Laverne Cox, Kenny Smith, Adam Silver, Cathy Yan & More Announced as Speakers at AT&T SHAPE

Registration is Now Available at SHAPE.ATT.com

AT&T announced today the second round of speakers for AT&T* SHAPE, a two-day immersive event exploring the convergence of technology and entertainment on June 22-23, 2019 at Warner Bros. in Los Angeles, CA.

The newly revealed speakers include: 

• Rony Abovitz, CEO, Magic Leap
• Archit Bhargava, director of Worldwide Product Marketing, Niantic
• Mary Casey, BAFTA-nominated game producer, executive director of product, WB Games
• David Christopher, president, AT&T Mobility & Entertainment
• Laverne Cox, actress, producer, advocate
• John Donovan, CEO, AT&T Communications
• Luna Garcia, filmmaker, Ghetto Film School Alum
• Alexi Gonzalez, writer/director, Ghetto Film School Alum
• Alex Hudgens, Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist
• Danny Keens, vice president of content, NextVR
• Jonathan Knight, vice president and studio head, WB Games
• Felix Lajeunesse, co-founder/creative director, Felix & Paul Studios
• Dylan Mathis, communication manager, NASA International Space Station Program
• Dr. Erin Macdonald, astrophysicist and sci-fi consultant
• Stosh Mintek, CEO, Ghetto Film School
• Alex Moffit, product manager, Niantic
• Chantal Nong, vice president, DC Films
• shallou, recording artist
• Adam Silver, commissioner, NBA
• Kenny Smith, NBA on TNT
• Cathy Yan, director, Warner Bros. Birds of Prey

These featured trailblazers will join previously announced participants Elizabeth Banks (actress/producer/director), Mayim Bialik (actress, The Big Bang Theory), Geena Davis (actor, A League of Their Own), Niecy Nash (actress, Claws), Karen Palmer (filmmaker, RIOT) and Sherri Shepherd (comedian, actress, author).

In its fourth year, AT&T SHAPE will explore 5G and the future of entertainment through interactive exhibits and thought-provoking speakers. Additional participants, exhibitors and demos featuring the magic of virtual and augmented reality as well as the potential power and speed of 5G recently announced.

The current lineup of AT&T SHAPE panels can be found below. For additional event information including registration, videos of past panels and more information on this year’s confirmed speakers, exhibitors and demos, visit SHAPE.ATT.com.

CURRENT AT&T SHAPE LINEUP:

• Taking Cinematic VR to Space: NASA and the Emmy®-Nominated Space Explorers 
  • Speakers: Felix Lajeunesse (Co-Founder/Creative Director, Felix & Paul Studios), Dylan Mathis (Communication Manager, NASA International Space Station Program) and more TBA
  • Details: Join the team behind the first cinematic VR cameras in space. Felix & Paul Studios' Space Explorers chronicles NASA's space travel ambitions like none other before it. Featuring interviews with astronauts and awe-inspiring footage of rocket launches and underwater exercises, the VR experience gives an unprecedented look at the space agency's operations. Hear about the team's journey here, and the next phase of the project, which has cameras up in space aboard the International Space Station.
• AI Voyage: Can Conscious Storytelling Save Us?
  • Speaker: Karen Palmer (Filmmaker)
  • Details: Artificial Intelligence filmmaker Karen Palmer, the Storyteller from the Future, shares her insights into her emotionally responsive film RIOT at the intersection of, AI & bias, gaming, art, neuroscience, behavioural psychology and consciousness. Karen has come back to show us the future of entertainment, but can the future save us?
• AT&T Film Awards
  • Speakers: David Christopher (President, AT&T Mobility & Entertainment) and Cathy Yan (Director, Warner Bros. Pictures’ BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN))
  • Details: The AT&T Film Awards shines light on emerging creators from across the U.S., including a category for underrepresented filmmakers, and awards storytellers for utilizing innovative technologies like shot on mobile, interactive films, mixed reality, and innovative uses of visual effects.
• The Scully Effect is Real: I Want to Believe in STEM – If She Can See It, She Can Be It
  • Speakers: Mayim Bialik (Actress, The Big Bang Theory, Ph.D., Neuroscience) and Geena Davis (Actor, A League of Their Own)
  • Moderator: Dr. Erin Macdonald (Astrophysicist and Sci-Fi Consultant)
  • Details: Thanks to a recent study conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, the "Scully Effect" posited by fans of The X-Files has now been proven. The survey results showed that the character of Agent Dana Scully was an inspiration and a trailblazer—63% of women surveyed said that Scully gave them the confidence to believe that they too could succeed in a field that was male-dominated—demonstrating that gender parity in media can result in social change.
• Spotlight on Storytelling:  Ghetto Film School
  • Speakers: Stosh Mintek (CEO, Ghetto Film School), Luna Garcia (Filmmaker, Ghetto Film School Alum) and Alexi Gonzalez (Writer/Director, Ghetto Film School Alum)
  • Moderator: Chantal Nong, Vice President, DC Films
  • Details: Ghetto Film School (GFS) is the most elite and inclusive film academy in the world. Through their renowned storytelling curriculum and broad catalog of career development services, GFS leverages collective knowledge and resources to build future career possibilities for emerging American storytellers. GFS alumna will offer insight about their world class training, explain how to navigate writing and directing an international thesis film as a teenager, and outline the necessary steps and support needed as artists in the early stages of their careers.
• Evolving Music & Live Event Experiences
  • Speakers: Danny Keens (Head of Content, NextVR) and shallou (Recording Artist)
  • Moderator:  Alex Hudgens (Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist)
  • Details: Alex, Danny and shallou will explore how artists are embracing technologies like virtual and augmented reality as a way to get fans more engaged and deeper into the experience.
• Game Changer: Technology & the Future of Sports
  • Speakers: John Donovan (CEO, AT&T Communications) and Adam Silver (NBA Commissioner)
  • Moderator: Kenny Smith (NBA on TNT)
  • Details: Join AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as they share their insight and explore trends and innovation in sports, media and technology.
• Eyes Peeled – Ears Open – Wands Ready! Harry Potter: Wizards Unite & the Future of Augment Reality in Gaming
  • Speakers: Jonathan Knight (Vice President and Studio Head, WB Games), Mary Casey (BAFTA-nominated Game Producer, Executive Director of Product, WB Games), Archit Bhargava (Director of Worldwide Product Marketing, Niantic), Alex Moffit (Product Manager, Niantic)
  • Details: Co-developed and published by Niantic and WB Games San Francisco, under the Portkey Games label, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite invites players to view the real world through a Wizarding World lens, via your smartphone. Innovation in Augmented Reality (AR) allows game players to view and interact with the same AR at the same time and take actions within this AR that impact each other’s game play. So, brush up on your spells, get your wand ready, and learn how this new, immersive AR gaming experience was created.
• A Master Class with Niecy Nash
  • Speaker: Niecy Nash (Actress, Claws)
  • Moderator: Sherri Shepherd (Comedian, Actress, Author)
  • Details: Moderated by comedian, author, and television personality Sherri Shepherd, join us for a conversation with Emmy®-winning producer and twice-nominated actress, Niecy Nash—star of TNT’s CLAWS—as she shares her insight and learnings throughout her multi-faceted career.​
• Enter the Magicverse
  • Speakers: John Donovan (CEO, AT&T Communications) and Rony Abovitz (CEO, Magic Leap)
  • Details: An engaging conversation with Rony Abovitz, Magic Leap’s Founder and CEO, and AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan as they share their vision of how the intersection of Magic Leap’s spatial computing technology and the real world will drive creator, and developer opportunities like none other. Delving into the layers involved in blending reality and how this will manifest in future smart cities, content across Warner Media, and technology enablers provided by AT&T ‘s 5G network.  
• A Conversation Between Elizabeth Banks and Laverne Cox
  • Speakers: Elizabeth Banks (Actress, Producer, Director)
  • Moderator: Laverne Cox (Actress, Producer, Advocate)
  • Details: In our conversation with the multi-faceted actress, director, and producer, Elizabeth Banks, moderated by Laverne Cox, we'll explore how technology and new digital platforms are changing how movies and television shows are made, produced, and distributed. Elizabeth will share her story of how she rose to become an entertainment business maven–holding development deals with nearly every major studio, creating content for film and TV, and founding WhoHaha, a digital platform for female comedians.