Annie Hanlon & Lisa Gerber
Annie is a business development executive and executive producer with 20 years of experience covering a wide range of creative projects including AR/VR, traditional film & tv, digital content, commercials, and documentary production.Annie is a business development executive and executive producer with 20 years of experience covering a wide range of creative projects including AR/VR, traditional film & tv, digital content, commercials, and documentary production.
A dealmaker and relationship manager with a passion for content creation and cutting-edge technology, she has a high impact track record for leading companies in Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
A pioneer in the medium of virtual reality (VR), Hanlon was VP / Head of Content Partnerships at Lytro (acquired by Google) and an executive producer at the VR production company Here Be Dragons, where she produced award-winning immersive projects on a global scale including VR documentary The Protectors (dir Kathryn Bigelow) which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.
In 2018 she co-founded Alchemy Tech & Entertainment Group and helps clients like Cisco integrate technology advancements into entertainment industry pipelines and workflows.
Annie mentors students for the ETC @USC Immersive Media Challenge (USC School of Cinematic Arts), and is an Emmy voting member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Commercial and Interactive Media Peer Groups) as well as a member of the International Documentary Association.
Lisa has been at the frontlines of entertainment since her start as a young performer, which led her to both TV writing and feature casting for various award-winning offices. Once introduced to the Producers’ Guild, she delved into trade conferences and navigating topics valuable to the industry.
Later, as a connector for thought leaders at top tier technology and entertainment companies, Lisa led Strategic Partnerships at The Advanced Imaging Society.
She has shaped some of the immersive industry’s premiere events (such as On the Lot and XR On the Bay) and created innovative platforms and programs focusing on everything from storytelling to 5G.
As a consultant at Alchemy, Lisa now guides companies like Cisco through the Media and Entertainment landscape, including co-innovation partnerships with Studios, and facilitates entry points into conservation-related documentary content in which their technology plays a role.
Lisa’s specialty lies in connecting different types of thinkers, from the abstract artist to the networking engineer, and she is grateful that the state of entertainment is one in which we celebrate their growing connection to one another. She is an Emmy voting member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Interactive Media Peer Group) and lives in Los Angeles.
XR CAREERS | Expert Advice Interview
What’s your current company & role?
ANNIE | Alchemy Tech & Entertainment Group, Co-Founder
LISA | Alchemy Tech & Entertainment Group, Co-Founder
Have you worked in any other XR roles? If so, what were they?
ANNIE | Yes at Lytro (VP, Head of Content Partnerships) and Here Be Dragons (EP)
What compelled you to enter into this line of work?
ANNIE | It was unexpected - I had little exposure to VR before asked to join a VR company
LISA | I'm passionate about entertainment and creativity. And while I'm not a technical professional, I'm inspired by the innovative thinking in this space, and being a part of the future. And I love connecting those different types of thinkers.
What skills contributed most to your success?
ANNIE | Being flexible and comfortable working in a brand new space with no agreed vernacular or process.
LISA | Intuition, listening and curiosity
Did you face any hurdles when starting in XR? If so, how did you overcome them?
ANNIE | I look at it as more of an ongoing journey, with constant hurdles to handle!
What do you consider your 'first XR project'?
ANNIE | Montana with Justin Timberlake...it didn't get to be distributed in the form intended, but it was a project that was very future facing.
Which past project are you the proudest of? Why?
ANNIE | The Protectors: A Walk in the Ranger's Shoes because it was my first immersive project and really promoted the promise of VR. **LISA** | I find it fascinating and rewarding to integrate technology into traditional and VR content...whether that is showcasing tech solutions in conservation documentaries, or working with content creators to move them to the cloud.
Which past project was the most difficult? Why?
ANNIE | They all have some measure of difficulty, but from a technical standpoint the Mr Robot VR experience was the most complex at that time.
Any advice you wish you could tell your younger self during that period?
ANNIE | Don't spend too much time worrying about the camera rigs "can it move" and stitching because it's all going to change! **LISA** | Never be afraid to ask questions. If it's truly the latest technology, it's somewhat new for everyone.
What technologies, products, or projects are you currently working on?
ANNIE | Virtual production, the cloud, XR for retail **LISA** | Documentary content and location based immersive
What future technology gets you the most excited (eg. driverless cars, CRISPR, etc)? Why?
ANNIE | AI because it will influence everything
What technology scares you the most? why?
ANNIE | Data security (and lack of oversight or understanding by those who would provide oversight)
LISA | Deep Fakes
Which resource(s) do you use to learn new skills?
ANNIE | Events, talking to people in the industry, webinars
LISA | Books + Google Searches + YouTube
What other skills are IMPORTANT?
ANNIE | Being adaptable
