-nominated producer Dan Cohen. She got her start in the UTA mailroom before working for a partner agent in the Motion Picture Literary department. At Princeton, Sam majored in English and was an active member of the arts community, including BodyHype Dance Company, PU Ballet, and the Performing Arts Council. 

Katie DiFrancesco '21

Katie DiFrancesco '21, is an assistant to the head of film at Gloria Sanchez Productions, Will Ferrell’s production company.  She majored in English with a certificate in creative writing during her time at Princeton. She also served as captain of the Varsity Women’s Track Team. After graduation, Katie began her career at United Talent Agency, where she was an assistant in the talent department for two and a half years. 

Writers Workshop

Nick Ellis '14

Nick Ellis ‘14 is a Texas-raised screenwriter currently based in Los Angeles. He’s developed and optioned his own television and screenwriting projects with Vertigo Entertainment, Entertainment 360, Billy Porter’s Incognegro Productions, The Exchange, Exile Studios, and A+E Studios, attaching directors including Ernest Dickerson and Tony Nominee Scott Ellis (no relation). Nick previously worked as a Creative Executive for Oscar-nominated writers Andrea Berloff and John Gatins in their overall deal at Netflix. Nick graduated from Princeton with a major in religion and a certificate in video and film production. He spent his first year out of college teaching English at Chiang Mai University through a PiA fellowship.

Rachel Alter '14

Rachel Alter ‘14 was born and raised in NYC and was most recently a Co-Ep on “Outer Banks” for Netflix where she worked for multiple seasons. Before that, she worked on Season 2 of “Loki” for Marvel/Disney+, was a Co-Producer on Netflix’s “The Society”,  and wrote on STARZ’s drama “Heels”. She also wrote for David Chase’s un-produced HBO mini-series “Ribbons of Dreams”. Additionally, she sold her adaptation of Collapsing Empire to Peacock with Working Title producing. Prior to her career in writing, Rachel worked as an English teacher at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She graduated with high honors from Princeton University with a degree in English and a minor in theater. Rachel can knit, loves to cook, and is a huge sci-fi nerd, which may be unexpected since she also knows way too much about musical theater.

Business of Hollywood Info Session

Brian Boon '12

Brian Boone '12 is a Motion Picture Talent Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he guides the film efforts for a dynamic roster of artists and filmmakers, including Academy Award winners Ariana DeBose, Viola Davis, Will Smith, and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, plus Jason Bateman, Miley Cyrus, David Oyelowo,  H.E.R., Laurence Fishburne, Keegan-Michael Key, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Gabriel LaBelle, Kate Mara, Charlie Day, Gabrielle Union, Sanaa Lathan, Mila Kunis, Judy Greer, Jillian Bell, Aunjanue Ellis, Yara Shahidi, Justin Theroux, Lamorne Morris, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jonathan Groff, among others. Boone began his career at CAA in 2012 in the mailroom of the agency’s New York office. Boone graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Anthropology. 

Zennen Clifton '08

Zennen Clifton '08 is currently a Creative Executive at Apple TV+, focusing on scripted television. Before this role, he served as EVP of 3BD Networks at 3BLACKDOT, overseeing direct-to-consumer content initiatives and managing the branded content studio. Prior to that, Clifton was VP of TV and Digital at MACRO, a media brand focusing on diverse voices and perspectives. He co-founded No Label, a multicultural content studio, with NBA All-Star Baron Davis to develop content for diverse audiences. Zennen began his career at Endeavor/WME and later worked at Yahoo! Studios as a producer and development executive. He holds an engineering degree in Computer Science from Princeton University.

James Shin '05

James Shin '05 is a pioneer and leading figure in music-driven premium film and television, and currently serves as the President of Film and Television for both HYBE America company and its Scooter Braun subsidiary SB Projects. Shin served as executive producer on Netflix’s NEON with Daddy Yankee, FX’s hit series DAVE (based on Lil Dicky), and most recently Demi Lovato's Child Star on Hulu. He was also co-executive producer for Netflix’s Ariana Grande tour documentary Excuse Me, I Love You, YouTube’s Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, and J Balvin’s film The Boy from Medellín. HYBE America continues to grow its film and television division and is comprised of entities including SB Projects which has a robust slate of projects including YouTube’s record-breaking docuseries Justin Bieber: Seasons, CBS’s Scorpion, and Never Say Never. HYBE America also has many projects in active development including Paramount Pictures' K-pop Superstar, WONDER BOY: Tony Hsieh, Zappos and the Myth of Happiness in Silicon Valley, Don’t Come To LA with YG, and Tuna Melt from Eddie Huang with SZA attached to star. Shin also served as HYBE America’s executive on Netflix’s documentary, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. In 2019, Shin was named one of Variety’s “New Leaders.”