PLEASE SUPPORT THE SAN DIEGO FILM & TV PRODUCTION COMMUNITY BY ATTENDING THIS IMPORTANT EVENT

Join us for a full-day industry summit led by the San Diego Media Pros, California Film Commission, the San Diego Film Office, Panavision, and Sony, designed specifically for San Diego’s film and video production community.

HEAR FROM THESE EXPERTS:

• Leah Medrano, Deputy Director, California Film Commission

• Fanshen Cox, DEIA Initiative Manager, California Film Commission

• Marco Cordova, Director, Film and Tax Credit Investment, Monarch Private Capital 

• Aaron Saffa, Manager, New Filmmaker Program at Panavision

• MaryAnn Corpuz, Marketing Manager, Sony Electronics

• Samantha Corn, Manager, Business Development and Education, Sony Electronics 

• Guy Langman, Filming Program Manager- City of San Diego

• Mark Walton, Location Manager; Lead Project Officer and DoD Coordinator for Top Gun: Maverick

• Steve Peace, Executive Producer and Filmmaker 

• Rich Varville, Director, Producer Screenwriter, RSVP Films 

• Jeff Deverett, Producer, Director, Distributor, Deverett Media Group 

• Graham Sheldon, Producer, Director of Photograhy and Director, and Our Event Emcee

Plus, visit our "Media-Con Trade Show" and sign up for giveaways!

The Workshop is FREE! 

HERE'S THE LINE UP YOU WON'T TO MISS: 

• 9:30am Doors Open. Arrive early for registration, to grab coffee and visit our Vendor Tables

• 10:00am Event begins - Welcome to Fund Your Film! 

• 10:10am Highlights of 2025 in San Diego Filming with Guy Langman, Film Program Manager, City of San Diego

• 10:20am The Art of Pitching to Fund Your Film with MaryAnn Corpuz and Samantha Corn of Sony Electronics

• 10:50am California Tax Incentives: 4.0 Updates and the Application Process with Leah Medrano and Fanshen Cox, California Film Commission with Q and A

• 11:50am A Broker's Insights into Using and Selling State Tax Credits with Marco Cordova, Monarch Private Capital

• 12:20pm Introducing the Do The Thing Challenge - Join San Diego Media Pros in its First Collaborative Challenge to Connect and Inspire 

• 12:30pm Lunch. Visit with our guests, network with your colleagues in film and TV, and spend time at our Trade Show 

• 1:30pm Fireside Chat: Mark Walton, Location Manager for TOP GUN: MAVERICK and WAY OF THE WARRIOR KID talks with Guy Langman about filming on location in San Diego 

• 2:00pm Learn about the New Filmmaker Equipment Grant with Aaron Saffa of Panavision 

• 2:30 Break 

• 3:00 Funding Your San Diego Film with Steve Peace, Executive Producer, Rich Varville, Director, Producer and Screenwriter, and Jeff Deverett, Producer, Director and Distributor

• 3:30 Production Community Forum - What's on your mind? Share your thoughts and questions on building the local industry 

• 4:00pm Giveaways! 

HERE'S THE DETAILS: 

WHEN:   Saturday, Aug 23 | 10 AM – 4:30 PM; Doors open 9:30AM

WHERE: Spark Studio Soundstage, 8283 Ronson Rd, San Diego, CA

Free parking is available in the lot or on the street.

PRICE: The workshop is FREE!!!

The deadline to register for lunch has past - we will have a limited number of box lunches available on site for purchase. Feel free to bring your own if you'd like! 

Unlock Budget Potential Right Here in San Diego

VENDORS AND SPONSORS - Are you interested in being a part of this amazing event and having a table at the trade show? Reach out to michael.wood@sdmediapros.org 

MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: 

Ready to take your production to the next level? Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker, an up-and-coming producer, or a crew member dreaming bigger, this is your chance to tap into the incentives, tools, and insider knowledge that power major productions.

Whether you’re a director, writer, DP, editor, PA, or grip — incentives impact every role. Productions don’t just land in major hubs like Atlanta or Vancouver by accident. Production incentives drive those decisions, and we want San Diego on that list.

Let’s show the industry that San Diego is ready for more. Come learn, connect, and ignite your next project.

MEET OUR PRESENTERS:

Leah Medrano – Deputy Director, California Film Commission

With 20+ years of State of California public service, Leah’s strategic vision and leadership have significantly contributed to retaining film and television productions in California, along with creation of thousands of creative jobs in the Golden State. Before her tenure at the California Film Commission, Leah had a distinguished blended career in government and entertainment; Leah worked at Fox Television Station, MTV Networks, Fox Sports, and the Los Angeles news group CBS2 and KCAL9.

Leah is a member of Women in Film, Film Independent, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Leah is also a Board Member for FilAm Arts, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles since 1992 dedicated to advancing Filipino-American artists and culture bearers, by sharing resources, providing platforms, and building community. 

 

Fanshen Cox, DEIA Initiative Manager, California Film Commission

Fanshen Cox is the DEIA Initiative Manager for the California Film Commission’s Tax Credit Program. She is also the Founder of TruJuLo Productions. Fanshen served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cape Verde, West Africa, and holds a BA in Spanish & Education, an MA in TESOL, and an MFA in TV, Film & Theatre. She has been honored with Distinguished Alumni Awards from CSULA and from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an honorary MFA in producing from New York Film Academy.

Fanshen is also a co-author of the Inclusion Rider which was announced at the 2018 Oscar awards by Frances McDormand and the co-creator, producer and host of the Webby nominated podcast Sista Brunch. An award-winning playwright, actor, producer, and educator, she is a highly sought after speaker on narrative for impact, and on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging.

Marco Cordova, Director, Film and Tax Credit Investment, Monarch Private Capital 

Marco Cordova is a highly regarded expert in film production incentives with over 25 years of experience in tax credits and incentives. As Director at Monarch Private Capital, he oversees the investment strategy and acquisition of tax credits for film, television, and digital entertainment projects, having managed more than $2 billion in transactions. Marco specializes in helping Fortune 500 companies and institutional clients optimize their tax credit savings across a variety of sectors, including renewable energy, affordable housing, and historic preservation.

Previously, Marco served as Vice President at Entertainment Partners and as a Manager at both Anthem Inc. and Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he led tax credit planning and research initiatives. He began his career at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte Tax, specializing in multistate taxes. Marco holds an MA in Business Taxation from USC and a BS in Accounting from Loyola Marymount University, where he currently serves as Chair of the Accounting Advisory Board. Marco is a CPA, a registered representative with FINRA, and an active leader in several tax and entertainment organizations.

Guy Langman, Filming Program Manager, City of San Diego

Guy Langman, a Modesto, CA native, retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2013 after 20+ years of service to his country.  As a permitting and safety review official with the Coast Guard, Langman was responsible for overseeing filming and special events permits for the coastlines of Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Awarded a 2012 California On Location Award for service to the film industry, Langman has worked extensively with location managers and local communities on large scale projects such as: Dexter, True Blood, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men First Class, Inception and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Asked about how he views his role as Filming Program Manager for the City of San Diego, Langman replied, “I have an eye for small details. The work we do with local communities is akin to the structure of a ship. Film supportive communities are the backbone or “keel” of a much larger structure, which is the local entertainment economy.”

Mark Walton, Location Manager and Lead Project Officer and DoD Coordinator for Top Gun: Maverick

Mark Walton is a San Diego-based Key Assistant Location Manager, military consultant, advisor and asset coordinator. As a Hollywood teamster, he brings continuity, authenticity, practical solutions to your filmmaking and storytelling process. Mark's role in the Navy was as an Entertainment Media Liaison Officer while stationed at the Navy Office of Information in Los Angeles, CA. 

His impact can be seen in such films and television shows as Way of the Warrior Kid, Killers of the Flower Moon, Top Gun: Maverick, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: New Orleans, Jack Ryan and Defending Japan. 

Samantha Corn, Sr. Manager, Business Development and Education, Sony Electronics

MaryAnn Corpuz, Marketing Manager, Sony Electronics

Aaron Saffa, Manager, New Filmmaker Program, Panavision

Aaron Saffa has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, serving as a producer, head of production, and production company founder, among other roles. He also worked as an Account Executive in the Eastman Kodak Entertainment Imaging Division, where he served as a primary point of contact for studio features, television productions, and agency commercials.

During his time with Kodak, the opportunity to partner with up-and-coming student and independent filmmakers was what Aaron found most rewarding. Today, he is honored to continue helping emerging storytellers in his role as Manager of Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program.

Steve Peace, Executive Producer and Filmmaker

Steve Peace is an Executive Producer, actor, writer and producer best known for the cult parody film series Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! When given the option recently to shoot the latest installment (the sixth!) called Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence (in theatres October 2025) elsewhere, he chose to stay in San Diego. Steve was also the Executive Producer of Fox Children’s Network’s Attack of the Killer Tomatoes animated television series. 

From 1982 through 2003, Steve served in the California State Capitol as a member of the State Assembly, a State Senator and as the State’s Director of Finance. After his public service, Steve served as the Founding Director of the California Independent Voter Project. He was born in San Diego and graduated from the University of California, San Diego, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in political science.

Jeff Deverett, Film Producer, Director, Distributor, Educator, Consultant, Deverett Media Group 

Jeff Deverett has independently financed and produced nine feature films with three picked up by Netflix for worldwide distribution. Jeff co-wrote and directed five of these movies and won the Best Director Award for his movie GOD INCORPORATED at the Chandler International Film Festival. 

Jeff is a Professor in the FILM/TV department at San Diego State University and at UCLA Extension where he teaches courses on film financing, budgeting, scheduling, distribution, marketing, and tax credits. He is the Founder and CEO of The Indie Film Community, an information & consulting platform designed to assist filmmakers in financing, production, distribution and marketing. 

Between filmmaking, teaching, and consulting, Jeff hosts a weekly podcast entitled Indie Filmmaking / Truth & Reality where he presents and discusses all aspects of the indie film business with informative guests that include distributors, financiers, filmmakers, and more.

Rich Varville, Director and Writer, RSVP Films

Rich Varville is a Southern California–based writer and director known for psychological thrillers and emotionally grounded genre storytelling. He has written and directed two feature films, edited and sound-designed several others, and created over 40 short films and narrative music videos.

In 2025, he wrote and directed the televised San Diego Film Awards and is currently a producer and 2nd Unit Director on Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence (in theaters October 2025). His next film, DEATHBED, is a psychological horror feature currently making the rounds with studios. Rich also has multiple original screenplays in development and has served as a script doctor on five feature films over the past year. He is the founder of RSVP FILMS, a creative label for his original narrative work.

Graham Sheldon, Producer, Director of Photography, Director and Our Event Emcee

Graham Sheldon resides in southern California where he works as an Emmy® award winning producer, director of photography, and director. He also formerly served as a director of development at Nerdist. Throughout his career, Graham has produced and shot scripted, topical, and historical documentary projects in over two dozen countries and across the United States--including Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands.

Highlights of Graham's documentary work include -- NBC's The Island with Bear Grylls,  Sinking Nation, Echoes from Chernobyl, Cuba: An Island Apart, Inheritance (PBS), The Agency: Inside the CIA, and his Emmy® award winning expose on migration: Crossing Borders.  

He attended Indiana University and double-majored in Media and Theatre. A member of ICG Local 600 and the Producers Guild of America, Graham is also a writer for the filmmaking website CineD, a licensed FAA drone pilot, a Rosco Ambassador, Inovativ Ambassador and a Sigma Ambassador.

PANAVISION
Camera & Optics

Motion picture equipment company that has been specializing cameras and lenses as a rental company since 1954. From the Super Pantar projection lens to the Ultra Panatar II, Panavison has been helping filmmakers deliver visuals on a completely different level. 

The San Diego plant's mixed US-Japan management team in front of the main building. (Sony history)

SONY
Camera & Optics

Sony has been supporting the San Diego community since 1972. The first KV-1720 model began to move down the single production line before the eyes of the plant’s 35 employees. Managers wanted to create an atmosphere at the plant that would encourage employees to exchange ideas freely. A system unique to Sony San Diego gradually evolved. In 1974, a CRT factory was built on a connecting lot and comprehensive color TV manufacturing was realized.

The know-how obtained through the San Diego operations was later adopted by plants manufacturing other products, including the speaker plant in Delano, Pennsylvania (opened in 1974); the video cassette tape plant in Dothan, Alabama (opened in 1977); and the audio cassette tape plant in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico (opened in 1979).

Don't miss this incredible workshop from San Diego Media Pros, the California Film Commission, San Diego Film Office, Sony, Panavision and more! 

Saturday, August 23 at Spark Studio Soundstage

Doors open 9:30AM

Program starts 10AM 

Register today and save your seat! 

NOTICE:

San Diego Media Pros is an educational non-profit organization and follows all laws and guidelines required for 501c3 organizations. San Diego Media Pros meetings are for the professional exchange of educational information only.

Meeting topics and discussions may include technical or creative news, services that apply to the industry, training, national industry conferences, webinars and events, and Southern California film and media events. 

Absolutely no political or religious discussions are permitted.

San Diego Media Pros may discuss fact-based educational information on laws such as AB5 as they pertain to the industry. Please be advised that any information shared is being offered courtesy of the original source and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

San Diego Media Pros reserves the right to terminate discussions deemed inappropriate, or that break the group rules. 

Personal attacks, racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, religious, age, and other epithets or defamations will not be tolerated, and will get you banned from the group.

Please be advised that all virtual and live events hosted by San Diego Media Pros may be recorded and distributed for educational and promotional purposes. Your voluntary participation in such events authorizes and acknowledges San Diego Media Pro’s exclusive rights of ownership and use of all recordings.