Audio (98 MB)
In this panel, some of the biggest names in Hollywood share their involvement in gaming and their strategies for launching popular intellectual properties across all forms of electronic entertainment.
Delivered at Casual Connect Seattle, July 2009
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Andreea ENACHE-THUNE (email)
Andreea Enache-Thüne is the VP of Games and Digital Distribution of Marvel Entertainment, Inc., one of the world`s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. In her current role, Mrs. Enache-Thüne manages Marvel’s digital distribution efforts across all content, media and platforms.
Prior to joining Marvel, Andreea held licensing and business development positions at Sony Pictures Digital, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and Namco, most recently as Director of Business Development for SOE. Andreea was primarily responsible to extend SOE’s entertainment and game properties’ online distribution network by tapping into new business models and tactics. Additionally, she was in charge of licensing in 3rd party IP for exploitation on mobile and online gaming platforms.
Prior to starting her video game career, Andreea dedicated over 10 years to Journalism, serving print publications, as well as Radio and TV networks in Bucharest, Romania. Mrs. Enache-Thüne received a Diploma of Excellence from the Romanian Academy of Radio & TV and a B.A. in Linguistics and Foreign Languages from the University of Bucharest. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University of Northridge (CSUN) with a B.A. in Communication Studies.
Dave LONG (email)
Dave Long is the Co-Founder of Exponential Entertainment, which is currently creating a social gaming service for movie fans at HollywoodPlayer.com. Before founding Exponential Entertainment, Dave co-founded Screenlife LLC and invented the company’s blockbuster Scene It? line of interactive DVD board games, which sold more than 20 million games in 9 languages across 26 different countries. Dave drove the development of blockbuster Scene It? games from popular entertainment franchises, including Harry Potter, James Bond, Friends, Disney, Marvel Comics, Nickelodeon, HBO and many others. Dave also negotiated license agreements with major Hollywood studios (Warner Bros., Universal and Paramount), major music labels (EMI, Warner and Universal) and major sports leagues (MLB, NFL and NBA). Screenlife was sold to Paramount Pictures in 2008.
Robert NASHAK (email)
Robert Nashak heads up EA`s Social Gaming Group. Prior to his current position he was Vice President and General Manager of Yahoo! Games where he was the key strategist and business owner for Yahoo! Gaming with a focus around multiple content areas including casual game downloads, multiplayer games services, flash games portal, video game editorial and video content. Prior to this, he was with Glu Mobile for three years as their SVP, Production, and Chief Creative Officer. Before joining Glu, Robert held various product development roles at Acclaim, Vivendi, Disney Online, and Knowledge Adventure, where he worked on both core and casual properties.
Mark STEVENS (email)
Mark C. Stevens is a partner in the Corporate and Intellectual Property Groups of Fenwick & West LLP, a law firm specializing in technology and life sciences matters. Fenwick & West is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with an office in Boise, San Francisco and Seattle.
Mr. Stevens represents companies, ranging from newly formed startup teams to mature public companies, venture capitalists and investment banks involved in the information technology and new media industries, with particular focus on complex transactions. As a lawyer and a business principal, Mr. Stevens has led teams handling merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions with total announced value well in excess of $20 billion. He has directed dozens of initial public offerings and hundreds of strategic alliance transactions, ranging from technology and distribution partnerships to multinational joint venture transactions.
Mr. Stevens` varied background includes work from the legal, business and venture capital sides of the table. In addition to 20 years of legal practice at Fenwick & West, he was Executive Vice President of Business and Corporate Development at Excite@Home and a venture partner at Granite Global Ventures. Mr. Stevens has also served on Boards of Directors of several public and private companies.
