LOS ANGELES, CA, March 25, 2015 – The Hollywood Radio and Television Society, the entertainment industry's premier information and networking forum, will host The Hitmakers as part of its Newsmaker Luncheon series on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at The Beverly Hilton (9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA). Panelists include Lee Daniels, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of FOX’s Empire; Jill Soloway, Creator and Executive Producer of Amazon Studios’ Transparent; Michelle King, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of CBS Television Studios’ The Good Wife; and Sarah Treem, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Showtime’s The Affair. The announcement was made today by HRTS President and Executive Vice President, Universal Television, Bela Bajaria and HRTS Executive Director, Dave Ferrara.
Lee Daniels is an Academy Award® nominated filmmaker and the co-creator and executive producer of FOX’s record-breaking hit series Empire, the family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire that features original music. Daniels is known for directing and producing critically acclaimed films, such as Precious and Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Precious was nominated for six Academy Awards, including nominations for Daniels in the category of "Achievement in Directing" and "Best Motion Picture of the Year,” and earned wins in the categories of “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” and “Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.” The Butler, the true story of an African American butler who served at the White House during seven presidential administrations, opened in 2013 and grossed over $175 million worldwide. Daniels’ other directing credits include Shadowboxer and The Paperboy, and he has also produced films such as Monster’s Ball and The Woodsman.
Jill Soloway is the creator and executive producer of Amazon Studios' Golden Globe®-winning hit Transparent, a dark, deep, silly family series about boundaries, love and secrets. Soloway is also a three-time Emmy nominee for her work writing and producing the critically acclaimed HBO series, Six Feet Under. Soloway received the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for her first feature, Afternoon Delight. Soloway has also written and produced for many popular TV series including United States of Tara, Grey’s Anatomy, and How to Make It in America.
Sarah Treem is the co-creator and showrunner of the Golden Globe-winning Showtime drama The Affair. The series recently received three Golden Globe nominations for its freshman season, including wins for “Best Television Drama” and “Best Actress in a Television Drama.” Previously, Treem wrote and co-executive produced for the first season of David Fincher's House of Cards for Netflix. She also wrote on all three seasons of the acclaimed HBO series In Treatment. Additionally, Treem wrote and produced HBO’s How to Make It in America.
Michelle King and her husband Robert King are the creative, writing, and producing team behind the critically adored drama, The Good Wife, starring Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress Julianna Margulies. The Good Wife has been honored by AFI, the WGA, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, as well as the Television Critics Association. The Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated writing team, Robert and Michelle King, have been creative collaborators for over a decade and married for more than two decades. Prior to her work in Television, King worked in development at various studios and production companies.
“We are very excited to have such an esteemed group of panelists who have created and are currently producing innovative and thought-provoking programming during this ‘Golden Age’ of television,” said Bela Bajaria, HRTS President and Executive Vice President, Universal Television.
The HRTS Hitmakers Luncheon is co-chaired byAdam Berkowitz, Christina Davis, Marc Korman, Robin Schwartz, and Sarah Timberman. The private VIP reception opens at11:30 a.m., and the lunch and panel begin at 12:10 p.m. Tickets: HRTS Individual Member: $125/member; Table of 10: $1,250. Non-member: $360.00 (includes one year HRTS membership). For reservations or information on non-member tickets, please call (818) 789-1182<tel:%28818%29%20789-1182> or visitwww.HRTS.org<http://www.HRTS.org>.
HRTS’ partners Digital Rapids and Limelight Networks will present a live stream of the panel. The 2014-2015 HRTS Newsmaker Luncheon Series is sponsored in part by The Lippin Group.
About HRTS:
Founded in 1947, HRTS is the entertainment industry's premier information and networking forum. HRTS is an exclusive, bi-coastal industry organization where top executives and companies from all facets of the television and media business regularly gather to address issues relevant to the ongoing success and future of our shared business. Current HRTS membership is comprised of over 50 corporate members and over 1400 individual members representing nearly 230 leading companies from across the entire industry landscape. In addition to the flagship Newsmaker Luncheon Series, HRTS events and activities include a robust junior membership program focusing on career development and advancement as well as its newest series of on-line Academic membership content now available for college and university media programs worldwide.
