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Everyone in Hollywood is always looking for the next big hit, but the process of finding one is a unique combination of art, science and luck. There’s no one way to learn how to look for hits (or sell them to those who find them), but listening to the opinions of smart people at every step of the process is a good place to start.
At our Future Filmmaking Summit in Los Angeles, a panel consisting of Erica Lee (president of production and partner, Thunder Road), Julien Levesque (agent, Gersh) Ayo Kepher-Maat (VP of acquisitions and productions, Independent Film Company), and Rachel Shane (head of film and television, Madison Wells) sat down with IndieWire’s editor-in-chief to find a wide-ranging conversation about Brent. 2026.
The discussion included the true art of personal entertainment, working with agents, the value of writing in particular, and even the next genre that might be poised to make a comeback (spoiler: more than one panel thinks it might be erotic thrillers). If you’re looking to pitch a film career at any stage of the process, the Pitch Me panel is a must-see.
Check out the full conversation in the video above.
IndieWire Future of Filmmaking Summit 2026 is presented by AT&T Untold Stories, an award-winning multi-year collaboration between AT&T and the Tribeca Festival that provides $1.2 million dollars, mentorship, and extensive support to the next generation of filmmakers who want to bring their films to the big screen. For more information, visit here.
