Global challenges for screenwriter’s guilds in Europe and the USA. Common challenges, diverse solutions?
Travis Donnelly, WGA West.
Carolin Otto, Presidenta de la Federation of Screenwriters of Europe (FSE).
Moderado por Willard Tressel, Media Consultant.
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Travis Donnelly is a writer currently working as a Co-Executive Producer on America’s #1 television show, “Tracker.” His past work includes “Medium,” “Hawaii 5-0,” and “Bull.” He has been serving on the Writers Guild of America, West Board of Directors since 2018. He was also a member of the 2020 and 2023 WGA Negotiating Committee that led the guild during the 148-day strike that resulted in unprecedented new gains and protections for writers.
Travis lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.
Screenwriter and director, President of the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE)
Carolin Otto has been a scriptwriter and director since 1995. She studied documentary film and scriptwriting at the Munich Film Academy (HFF) and received her doctorate (PHD) at the Bauhaus University in Weimar. She worked as a scriptwriter for many popular series and films, such as Bier Royal. Actually Headwriter of long-running ZDF TV-Show Lena Lorenz. She was author, director and producer of the feature films Aphrodite’s Night and The White Raven. Her first novel, Berchtesgaden, will be published in early 2025. Since 2019 FSE president.
Willard Gustavo Tressel has an outstanding career in the television industry, holding key roles in companies such as ABC, Walt Disney Company and DIRECTV Latin America. During his tenure as General Manager of DIRECTV Latin America’s exclusive entertainment channel and SVOD platforms, he was responsible for bringing the best of global content to Latin American audiences. Among the most important series he introduced were FARGO, WAR OF THE WORLDS and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, in addition to high caliber documentaries directed by figures such as Ken Burns, Alex Gibney and Asif Kapadia. Tressel was a pioneer in bringing “Nordic Noir” and presenting Latin American audiences with a diverse selection of European content, highlighting series and films from Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany. Thanks to the agreements managed, it introduced titles such as PEAKY BLINDERS, THE KILLING, BROADCHURCH, THE FALL, VELVET and EL PRÍNCIPE, among others. He has not only been involved in distribution, but also in the creation and production of series, such as TODO POR EL JUEGO, in collaboration with MediaPro Studios, and LA CASA DEL MAR, which earned him a nomination for the International Emmy Awards in the category of Best Drama. In the academic field, during his time at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), he created the Spencer Tracy Award, which has been presented to renowned actors such as Tom Hanks, Jodie Foster and Harrison Ford. He also oversaw the Jack Benny Award, which was given to comedy legends such as Lily Tomlin and Robin Williams, among many other renowned figures.
