Success Stories
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Realscreen Summit Success Stories
Over the years, Realscreen Summit has successfully helped people make connections and bring projects and ideas to life. We asked a few of our successful delegates to tell their stories.
Don't take it from us! Hear from real people who joined us for previous editions and truly benefitted from their experiences.
James Burstall is Chairman & CEO of award-winning superindie Argonon, one of the largest truly independent global groups, headquartered in London, New York, Los Angeles, Liverpool and Glasgow.
James founded Argonon in 2011, bringing together world-class independent production companies creating content that spans all genres for major broadcasters, platforms and brands around the world. Argonon is made up of seven production companies, including Bandicoot (The Masked Singer UK) Leopard Pictures (Worzel Gummidge), Windfall Films (Unearthed), Like a Shot (Abandoned Engineering) and BriteSpark Films (Dispatches: The Prince and the Paedophile). Branded video agency Nemorin, whose extensive client list ranges from McDonald’s to Hugo Boss, Amazon to American Express, joined in December 2020.
He has attended the past 13 editions of the Summit and will be joining us again for Realscreen Summit 2022.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
A must-do event where you can meet networks, talent and producers from all over North America and beyond.
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
We have discussed, pitched and sold many series and formats here and made excellent contacts.
Your experience at the Realscreen Summit
Realscreen is a vital part of the industry calendar and we do everything we can to bring our teams here from North America and Europe. It is also excellent for networking with new contacts and a lot of fun. Highly recommend.
Stephanie Drachkovitch is Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Peabody, Emmy®, Gracie and GLAAD award-winning non-fiction producer 44 Blue Productions, a Red Arrow Studios company.
Her experience has helped shape 44 Blue’s diverse slate, ranging from Netflix’s breakout hit Jailbirds, Snap’s groundbreaking Coming Out, produced in association with Chloe Grace Moretz, Discovery+ limited series Last Chance Transplant, produced in association with Robin Roberts, A&E’s Nightwatch, Fox’s First Responders Live and NBCU’s recently announced LA Fire and Rescue, all produced in association with Dick Wolf, to A&E’s Emmy-nominated Wahlburgers, E!’s top-rated Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry, Oxygen’s GLAAD Award-winning Strut, produced in association with Whoopi Goldberg, syndication’s Emmy-nominated Family Court With Judge Penny, Style Network’s Emmy-nominated Split Ends, OWN’s Grace Award-winning Married To The Army: Alaska, true-crime series Twisted Sisters and spin-off Twisted Love for Investigation Discovery, produced in association with Khloe’ Kardashian’s KhloMoney, Oxygen’s Real Murders of Orange County and Real Murders of Atlanta and MSNBC’s long-running prison documentary series Lockup.
Stephanie has attended 9 editions of the Realscreen Summit.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
Disneyland meets MIPCOM for unscripted television.
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
We have sold shows on site, been inspired by speakers, met new partners, made new friends, and reconnected with old friends!
Your experience at the Realscreen Summit
It's a great experience and opportunity to learn, network and connect, especially for those newer to the industry.
Michael is the founder of Michael D. Francis Presents (MDFP), a Midwest-based TV/content development and packaging company. MDFP focuses on finding unique and diverse talent and stories to package as reality/nonfiction TV shows for sale to production companies, networks, studios, and streaming platforms. Michael is very active and passionate about creating more film and television production opportunities in the Midwest region. MDFP is a resourceful asset for coastal production companies in need of boots on the ground to help find talent and crew for productions in the Midwest. Before founding Michael D. Francis Presents, Michael worked on various shows airing on networks like A&E, MTV, CBS, NBC, BET, TLC, Lifetime, PBS, ESPN, and Animal Planet.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
Realscreen Summit brings together creators, buyers and distributors of unscripted and non-fiction programming for engaging keynotes and panels along with meaningful pitching and networking opportunities. Ultimately, our goal is to power business transactions.
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
I went to the Summit with 7 projects to pitch, 4 turned into development deals, and 1 has already received a network pilot order.
Your experience at the Realscreen Summit
The knowledge, access, and relationships I gained from Realscreen has been career changing and continues to fuel my growth as a development producer and a company. I don’t know where else an unconnected person from the middle of nowhere can go and accumulate a lifetime’s worth of industry knowledge, connections, and relationships in just a few days. Going to the Realscreen Summit is easily the best thing I’ve ever done for my business!
Colby Gaines is an executive producer and founder of Back Roads Entertainment, a New York and Austin-based content creator specializing in comedy and lifestyle programming. Since establishing the company in 2011, Gaines has created, sold and produced over 30 series, specials and pilots for networks such as A&E, Lifetime, Discovery, Food Network, Travel Channel, TLC and E! among others.
He has been a regular at the Realscreen Summit for the past 10 editions.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
In the US, this is THE gathering for unscripted. Whether you're a storyteller selling, a buyer hunting for hits, or a producer looking to build out your network, this should be an annual event on your calendar.
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
I've sold shows here. I've met amazing collaborators here. And I've commiserated with great friends and colleagues here.
Robyn Lattaker-Johnson is an Unscripted Agent with A3 Artists Agency who has been an integral part of the Realscreen Summit for the past 10 years.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
The Realscreen Summit is THE can't miss unscripted conference to attend each year. It's certainly a place to connect and reconnect with colleagues, but also to share industry trends, listen to carefully curated panels, and even shop your concepts. A chance meeting in the elevator could lead to the next hit series!
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
Every year I meet talented producers, executives and agents that lead to future business. I've hired folks that I've met at the Summit, bought a few projects, and made several long-time friends.
Your experience at the Realscreen Summit
The team behind the Realscreen Summit strives to bring a variety of unscripted voices to the forefront in an inclusive way and I'm proud to be a contributor where I can be useful.
Brent Montgomery is CEO of Wheelhouse, a media and marketing company where content, talent, brands and capital come together, accelerating programming and business opportunities across platforms.
His career in unscripted TV began via reality staples like The Bachelor and Wife Swap. He formed his first company, Leftfield Pictures, and sold his first series, The Principal’s Office, in 2008, and hit series Pawn Stars in 2009.
Montgomery’s trajectory shot upwards as the company expanded, and in the spring of 2014, Leftfield Entertainment was acquired by ITV. Montgomery served as CEO of ITV America until launching Wheelhouse in 2018.
He has been attending the Realscreen Summit for the past 11 years.
If you were to describe the Realscreen Summit to someone who had never attended, what would you say?
It's the perfect mix of fun and business -- 80% fun and the 20% of business is still better than the typical business day.
How has attending the Realscreen Summit impacted your business or career?
Realscreen introduced me to new friends and solidified a lot of my key relationships. And we've sold a bunch of series there -- "Alone" being my favorite of the lot.
Your experience at the Realscreen Summit
When Realscreen started we would joke about "all working together," and now I feel like I've collaborated with people that other industries would've deemed "competitors." But that's the beauty of unscripted. We have each other’s backs and we know that, other than our "Brain Surgery Live" show for Courteney Monroe, it’s not brain surgery.
