Semifinalist, Holiday Romance Mentorship with Nicely Entertainment
BIO
A Los Angeles native, David Hopwood graduated from USC with dual degrees in Creative Writing and Cinema-Television. He cut his teeth in the training program of Michael Ovitz's Artist Management Group, working for powerhouse manager/producer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (current CEO of The Gotham Group). In 2002, he joined former studio chief Mark Canton at the launch of Atmosphere Entertainment, rising from assistant to President of Production and Development. Over nearly two decades there, Hopwood helped shape a diverse slate of films, including 300, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Piranha 3D, Letters to Juliet, Immortals, Cake, 300: Rise of an Empire, and Den of Thieves. He also helped develop and sell the hit Starz series Power, where he served as a key creative and producing force. As a writer, Hopwood's short story King Me was adapted into a short film by writer-director Peter Iliff (Point Break, Varsity Blues). He was hired by producer Stephanie Caleb (Cake, Mr. Church, and Yellow Birds) and Voyage Media to write Twin Flames - an epic love story told over multiple time periods and through shared dreams. Currently, Hopwood serves as executive producer and co-writer of the upcoming KISS biopic, in development with McG directing and Nick Jonas attached to star. Beyond the studio lot, he's taught "The Business and Development of Film Production" as an adjunct professor for Syracuse University's Los Angeles program, guiding Newhouse students through the full lifecycle of getting a film made - from idea to distribution. Today, Hopwood co-runs the production banner A Group of Ferrets, alongside longtime collaborators Michael K. Dwyer and Corey Moosa (Margin Call, All Is Lost). He is a member of the Producers Guild of America.