-Socially-relevant projects
-Female-created genre
-Comedy with a purpose/has a personal connection to the creator & builds up opposed to tearing down
-Any non-fiction or docu-series projects which could be partnered with advocacy groups.
Trying to minimize involvement with holiday projects, anything true crime (unless there is a really unique hook), faith-based projects, mockumentaries.
With nearly two decades of experience in entertainment, Sam Schifrien can trace her fascination for the magic of film & TV back to her North Jersey kindergarten, when she learned to tie her shoes for a sketch on the MTV show THE STATE. In the three decades since, Sam has worked for multiple representation companies in several capacities, networks & studios, in a writers’ room and on sets (where her responsibilities grew beyond tying shoes).
Sam is a proud graduate of the USC Business Cinematic Arts Joint Degree Program (Fight On!) whose first industry jobs were at ABC Media Relations in NY, the USC Campus Filming office and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, where she developed what would be longstanding relationships with clients like Charles Randolph, Alex Tse, Susanna Fogel, Mark Ruffalo and Margaret Nagle. Sam worked on ABC’s RESURRECTION under showrunners Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters before following non-writing Executive Producer JoAnn Alfano to NBCUniversal International. Before starting 93 Cedar, Sam managed a slate of over 30 development projects at Untitled Entertainment (at a department that unfortunately no longer exists but was partnered with great talents like Christina Ricci, Reggie Hudlin and Melanie Griffith).
In addition to building 93 Cedar, Sam has been working in story analysis and IP evaluation for companies with major studio deals, and judged screenplay competitions for various festivals, institutions and organizations. She also teaches and coaches writers from all over the world, helping them to strengthen their material. Currently, she is looking for like-minded partners, with a particular interest in female-created genre, comedy with a purpose/has a personal connection to the creator & builds up opposed to tearing down, and any non-fiction or docu-series projects which could be partnered with advocacy groups.
Sam is extremely adept at story as well as giving excellent refining notes. You can tell that she has a sophistication about what will work and what will be commercially viable. It felt like she gave only the notes that were absolutely necessary without getting too nitpicky or detail oriented. I feel like my material will be much much better for having met with her, and I am extremely thankful!
~ Heather Mason, Screenwriter
