Announcing Our WonderCon 2024 Panel: From Aspiring to Accomplished: How to Jump-Start Your Career in Writing, Film, TV, and Comics

WonderCon 2024 is right around the corner! I am thrilled to be moderating an educational panel featuring eclectic artists representing the comic, television, film, cartoon, and gaming worlds.

A big thank you to Eddie, Tommy, Laura, Adam, Michelle, and Amy and the entire Educational Team at WonderCon! For decades, they have been a force to be reckoned with for their passion for curating beautiful sessions for the WonderCon education program. And always, thank you to Clydene Nee and Edmund Cronin for bringing me to this great event years ago.

If you are attending WonderCon 2024 in Anaheim, please let me know. I’d love to see you there and have you attend our talk on:

Saturday March 30, 7:00-8:00pm, Room 300A

From Aspiring to Accomplished: How to Jump-Start Your Career in Writing, Film, TV, Gaming and Comics

The pandemic, lockdown and quitting wave has transformed our lives and sectors, making many of us wonder what is our current situation and what are the possibilities for our careers? Many are wondering, how do I begin or resume a career in the gaming, VR, MR, tech, or comic industries?

Panelists from different fields will discuss their experiences of creating comics, films, games, mixed reality, virtual reality, technology, and accessibility - showing their professional journeys and how they have moved forward in the last few years. The group will share their opinions on the current situation of our industries. They will also talk about their successes, insights, and how we can all support each other. They will spark more discussions about these topics for everyone who makes things in our industry.

Panelists Maria Ramos (head of studio, Google), Goldie Jones (creative director, Subversionz Media), and Westin Lee (video game writer and narrative designer) have a discussion to share their career insights and advice hosted by Heather Cook (podcast, host, writer, and community builder, Microsoft).) Excited for these award-winning authors, creators, and technologists to bring their inspiring stories to this panel.

Panelist Bios

Goldie Jones is a nonbinary (she/they) Wyoming-born writer/director, aerialist, artist, and founder of the award-winning creative agency Subversionz Media.  

Their gritty genre stories center characters across the gender spectrum reclaiming their power to define themselves, their lives, and the worlds they live in.

They're a Universal Writers Program Finalist, Stowe Launch Finalist, and WIF Mentee in the Director's Circle.  She’s won over 100 accolades as a writer/director including 2nd place at Slamdance and Cinequest, Second Rounder for the 2023 Sundance Development Track and the Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” Grant, Top 5% for The Writers Lab 2023, Semifinalist at the Austin Film Festival, and Top 5 finalist for production grants from WIF and ISA.  

Her most recent short film “I’m Sorry, I Tried, I Love You” was a Hollyshorts Screenplay Competition Finalist, winner of the 2021 WIF Seattle Professional Grant, and premiered at Dance with Films 2022.

Westin Lee is a professional AAA games writer, screenwriter, and author based in Los Angeles. He most recently wrote on an unannounced project at Techland and consulted on projects under NDA in the multiplayer action, sci-fi, and horror genres.

A scrappy urban adventurer from the sweltering Houston suburbs, Westin studied film and dodged hurricanes at Full Sail (Orlando), performed comedy in smoke-filled Turkish cafes (Berlin), and embarrassed himself in front of executives from multiple Fortune 500 companies (New York, Las Vegas, Palo Alto).

Westin's latest novel, Paranormal School 13, is a transmedia anthology set at a public school for the supernaturally-abled, with stories told through dozens of point-of-view characters. As a screenwriter, he placed at Slamdance '23 for dark sci-fi coming-of-age pilot Ether Run and created multiple prime-time series at the legendary Channel 101 film festival.

Maria Ramos is a creative executive with over 15 years of experience in film, commercials, and award shows. She is currently the Head of Studio at Google, where she oversees the development and production of original content for Google's video platforms.

Ramos began her career as a production assistant on feature films and commercials. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a production manager and then a producer. In 2008, she was hired by Google to help launch Google Cloud Developer YouTube's content program.

In her role as Head of Studio, Ramos is responsible for overseeing the development and production of original content for Google's video platforms. She works with a team of creative professionals to develop ideas, produce content, and distribute it to audiences around the world.

Ramos is passionate about creating content that is both entertaining and educational. She believes that video can be a powerful tool for learning and for making a positive impact on the world. She is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the media industry.

In her free time, Ramos enjoys traveling, creating miniatures, and spending time with her family. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabramos/ 

Moderator

Heather Cook currently serves as Principal PM Manager and Lead for Microsoft 365 Customer Advocacy Team at Microsoft. She leads a team of community program managers whose charter is engagement, evangelism, and growth by building strategy, programs, and connections for our community members with Microsoft. Heather is a former Microsoft MVP for Office Apps and Services.

Over the past twenty years, Heather has led marketing for Global Cloud Providers and run a software business. She owns and founded a marketing/brand/wellness consultancy, Creative Maven where she has produced thousands of events, campaigns, and experiences in the high-tech and entertainment industries. Heather is also the host of the Mavens Do It Better Podcast, which features interviews with extraordinary everyday experts who light a spark in our world. She lives in Marina del Rey, California.

Heather is a published playwright and graduate of the University of Washington School of Drama, Seattle WA. https://twitter.com/heddanewman https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathernewman/ https://www.instagram.com/heddanewman/