Adapting Intellectual Property for Film & TV (On Demand)

Named one of the Top Latinas Changing the Game for Representation by Glamour Magazine, creator, director, writer, showrunner, and producer Linda Yvette Chávez has emerged in the entertainment industry as a powerful voice, bringing fearless, inclusive and impactful stories to the big and small screens. Highlighted by Variety in their Comedy Impact Report alongside heavy hitters Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Tiffany Haddish, Chávez continues to break ceilings and has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

This year Chávez has a handful of exciting projects on the docket. First up, Chávez penned the upcoming Searchlight Pictures feature film FLAMIN' HOT, directed by Eva Longoria. FLAMIN' HOT premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, winning the Audience Award and critics’ hearts in the process. Media raved “it’s a heartwarming movie at the core, it feels good to root for the underdog and win” (Austin Chronicle), “an engaging and empowering watch” (TheWrap), and “utterly delightful…equally amusing and affecting film that defies expectations” (The Hollywood Reporter). The film follows Richard Montañez, a Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global phenomenon. Longoria tapped Chávez for her authentic voice that depicts the Mexican American experience, to execute Eva’s vision for a comedic, effervescent, and uplifting version of Montañez’s story. FLAMIN' HOT is set to stream on Disney+ and Hulu on June 9, 2023 and marks the first time a feature film has been made available on both platforms at the same time. Also in film, Chávez is currently adapting the New York Times bestselling book I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER by Erika L. Sanchez alongside Anonymous Content and MACRO with America Ferrera set to direct in her feature directorial debut. Chávez is also preparing to make her own directorial debut with a horror-comedy written by two up-and-coming Latino writers. The film follows four Mexican-American sisters in the ‘90s as they battle zombies to save their baby sister and their hood from the apocalypse. It’s being coined as SHAUN OF THE DEAD if it wore hoops and was sprayed down with AquaNet.

In television, Chávez recently inked a multi-year overall deal with 20th Television where she is creating her own projects, as well as executive producing other dramas and comedies created by diverse voices, for all Disney platforms. Chávez made her first big splash in the entertainment industry in 2020 with her groundbreaking, critically acclaimed, award nominated series GENTEFIED, which she co-created and helmed as co-showrunner, director, and executive producer. Produced by America Ferrera and MACRO, the show followed three cousins who band together to keep their grandfather’s popular Boyle Heights taco shop in business as the neighborhood becomes more gentrified. GENTEFIED was praised for navigating larger themes of gentrification and the marginalization of Latinxs in America, and during its run was nominated for a prestigious Peabody Award, ten Imagen Foundation Awards including Best Comedy Series and Best Directing for Chávez, and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series. Seasons one and two of the show can currently be streamed on Netflix.

Hailing from Norwalk, California, Chávez developed her story writing talents while an undergrad at Stanford University. She went on to study Writing for Cinema and Television at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, earning her MFA and receiving the prestigious Jack Nicholson Award for merit in writing. Chávez was a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, where she wrote and directed her second short film. She served as an Advisor at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2022 and 2023. There she provided ongoing support to independent storytellers in the program by helping advance the development and production of their work. Chávez resides in the Los Angeles area.

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein most recently wrote and directed the critically acclaimed tentpole, DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES, based on the classic tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, for Paramount and Entertainment One. The pair are also executive producers on the film which stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Regé-Jean Page and Sophia Lillis.

Goldstein and Daley previously helmed Warner Bros.’ hit 2018 comedy GAME NIGHT, starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, which grossed over $117M worldwide. Prior to that, they wrote and directed New Line’s 2015 VACATION reboot, starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate and Chris Hemsworth.

The duo's additional writing credits include THE FLASH, SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING, Hulu's hit comedy VACATION FRIENDS, HORRIBLE BOSSES, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS TWO, and The INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE.

Michael Jonathan Smith created and showran the upcoming action/comedy series TWISTED METAL starring Anthony Mackie for Peacock, premiering summer 2023. Previously, Michael was an EP to one of Netflix’s top shows in COBRA KAI, which he worked on for all six seasons. Originally hailing from the East Coast, he now lives in East LA with his wife, daughter, dog, and a deaf cat that constantly screams. Michael has an overall with Sony Pictures TV.

Jim Mickle is the Creator and Showrunner of the Netflix Original series SWEET TOOTH, which he developed from the acclaimed Vertigo comic series by Jeff Lemire. Produced by Mickle and Linda Moran’s company NIGHTSHADE, along with Team Downey, the series was a massive international hit with both critics and audiences. In April 2023, Season 2 of Sweet Tooth launched globally at #1, followed by the announcement of the show’s third season.

Previously, Mickle directed the films In THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, COLD IN JULY, and WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. He co-created and directed the acclaimed TV series HAP AND LEONARD for Sundance TV and AMC. Next, he will direct GOD COUNTRY, a feature adaptation of the comic by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw, for Netflix and Legendary.

Susannah Grant is an Academy Award-nominated writer, producer and director whose resume includes film, television and streaming platforms. 

Grant wrote the screenplay for ERIN BROCKOVICH which earned her an Academy Award nomination, a BAFTA nomination and a WGA nomination. Additional feature writing credits include screenplays for THE SOLOIST, IN HER SHOES, 28 DAYS, EVER AFTER, POCAHONTAS, CHARLOTTE'S WEB and THE 5TH WAVE. She also wrote and directed CATCH AND RELEASE and the upcoming LONELY PLANT.

Her television credits include writing and executive producing HBO’s CONFIRMATION which earned Grant an Emmy nomination, a WGA award, and the WGA’s Paul Selvin Award. Prior to that, she created and executive produced the CBS series A GIFTED MAN and worked as a producer and writer of the Fox series PARTY OF FIVE, which was honored with a Golden Globe Award and a Humanitas Prize. 

Grant served as executive producer, showrunner, writer and director for Netflix’s 8-episode limited series, UNBELIEVABLE which was nominated for WGA, PGA, Golden Globe, and Emmy Awards, and received a 2020 Peabody award, as well as a Critics Choice Award, the PEN America Award for Television Excellence, and was selected as one of AFI’s Television Programs of the Year. She was also an executive producer, with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Taffy Brodesser-Akner, of the limited-series adaptation of Brodesser-Akner’s novel FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE for F/X and an executive producer of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY for Apple TV+ with Brie Larson and Michael Costigan at Aggregate Films.

Grant is an alumna of Amherst College and the American Film Institute, and received the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting. In 2011, Grant received the Valentine Davies Award from the Writers Guild of America.

Antonio Campos is an acclaimed writer, producer, and director — an actors’ filmmaker through and through, whose ability to captivate audiences with deeply poignant, character driven storytelling is unparalleled.

His 14-year series endeavor, THE STAIRCASE, which he created, co-wrote, executive produced, directed, and served as showrunner on, premiered on HBO Max on May 5. Starring Academy and BAFTA Award®-winner Colin Firth as American novelist Michael Peterson and Academy Award®-nominee Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson, who are both nominated for an Emmy in the Lead Actor and Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie categories, the series is based on the 2001 true story of Kathleen Peterson (Collette) whose husband, Michael (Firth), reported her dead after finding her fallen at the bottom of the stairs in their home. After a decade-plus of independent research and interviews, Campos expertly blended the true crime genre with a family drama and created a unique true crime story Vanity Fair called “the true crime series to end them all.”

Campos’ other notable credits include Netflix’s THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME, which featured an all-star cast including Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Robert Pattinson, and Riley Keough, Sundance sensations CHRISTINE starring Rebecca Hall and SIMON KILLER starring Brady Corbet. His debut feature AFTERSCHOOL premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Caméra d'Or and Un Certain Regard awards. Campos also directed the pilot of USA’s Emmy-nominated series THE SINNER and served as an Executive Producer for the first season of the anthology series. Additionally, Antonio has produced several successful films including MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, JAMES WHITE, PIERCING, THE EYES OF MY MOTHER, and TWO GATES OF SLEEP.

At the dealmaking intersection of where content makers meet buyers, financiers, and distributors, Elsa Ramo is at the forefront of first-time deals with emerging and established streamers and studios, guiding her clients into innovative terms that optimize their reach and prevalence in today’s flattened marketplace. Elsa provides comprehensive legal services to producers, financiers, creators, and owners of film, television, and digital content and projects across a range of budgets and production levels. She established her law firm to enable up-and-coming filmmakers and producers to bring their stories to life.

Ramo works with established content-creating powerhouses such as Imagine Entertainment, Skydance, Lion Forge Studios, Boardwalk Pictures, Scout Productions, Riff Raff Entertainment, The Comedy Store, The Jim Henson Company, Wonder Project and French Tuck. She also represents independent prolific producers and directors like Lee Broda, Zachary Drucker, Anne Clements, Liza Mandelup, and founder of the Los Angeles Festival of Movies, Sarah Winshall.

In addition to directly overseeing high-level clients, Elsa Ramo founded and manages her boutique firm, which has grown from a solo practice on the Universal Backlot in 2005 to a team of over 22 attorneys with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Ramo is notable for its majority female partners and diverse group of attorneys. Elsa is a Forbes.com contributor, speaking to current issues and topics in the entertainment industry. She and the firm were recently featured in a Variety article, "The Rise of Ramo from Two-Person Law Firm to Industry Player," celebrating Ramo Law’s 20th anniversary. She was recently recognized among Variety’s 2025 Legal Impact Report and 2022 Dealmakers Impact Report, Daily Journal’s Top 100 Women Lawyers, and Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2022 Women of Influence; she was nominated for the LA Times B2B Inspirational Women Awards; and her Firm was featured among Los Angeles Business Journal’s Most Admired Law Firms. In 2024 she was awarded LAW.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law Managing Partner of the Year Award. Elsa lives in Brentwood with her husband and two children.

Stuart Arbury joined Ramo Law in 2017 as a television executive before becoming Vice President of Packaging and Sales in 2021. In his role he collaborates with clients to review, develop, package, and take-out series projects, both scripted and unscripted. Stuart draws on his diverse professional background in order to marry the creative and business needs of a potential series and actively helps clients navigate an ever-changing episodic landscape.

Prior to joining Ramo Law, Stuart was Director of Development at Canvas Media Studios (StyleHaul’s ”Vanity”) and Captivate Entertainment (”The Bourne Identity” franchise and USA’s“Treadstone” series). His responsibilities for both included originating and acquiring projects, working directly with writers, actors, directors, representatives, and studio executives. Stuart was also a Creative Executive for Dimension Films, spending two seasons as the point on-location executive for MTV’s “Scream” series in New Orleans, based on the hit horror franchise. Stuart recently sold the docuseries ”Always Jane” to Amazon Prime, which debuted to critical acclaim in November 2021. He has also sold projects to premium buyers, including an indigenous peoples series to Starz, and set up clients’ projects at prolific production companies, including Sofia Vergara’s Latin World Entertainment and Peter Dinklage’s Estuary.