So You Want to Make a TV Show…

ABOUT THE EVENT: 

Television and episodic storytelling is changing rapidly. This panel brings together seasoned executives and creatives with deep experience across the episodic landscape to share what it really takes to develop and launch a series today. From shaping a pilot and pitch materials to attaching talent, navigating buyers, and understanding the shifting economics, we’ll center the conversation on how to strategically position your project for success. They’ll also look ahead to the future of episodic storytelling: where the opportunities are, what trends are shaping the marketplace, and how emerging creators can find their place in it.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR:

Julia Relova

Producer, Rm. 19 Productions

Julia Relova is a queer Filipino-American filmmaker and creative producer based in Chicago. She is the co-founder of Rm. 19 Productions, a women-led company dedicated to telling stories that center women—both on screen and behind the camera. Julia’s producing experience spans features, shorts and web series, giving her a unique perspective on how stories evolve from independent roots to episodic formats. Her recent work includes producing and directing acclaimed web series such as Ghareeb and LDR (both streaming on OTV), and Collaborate and Listen, which screened at Cinequest, SeriesFest, deadCenter, Sidewalk and HollyShorts—five of the leading festivals championing episodic storytelling. On the feature side, she produced ROLLER BABIEZ and YEAR ONE, the latter earning the ReFrame Stamp from Sundance and Women in Film for gender-balanced production. Beyond her film work, Julia co-organizes Film Girlz Brunch Chicago, a growing community that supports women and non-binary creatives through networking and professional development.

PANELISTS INCLUDE:

Shelby White

Independent Producer

Shelby White is a Producer and TV Executive who focuses on telling compelling and impactful stories from filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Before producing independently, White worked as the Director of TV Development & Production at Fifth Season, where she contributed to TV shows such as THE EDDY for Netflix, NINE PERFECT STRANGERS for Hulu and TRUTH BE TOLD for Apple. She also oversaw multiple TV studio deals where she developed and sold shows to buyers, including Starz, HBO Max, Apple, BET+, Onyx for Hulu and Showtime as an executive. While White’s taste spans all genres, she is particularly excited about telling speculative, dystopian/utopian and psychological stories. Under her new production company, Peculiar Pictures, she is currently developing a coming-of-age faith-based feature called THE BOOK OF EARNESTINE, which is currently in contention for round 2 of the 2026 Sundance Development Labs.

Aanch Khaneja

Independent Producer and Story Consultant

Aanch Khaneja is a film and TV producer who has worked with filmmaker-driven production companies for over a decade to help build their brands and project slates. She works as an independent producer, building her own slate of scripted and unscripted projects as well as consulting filmmakers and companies alike on projects, slates and career strategy. She got her start at United Talent Agency in the Motion Picture Literary department, working for Carolyn Sivitz and then Julien Thuan. She worked with clients who had projects both the independent and studio world, working with and supporting writers and directors of all levels. She then joined Noah Hawley’s (Fargo) 26 Keys, where they had a feature deal at 20th Century Fox and a TV deal at FX. She worked on his directorial debut LUCY IN THE SKY, starring Natalie Portman and Jon Hamm, set up at Fox Searchlight. She then went on to run development for Alma Har’el (HONEY BOY) where they had a deal with Amazon Studios for TV and she was the lead in setting up the writers room for the Apple show, LADY IN THE LAKE. Most recently, she ran film and TV for Amy Aniobi’s (INSECURE) production company, SuperSpecial where they had a TV deal at HBO/Max. She loves to find any way she can to support under-represented creators around the world and work with young executives entering the industry. She was born in India, grew up in Singapore and attended Boston University as a Film/TV Major and a theatre minor.

Karen Zipor

Producer and Director, Zipped Up Films

Karen Zipor is a Television Academy alum in Animation and works as a full-time producer: creating content for Disney, Dreamworks, Warner Bros and other animated television (“ARK: The Animated Series”). Additionally, Karen is the Webby award-winning producer of “Brittany Broski’s Royal Court” – a celebrity interview show featuring high-profile guests like Josh Gad, Saoirse Ronan, Nicholas Hoult and many more. As the founder of Zipped Up Films, Karen’s prior directorial work spans across both live-action and animation, with a primary interest in the duality of love as both comedy and horror.