REEL MAGIC HOUR® DAY 1
Reel Magic Hour® is a two-day industry summit bringing together top leaders, creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators for bold conversations at the intersection of film, business, tech, and culture. Now in its 11th edition, it continues to be a cornerstone of the Chelsea Film Festival experience — drawing an engaged audience of filmmakers, industry professionals, and tastemakers from around the world.
Access to this event requires an Icon, Industry, Press, Filmmaker, Reel Magic Hour or Press accreditation. Register via this link
DAY ONE: Friday, October 16, 2026 from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
PANEL ONE: THE CREATOR ECONOMY: BUILDING THE NEXT MEDIA EMPIRE
PANEL TWO: LIVE CONVERSATION CO-PRESENTED BY DEADLINE
PANEL THREE: PLOT TWIST: TURNING GREAT BOOKS INTO HIT SERIES AND FILMS
PANEL FOUR: FROM THE WORLD CUP TO THE OLYMPICS: STORYTELLING ON THE WORLD’S BIGGEST STAGE
PANEL FIVE: AFTER THE PREMIERE: BUILDING LASTING IMPACT
Program is subject to change based on speaker availability.
LOCATION:
TBN Studios – 111 E 15th Street, New York, NY 10003
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | REGISTRATION
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | WELCOME REMARKS by Rafael Espinal, MOME’s Commissioner
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
PANEL ONE
THE CREATOR ECONOMY: BUILDING THE NEXT MEDIA EMPIRE
Moderator: Gillian Follett (Reporter, Ad Age)
Speakers: Max Reisinger (Co-Founder & CEO, Creator Camp), Spencer Lackey (Creator/Filmmaker), Brett Dashevsky (Founder, Creator Economy NYC & Co-Founder, Shiftsy), Sol Betesh (Co-Founder & CEO, Fallen Media), Kenny Gold (Global CCO, Edelman)
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
PANEL TWO
LIVE CONVERSATION CO-PRESENTED BY DEADLINE
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM | LUNCH BREAK
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
PANEL THREE
PLOT TWIST: TURNING GREAT BOOKS INTO HIT SERIES AND FILMS
Moderator: Alix Strauss (Lifestyle & Culture writer, New York Times features contributor/Author)
Speakers: Laura Eason (Writer, EP & Showrunner, Starz’s Three Women; Writer & Producer, Netflix’s House of Cards), Julia May Jonas (Writer and theater maker, Vladimir adapted for Netflix), Hadley Ramsay (Director, Film & TV, Maria B. Campbell Associates), Erica Spellman-Silverman (SVP, Literary Agent & Film & TV Agent, Trident Media Group)
3:45 PM– 4:45 PM
PANEL FOUR
FROM THE WORLD CUP TO THE OLYMPICS: STORYTELLING ON THE WORLD’S BIGGEST STAGE
Moderator: Jack Appleby (Creator of Future Social, How To Hoop Forever)
Speakers: Nick Fitzhugh (Founder, redfitz, Director & DP, Soccer City), Alex Lasry (CEO, FIFA World Cup 2026), Bryan Terry (President, PlayersTV)
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
PANEL FIVE
AFTER THE PREMIERE: BUILDING LASTING IMPACT
Moderator: Andrew Hecht (Chelsea Film Festival)
Speakers: Jon Alpert (Co-Founder, DCTV), Azadeh Nikzadeh (Filmmaker, Impact Producer, & Founder, Fraternité Impact Producers), Charlotte Kaufman (Documentary Filmmaker, The Alabama Solution), Jordan Riber (Producer & Director, The River Remembers, CFF 2026 Official Selection)