David Polemeni is a highly accomplished music executive and film producer known for driving innovativeand profitable deals across music publishing and production. He currently serves as Vice President of Film& Television Music Publishing at BMG Music North America, where he leads strategic partnerships in visualmedia on a global scale. His work supports major entertainment clients including Netflix and AmblinEntertainment.
David’s passion for storytelling extends into film production, with credits on notable projects such as 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (EPIX), narrated by Sylvester Stallone; Stolen Girl starring Kate Beckinsale; The Florist with Dennis Quaid; and The Last Rodeo featuring Neil McDonough. Two of his screenplays, Letters To Ghosts and Gridiron Godfather, are being developed as feature films. Recognized as a thought leader in the industry, David has been a guest speaker at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music and NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. His work and insights have been featured in Forbes, Billboard, and Hitz Magazine. With a unique ability to bridge the creative and commercial sides of music and film, David continues to shape the future of music in media.
Jeff Wallner
Jeff attributes his rise in the film and entertainment industry to his successful years on Wall Street. He sees managing investments going hand in hand with movie-making. As a founder of the Wallner Media Group in 2018 — and despite being relatively new to the industry — he has Executive Produced films featuring A-list actors like Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, and Morgan Freeman. Notable projects include The Comeback Trail, The Elevator, and Songs of Solomon, submitted for consideration at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Before entering the entertainment world, Jeff built a successful 20-year wealth and portfolio management career on Wall Street. He developed sports and entertainment divisions at financial management firms, managing portfolios for over 200 professional athletes and entertainers. His skillset also extends to investment banking, private equity, wealth management, and bond portfolio management. Before his finance career, he worked in aviation engineering at Grumman Aerospace, contributing to constructing fighter jets for the US Navy.
Tom Zheng
Tom is a published Health and Sports Scientist, most well-known in the performance space for his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LIV and several NFC championship runs.
Since retiring from the NFL, Tom founded Adapt Health and Performance, a consulting firm working with athletes, professional teams, and emerging companies. He joined Sheldon Day and Richard Sherman as Co-founder and CEO of The Player’s Company, with a mission to help athletes and their communities build generational wealth through empowerment and access.
Today, Tom serves in executive and board roles across the sports, medical, and entertainment industries, driving change and growth.
Ellen Wander is the founder and CEO of Film Bridge International (FBI), a company specializing in the financing, production, and worldwide distribution of motion pictures and television programs. Since its inception, FBI has distributed over 150 films and programs across 42 countries. Before founding FBI, Ellen served as Head of Worldwide Distribution for Turner Pictures, where she helped launch its international theatrical and home video distribution business. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at RKO Pictures and The Walt Disney Company.
As a producer, Ellen’s credits include:
● Executive Producer, Marshall – starring Chadwick Boseman; a critically acclaimed biopic of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
● Spinning Man – a psychological thriller starring Pierce Brosnan, Guy Pearce, and Minnie Driver (Lionsgate)
● The Requin – a shark survival thriller (Paramount & Lionsgate)
● Misconduct – a legal drama starring Al Pacino and Anthony Hopkins
Ana Menendez is an award-winning international producer with 20+ years of experience leading productions across five continents. She has produced over 300 projects — from feature films and branded content to global campaigns for Disney, Google, Coca-Cola, and Meta. As founder of Dynamita Productions, Ana bridges creative vision with sharp execution. She specializes in international feature films in the $5M–$20M range, blending cinematic ambition with operational clarity. Her work spans Hollywood, Spain, and the Middle East, where she connects global talent, financing, and location strategies. Selected Film Credits: ● The Ritual Killer – Morgan Freeman, Cole Hauser | Dir. George Gallo ● Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend – Frank Grillo, Mira Sorvino, Gabriel Byrne ● Bent – Karl Urban, Sofía Vergara, Andy García | Dir. Bobby Moresco Known for her instinctive leadership, Ana curates culturally resonant, commercially viable stories with impact. Her reputation as a trusted producer stems from her ability to deliver excellence — on time, on budget, and on message.
JOSEPH S. LANIUS, ESQ.
A 10+ year veteran in the industry, Joseph S. Lanius, Esq. has been a part of bringing over 100 films to the“big screen” through his domestic and international financing sources, distribution connections andbusiness and legal expertise in the entertainment industry. He is an entertainment attorney whospecializes in distribution, finance and production legal affairs, as well as a business strategist and financialconsultant for independent motion pictures and other media and technology content. Lanius has quicklysoaked up the essence of the film and television entertainment industry from a business perspective andalong with his personal skills formed strategic relationships that can bring a script to screen.
Joseph has also extended into executive producing services for film, television and other media ventures.This incorporates an array of services depending on the client’s and project’s needs, which includesinvestment, financial structuring, packaging, direct distribution sources and overall business and financialconsulting for film, television and other media companies and projects. One of Joseph’s recent ExecutiveProducer contributions was for the Sundance success CALL JANE starring Elizabeth Banks, SigourneyWeaver and Kate Mara. Lanius has also executive produced ASSASSIN CLUB (Henry Golding, NoomiRapace, Sam Neill) INHERITANCE (Simon Pegg, Lily Collins), TO THE BONE (Keanu Reeves, Lily Collins) andPaul Schrader’s film THE CARD COUNTER (Oscar Isaac, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe).
George Gallo is an acclaimed American screenwriter, director, and producer known for his distinctivestorytelling style, rich characters, and genre-spanning versatility. He began his Hollywood career with thebreakout screenplay Wise Guys(1986), but it was Midnight Run (1988), starring Robert De Niro and CharlesGrodin, that cemented his reputation as a top-tier screenwriter with a knack for blending action, comedy,and heart.
Gallo made his directorial debut with 29th Street (1991), a critically praised drama based on the true storyof the first winner of the New York State Lottery. His directing credits include Trapped in Paradise (1994),Middle Men (2010), Columbus Circle (2012), and The Comeback Trail (2020), which starred Robert De Niro,Morgan Freeman, and Tommy Lee Jones. He is also the original story creator for the blockbuster actionfranchise Bad Boys.
Throughout his career, Gallo has worked with many of Hollywood’s most respected talents, delivering filmsthat blend suspense, character-driven drama, and sharp humor. His recent works include the crime thrillerVanquish (2021) and The Ritual Killer (2023), starring Morgan Freeman.
With a career spanning over three decades, Gallo continues to write and direct feature films that resonatewith audiences around the world.
Upcoming work for Harborlight Pictures Includes: Letters to Ghosts, The Castle, and The Big House