The Future of Storytelling with Charles Melcher

Charles Melcher is a creator, curator, and thought leader in the storytelling and technology space, as well as an entrepreneur and early-stage investor in media and technology companies. He is the Founder and CEO of Future of Storytelling, a live events and content studio that is focused on how storytelling and technology are developing in the twenty-first century. 

For over a decade, FoST has created groundbreaking live gatherings such as the FoST Summit, the FoST Festival (recognized as cutting-edge events by Forbes, VICE, The New York Times, and others), and most recently the FoST Explorers Club membership program. Additionally, FoST produces original content throughout the year, including storytelling workshops; curated exhibitions with local and international organizations; a storytelling curriculum for businesses; a monthly newsletter, “FoST in Thought,” and the bi-weekly FoST Podcast, where Melcher has intimate and informative conversations with expert guests such as Margaret Atwood, Al Gore, Neil Patrick Harris, and David Byrne, among others. FoST also produces apps, websites, films, and immersive experiences for international brands and media companies. Melcher also recently wrote and published a first-of-its-kind book about immersive experiences titled The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World. He sits on the boards of immersive theater company Punchdrunk International, the American Alliance of Museums, and Nova Sky Stories.

Melcher is also the Founder and CEO of Melcher Media, Inc. Founded in 1993, the company works with leading brands (including Meta, PepsiCo, and Microsoft), media companies (Netflix, HBO, Condé Nast, and Time Warner), and individual authors (Oprah Winfrey, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Kobe Bryant) to help them tell their stories and connect with large audiences via beautifully illustrated, interactive books. The company has won numerous design awards and has produced thirty-three New York Times best sellers.

Erica Elson is a Producer, Writer and Educator based in the mountains outside Los Angeles. Her short film, WING NIGHT, premiered at Method Fest in Los Angeles. She is the co-author of the book THE AWKWARD HUMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE and co-hosted a podcast by the same name on the 5by5 network for five years. Elson's articles have been published by HuffPost, Lifehacker, and Reader's Digest. Prior to working in education, she worked in television development and writers’ rooms such as VH1’s HINDSIGHT, where she had the chance to write for the spinoff web series PLANET SEBASTIAN.

Elson joined the Sundance Collab team in October 2021 and produces courses, Master Classes, and events in the areas of screenwriting, television writing, directing, producing, and documentary filmmaking. She has moderated conversations with Sofia Coppola, Richard Linklater, Alexander Payne, and Susannah Grant, among others.

Prior to Sundance, Elson was the Thesis Production Supervisor at the American Film Institute for five years. She oversaw several award-winning graduate thesis films, notably the 2021 BAFTA student film winner APART, TOGETHER and the 2023 Sundance Film Festival short WE WERE MEANT TO. While at AFI, Elson developed a passion for sustainable production and created the Green Film School Alliance, which includes forty schools on four continents. She holds a BA in Communication and Film Studies from Concordia University and an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute.