Speakers

Lee Hunt
Considered one of the industry's leading experts, Lee Hunt has worked in television advertising and promotion for more than 25 years. Since 1999, Hunt has served as an independent consultant with a focus on brand strategy, break architecture and promo training for television networks. His quarterly DVD service, Break|Throughs, tracks and analyzes innovative ideas for marketing and promotion executives.

Primal Screen
Doug Grimmett, founder and creative director
Steve Mank, director of sound design
Rick Newcomb, executive art director
Founded in 1995, Primal Screen quickly became a leader in broadcast design with the on-air redesign of Cartoon Network. Most recently, the company re-launched PBS Kids and created the Laser Awesome Action block for Nicktoons Network. Current projects include the design of new on-air branding for PBS Kids Go and the creation of trailers and branding graphics for the Sundance Film Festival. Primal Screen has worked with numerous entertainment clients including HGTV, CBS, ABC, HBO and Disney.

Brett Ashy
Brett Ashy, chairman of the Board of Governors for the Broadcast Design Association, launched the Ashy Agency in 2005. The company markets the motion-graphic design, live-action, interactive, print and visual effects talents of Creator, DZN, Engine Room, Engine Design, the LSD Group, Nailgun*, Roger, Spillt and United Front to the broadcast and new media industries.

Brian Diecks
Brian Diecks, executive creative director of PRN, founded The Diecks Group in 1993 with the on-air design package for The Independent Film Channel. With a focus on broadcast, interactive, print advertising, collateral and graphic design, The Diecks Group served clients including ESPN, Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, Discovery, TNT, Turner Sports and Major League Soccer. Diecks' work has been regularly featured in Millimeter, Shoot, Post, Videography and Creativity, and he is a regular speaker at industry conferences such as AIGA, HOW and PROMAX/BDA.

Mick Ebeling
Mick Ebeling is the founder and executive producer of The Ebeling Group, an international production company representing some of the world's leading design and directing collectives. These collectives have completed work for clients and venues including the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Sundance Film Festival, Diesel, Coca Cola, Nike, Sony Pictures, Nike, HP, Disney and many others. Most recently, TEG collective MK12 began work on the upcoming James Bond film "Quantum of Solace." Ebeling is a design and branding expert and has spoken in Hong Kong, Australia, Tokyo, Singapore and the United States.

Markus Schmidt
Markus Schmidt has been working internationally as a brand consultant, creative director and film director under the moniker MarkusSchmidt.tv. For five years prior, until 2004, Schmidt had been managing director and executive creative director of SevenSenses, a leading design and advertising agency based in Munich. In the past nine years, which includes a tenure as creative director at Germany's renowned broadcaster ProSieben, Markus has been honored with over one hundred major awards from Promax&BDA and New York Festivals for his creative work. Schmidt is the founder and creative director of UnitedSenses.

David Saphirstein
David Saphirstein is creative director at ESPN in Bristol, Conn. He oversees design and animation for properties David Saphirstein is Creative Director at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. He oversees design and animation for properties including NFL, NASCAR, Baseball, College Football, College Basketball, Golf, Tennis and ESPNEWS.  Prior to ESPN, David was Executive Producer at Sonalysts Studios in Waterford, Connecticut where he led the Broadcast Design group as well as produced and directed video productions for clients including Pfizer, Atlantis Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun Resort Casino, Sony, Coca Cola, ESPN, and NBC.