Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime at SYLLBLECON 2023, the second annual virtual convention that will transport you to captivating new fictional universes in the realms of science fiction and fantasy. Join us on December 9th and 10th, 2023 for an unforgettable journey of imagination and exploration.
SYLLBLE is embracing “Celebrating A New Era of Imagination” through its innovative artist collective model, which revolutionizes the way fictional worlds are built and collaborative works are published through ‘Writers’ Room’. Unlike the classical view of individual creative writing, SYLLBLE fosters a dynamic and inclusive approach, encouraging creators from diverse backgrounds to come together and co-craft mesmerizing shared-fictional realms.
At SYLLBLECON 2023, we aim to showcase and honor this groundbreaking shift in the creative landscape by launching an artistic, cultural and intellectual movement rooted in a manifesto. We believe the synergy of collective imagination gives rise to extraordinary and boundary-pushing storytelling experiences that changes the world. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives, and our focus this weekend will be “series” world presentations from the diverse fictional universes to a distinguished panel of guest of honors, judges and attendees.
Congratulations to One Humanity Writing Collective for winning the 2023 Syllble “World Of The Year” Award.
SYLLBLECON EVENT SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, 2023
8:00AM – 9:30AM PT – SYLLBLECON 2023 OPENING: “LAUNCHING AN ARTS MOVEMENT AND DRAFTING A MANIFESTO“
In the midst of the many challenges of our world across climate crisis, increasing polarization and war, there arises a compelling necessity to bring together a collective of individuals to launch an artistic, cultural, and intellectual movement with a manifesto at its core. The seismic political, social, technological, and cultural changes of our time demand a response—a movement that not only questions power structures and dominant imaginations but seeks to set the cultural stage for years to come. An arts movement rooted in collaborative science fiction and fantasy worldbuilding as a social practice, embracing diverse types of futurisms, decolonized utopian aspirations and transnational artistic collaborations. Drafting The Syllable Manifesto is an attempt to find a unifying language and aesthetic that transcends borders and sparks new inventive styles through visionary worldbuilding through artistic collaboration that serves as a source for social and cultural activism.
We invite you to come listen to micro-presentations and engage in a General-Assembly discussion to help find our modern archetypes and support the creation of a new wave of experimentation in arts, music, sciences, cinema, poetry, prose, politics, gaming, literature, fashion realizing that the world’s imagination, and human consciousness must change. The aim is to create a coordinated output of art across transmedia connected with each other, inspire collaboration between the participants and revisit the movement every year starting at SYLLBLECON 2024.
We will be announcing the full list guest of honor speakers over the coming days:
Board of Directors, Critical Distance
10:00AM PT – SAUUTI WORLD PRESENTATION
About the world:
The Sauúti Collective has captivated the global stage, making waves as the world’s first shared-collaborative African fantasy universe highlighted in the British daily newspaper The Guardian. Formed by the collaboration of ten African science fiction and fantasy writers and artists from five African nations, this groundbreaking initiative emerged through the partnership of Syllble and the esteemed African literary magazine, Brittle Paper. The collective’s prominence has been highlighted at major literary and creative events, including the Ake Arts & Book Festival the African’s continents largest literary festival, The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association’s Nebula Conference, UC Berkeley, the British Library at Africa Writes and more.
Front and center, The Sauúti Collective recently concluded a successful crowdfunding campaign for their upcoming anthology, “Mothersound,” set to be published by Android Press. Notably, they have extended invitations to collaborate with renowned figures such as New York Times Best Selling author Tobias Bucknell and Hugo Award-winning author Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki joining the collective. Adding to their accolades, Publishers Weekly bestowed a starred review upon their inaugural anthology, describing it as “the start of something monumental.”
The World: Sauúti, a Swahili word meaning “voice”, is a five-planet system orbiting a binary star. Deeply rooted in African mythology, language, and culture, Sauúti weaves an intricate magic system based on sound, oral traditions, and music. Science-fiction elements of artificial intelligence and space flight add to its diversity, along with a variety of humanoid and non-humanoid creatures. Sauúti is a world filled with wonder, mystery, and magic. Explore the Sauútiverse.
Presenters from the collective:
Adelehin Ijasan is an eye surgeon (‘ophthalmologist’ is a mouthful for most people) and writer. His short stories have appeared in The Best of Everyday Fiction, Takahe, On the Premises, The Tiny Globule, Page and Spine, Pandemic publications, Omenana, Sub-saharan Magazine, The Naked Convos, Kalahari Review, Canary Press, Our Move Next anthology and FIYAH. He was nominated for the Commonwealth short story award in 2014 and, more recently, was on the Nommo award long list for speculative fiction. He also made the Locus recommended reading list in 2020. He can be found at www.adeijasan.com.
J. Umeh is a published author, blogger, music producer, film reviewer. He lives and works in the UK as a technology architect and consultant. As a creative artist, technologist and former biologist, Umeh’s interests spans the confluence of technology, art and humanity and this is a theme he explores in his first speculative fiction work Kalabashing. Umeh is passionate about the co-evolutionary tension between emerging technologies and intellectual property (e.g. copyright), and he is a regular conference speaker on these topics, which are also reflected in a lot of his non-fictional works.
11:00AM PT – BLACKTOPIA WORLD PRESENTATION
About the world:
The inception of the Blacktopia Collective marked a pioneering assembly of creatives in Los Angeles, unveiling a revolutionary universe. The Blacktopia Collective has crafted a visionary and afrofuturistic world, aiming to redefine the portrayal of Black individuals in the future. Their ambitious endeavor encompasses a wide spectrum of societal challenges, delving into themes of race, activism, gender, politics, and beyond. Their first novella called “The Royal House Cat” will be published in January 2024 at Syllble Books.
The World: Set in the dawn of the 22nd century (2095-2105 C.E.) on Planet earth. A growing movement of people build a better way to exist because society has fallen so far. People of color seek to start an off-land [underwater] utopia. Upon the collapse of civilization due to rising oceans in the late 21-st century, “The Founding Mothers” led various parts of the world toward building each of their unique visions for utopia. Explore Blacktopiaverse.
Presenters from the collective:
Bairton Brown (he/they) is a revolutionary artist and educator hailing from Ann Arbor, MI who is currently thriving in Burbank. Bairton is an alumnus of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where they earned an MA in Arts and Public Policy. They also hold a BFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University, and minors in TV Producing and Comedic Screenwriting, where they directed the series ‘Naomi and Levi Take On The World,’ streaming now on OTV. Last year, Bair’s directorial prowess shined in the sold-out premiere of “HOW DARE YOU” at Affirmation Theatre in NYC. Bairton’s creative journey continued to flourish as their latest short film “THICKER THAN OIL” won best production design at the 2022 Paper Crowns Film Fest.
This year, as a distinguished Next-Up Playwriting Fellow at Congo Square Theatre Company, Bairton wrote and directed “THE PLAY GROUNDS,” a poignant and impactful drama focused on suicide prevention in Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. In addition to the full-length play, Bair’s first novel, BLACKTOPIA, will be published in January 2024. As a devoted Community Engagement and Education/Programs Associate, Bairton carries forward the vision of Congo Square. They do this by contributing to the success of the Industry Training Institute, Internship programs, and Apprenticeships, enriching the lives of emerging artists and ensuring that the legacy of storytelling endures for generations to come. They’ve also served as first AD and junior writer on the troupe’s web series “BLACKSiDE.”
Kyle j. Hinton is currently on the run from a conservative small town in the midwest, Kyle aspires to contribute imaginative and intersectional stories to the television landscape through sci-fi, horror, and comedy genres. His horror/comedy pilot The Vampire Prince recently won WeScreenplay’s Diverse Voices 2022 lab, and his web series Naomi & Levi Take On The World is streaming on OTV. He likes to tackle dark, social, and personal issues with heart and levity because he is over the trauma.
1:00PM PT – NOVA AERA WORLD PRESENTATION
(Nova Aera is unfortunately unable to present their world at SYLLBLECON 2023 due to unforeseen circumstances. We appreciate their participation and wish them well.)
About the world:
Syllble envisions an expansion across global colleges and universities, igniting collaborative and interdisciplinary imaginative thinking through the power of fictional worlds on campuses worldwide. The genesis of the Nova Aera collective emerged from a partnership with the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University, uniting a diverse array of undergraduate, graduate students, and faculty. As the first campus-based Syllble artist collective in the world, they have successfully crafted a visionary world called Nova Aera. This year, they published their first micro-novel (a new literary form invented at Syllble, the modern collaborative novel), “Nova Aera,” through Syllble’s publishing imprint Syllble Books. Four of their members recently interviewed on The Sun & The World, Syllble’s official podcast, take a listen.
The World: In 2015, Nova Aera, a futuristic city floating above Earth, hides a dark reality as the ruling welkins thrive in luxury while the terras endure squalor, and magic users (euterras) face persecution. By 2065, the city’s decay prompts a mass exodus, but the welkins persist in hunting down euterras who seek refuge in the wilderness. In response, a resilient euterra resistance emerges, determined to overthrow the welkins and establish equality for all, transcending social hierarchy and magical disparities. Explore the Novaaeraverse.
Presenters from the collective:
Allison Hoops is a second year graduate student in the Global Technology and Development program at Arizona State University. She worked as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2019- 2020 in the beautiful Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho where she taught high school math and life skills. From 2020 to 2021 she served in Los Angeles as an Americorps VISTA Leader supporting volunteer outreach for the food banks and pantries across 8 counties in southern California. Since starting grad school she has been interning with the SolarSPELL initiative at ASU developing their monitoring and evaluation system and supporting the partnership development between SolarSPELL and Peace Corps Lesotho. Over the last couple of months she has been supporting SolarSPELL training in Lesotho and Malawi with educators and students. She is also working on a short documentary focused on the information gaps in Lesotho’s education system and how SolarSPELL can be one part of the solution to improving the quality of education in Lesotho.
Karishma Kasad is a queer, Zoroastrian, woman of color finishing up her Masters in counseling psychology at Arizona State University. She interested in creating literature reflecting feminist, anti-capitalist, and decolonized works. Kari is also a writer interested in the development of characters and plots that resonate with those who are not traditionally written about in fiction.
Dr. Jenna Hanchey has been an actress, particle physicist, Peace Corps volunteer, and afterschool-space-program teacher. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Critical/Cultural Studies and Senior Global Futures Scholar at Arizona State University. Her research looks at how speculative fiction can imagine decolonization and bring it into being. Her own speculative writing tries to support this project of creating better futures for us all. Her stories appear in Nature: Futures, Daily Science Fiction, Little Blue Marble, If There’s Anyone Left, and Martian Magazine, among other venues. She’s also a podcast and audiobook narrator, and Poetry Editor at Orion’s Belt. Having once been called a “badass fairy,” she attempts to live up to the title. In Nova Aera she’s brought decolonial and anti-racist imaginaries into writing and narrating liberatory futures.
Madeline Henderson is earning her Master of Science in Global Technology and Development at Arizona State University. Madeline also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with minors in Civic Education and International Studies from Arizona State University. She works as an engagement coordinator for the Center of Science and the Imagination at ASU as well as a part-time tutor for children with disabilities. She is currently co-writing a science fiction novel which includes speculative futures and worldbuilding processes for her masters thesis. She previously worked as a MEdia Arts Teacher for children in special needs education. She focused on finding more ways to incorporate creative methods of teaching children as well as inspiring her students in developing creativity and self-expression through various art forms and media.
2:00PM PT – FAIA WORLD PRESENTATION
About the world:
The Faia Collective originated as a collaboration among three women writers hailing from three distinct countries, all members of the One Humanity Collective. Together, they envisioned a world where women held leadership positions of power, including as formidable women pirates, revolutionizing the landscape of a new fantasy realm. The genesis of Faia occurred during Syllble’s PEN’S DOWN, the official worldbuilding writers’ room workshop. This initiative invited writers and visual artists of the Syllble community to collectively craft a narrative over a three-month period in that fictional world. Watch the first session. The outcome of this collaborative effort is a micro-novel titled “The Artifact Rebellion,” set to be published by Syllble Books in 2024.
The World: Tiquos, a technologically advanced port city on Faia’s east coast, serves as a cosmopolitan hub welcoming all races, cultures, genders, and magical creatures. The city’s surface culture revolves around managing and celebrating magical artifacts from Faia’s history, but an underbelly exists with pirate trading and smuggling. Lady Melanie, the meritocratic ruler with formidable magical power, maintains order by placing women in all government roles, particularly those overseeing the careful management and research of the potent artifacts. Explore the Faiaverse.
Presenters from the collective:
Paulinette Quirindongo is a writer from the Island of Puerto Rico. Her family has nicknamed her as the human walking encyclopedia. Mom of three cats and a dog. On February 2015, published a microfiction, Rebirth of Richard Adams. Then in March 2018, published her first book, Rosario Ferré. Later, on August 2019, published her first short story, The Coming of the End Times, and on November, her second short story, Chronicles of a Hurricane-Apocalypse. She participated in two book fairs in 2020, 1st Summer Book Fair MiLibroHispano 2020 virtual fair and in the Third Hispanic Heritage Book Fair. She’s a member of Mi Libro Hispano from the Hispanic Heritage Literature Organization. Her favorite holiday is Halloween.
Cameron Posey is a writer and visual artist in the Washington D.C. DMV area. He has a BA in creative writing and an MFA in Screenwriting and Film Studies. He currently works as a substitute teacher and has worked as a technical writer in government contracting. He has written screenplays that have been quarterfinalist and semi-finalist in Coverfly competitions. He joined Syllble back in 2019, where he collaborated as an assistant editor, writer, and story consultant for different Pen’s Down worlds, including “Earth Raiders,” “Warasodar: The Seige of Fenick,” and “Faia: The Artifact Rebellion.” He loves writing young-adult and middle-grade novels, combining fantasy and education in entertainment.
Caylee Tierney writes young adult fantasy fiction that explores themes including identity, truth and freedom. She is currently completing a PhD in English at the University of Tasmania. Her research sits at the intersection of popular fiction studies, publishing studies and children’s literature, and focuses on children’s fantasy series. She aims to use what she’s learning in her PhD about storytelling conventions, writing craft and the publishing industry to help her build a career as an author. Her short fiction has appeared in Aurealis #140 and the Romance Writers of Australia’s Sweet Treats: Cupcake anthology, and her academic work is featured in the Australian Humanities Review #66.
3:00PM PT – ONE HUMANITY WORLD PRESENTATION
About the world:
The inception of The One Humanity Writing Collective arose from a collaboration between The Innovation Station: Creative Industry Lab at the U.S. State Department and Syllble Studios. This initiative brought together women and non-binary creative writers and artists with the goal of exploring innovations that address global challenges through science fiction. Originating as partnerships between U.S. states and countries, the collective represents a diverse array of locales, including Alaska, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, California, Louisiana, Brazil, and Hawaii. Notably, it stands as the world’s first transnational artist collective originating from these regions.
In their endeavors, The One Humanity Writing Collective collaborated closely with members of the Syllble Brain Trust, a group of world-class experts. These experts, such as Dr. Henry Jenkins – American media scholar and Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Cinematic Arts at University of Southern California, Dr. Florencia Montagnini – Senior Research Scientist at Yale School of the Environment and The Forest School, Dr. İlkay Altıntaş – Research scientist at the University of California San Diego and the Chief Data Science Officer of the San Diego Supercomputer Center, Jessica Dandridge – Executive Director of The Water Collaborative in New Orleans, Dr. Lucy Woodwall – Principal Scientist at the Nekton Foundation. Senior Research Fellow at Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, and many more, shared their scientific research and on-field experiences to address global challenges. This year’s cohort had a special focus on writing stories to address our contemporary climate issues.
Drawing inspiration from this collaboration, the collective created a solar punk world named “One Humanity,” rooted in scientific research and set in an alternate Earth in the year 2060 with three distinct sub-worlds within it. Their science fiction stories, born from this visionary endeavor, are slated for publication in 2024.
The World: A sentient ship, possessing its own consciousness not immediately evident, stands as a distinct character within a community of interconnected ships. These vessels navigate themes of shifting borders, sheltering climate refugees, and delving into neurotechnology, where job selection and health checks involve both standard practices and more experimental approaches. Within this dynamic system, diverse classes of ships cater to both the affluent and underprivileged, challenging the notion that universal basic income can truly equalize lives. Amidst the narrative, poignant themes of truth and identity emerge, intertwined with the search for missing loved ones among climate refugees and the enigma surrounding how the ships organize individuals for work upon boarding. Explore the One Humanity-verse.
Presenters from the collective:
C.A. Munn is a New Orleans-based writer and theater-maker. They received their M.F.A. in playwriting from the University of New Orleans in 2022. Their plays have been produced and read at events and venues such as the Mid-America Theatre Conference, UNO School of the Arts, and Theatre Oxford in Oxford, MS. Munn has been a finalist for the International Literary Awards’ Rita Dove Prize in poetry, a semi-finalist for the American Short Fiction Halifax Ranch Prize, and a Pushcart nominee in fiction. Their story “The Mantis” was recently named a runner-up in the 2023 Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival fiction contest, and will be published in the festival’s fiction anthology. Munn’s work can be found on the Ploughshares Blog and in Screen Door Review, Peauxdunque Review, and Ellipsis Journal.
Elyse Hauser is a writer from the Pacific Northwest who studied creative nonfiction at the University of New Orleans. As an emerging environmental essayist and journalist, she focuses on aquatic ecosystems, especially the deep sea and protecting the unknown. She writes about deep sea mining at notesfromthedeep.substack.com.
C.B. Calsing is a native of the Central Coast of California. She taught school in various positions for nearly twenty years and has been involved in epublishing since 2004. After living in New Orleans and on the Island of Hawaii, she’s returned to California, calling the lovely Kern River Valley home for now. She possesses a master’s in fiction writing from the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans and writes in several genres and lengths. Her husband, dog, and cooking bring her joy. Find more information at her blog: cbcalsing.blogspot.com.
Ligia Anjos is a 23 years old Brazilian Woman. She is a Designer with a very broad training background, coming from a graduation that studies media, philosophy and sociology related to communication and investigates new technologies, which allows a horizontal thinking about the problems we face. She has already carried out different works in audiovisual and cultural production, having participated in festivals and exhibitions. Ligia studied image and technology and was part of the Interdisciplinary Research Group on Deviant Art, Science and Technologies (ACTlab) at Campinas State University in Brazil.
Caylee Tierney writes young adult fantasy fiction that explores themes including identity, truth and freedom. She is currently completing a PhD in English at the University of Tasmania. Her research sits at the intersection of popular fiction studies, publishing studies and children’s literature, and focuses on children’s fantasy series. She aims to use what she’s learning in her PhD about storytelling conventions, writing craft and the publishing industry to help her build a career as an author. Her short fiction has appeared in Aurealis #140 and the Romance Writers of Australia’s Sweet Treats: Cupcake anthology, and her academic work is featured in the Australian Humanities Review #66.
Paulinette Quirindongo is a writer from the Island of Puerto Rico. Her family has nicknamed her as the human walking enciclopedia. Mom of three cats and a dog. On February 2015, published a microfiction, Rebirth of Richard Adams. Then in March 2018, published her first book, Rosario Ferré. Later, on August 2019, published her first short story, The Coming of the End Times, and on November, her second short story, Chronicles of a Hurricane-Apocalypse. She participated in two book fairs in 2020, 1st Summer Book Fair MiLibroHispano 2020 virtual fair and in the Third Hispanic Heritage Book Fair. She’s a member of Mi Libro Hispano from the Hispanic Heritage Literature Organization. Her favorite holiday is Halloween.
4:30PM PT – TERRA DIEM WORLD PRESENTATION
About the world:
Writer Katrina Rosemond birthed the TerraDiem world, a visionary reimagining of the future United States where individuals possessing the variant gene wield superpowers but find themselves hunted. Katrina is a seasoned Syllble writer whose work has appeared in a collection of stories published from most notably the “Orion Paradigm World,” an epic space opera world that explores a Extraterrestrial Galactic Federation and humanity’s expansion to other galaxies as newly space-faring species.
This current year 2023, she officially introduced her captivating world TerraDiem through Syllble’s PEN’S DOWN, the official worldbuilding writers’ room workshop. This unique initiative welcomed members of the Syllble community to collectively shape and create narratives over a span of three-months. You can watch the first session here. The result of this collaborative effort is a micro-novel set to be published by Syllble Books in 2024.
The World: In the 23rd century, Earth is transformed into the country of TerraDiem, uniting North America under Chancellor Adair’s rule with closed borders. Class divisions prevail, pushing the impoverished away from the nation’s resources. Attempts to overthrow the government and reveal citizen mistreatment mark two centuries of Adair’s reign. Climate change has reshaped former North America, submerging most of Mexico and creating arid deserts to the west, while the eastern seaboard hosts TerraDiem’s elite in an elitist utopia, contrasting starkly with the dystopian conditions experienced by those on the outskirts, forced into labor and struggling with limited infrastructure. Explore Terradiemverse.
Presenter from the collective:
Katrina Rosemond is an up and coming author from Miami Gardens, Fl. She’s attending Miami Dade College to become an English teacher while establishing her writing career. Most days, she could be found writing on her laptop with the work of Hans Zimmer playing on her headphones as she works. When she’s not writing, she spends her time dueling her friends in The Saber Legion. It has been her dream since she was ten years old to be a published writer and she is doing her best to make that happen.
Marsha Clarke is a Speculative fiction writer and the active showrunner of Earth Raiders World at Syllble Studios. Her family is from Barbados and she is a fiction writer from Brooklyn, NY.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2023
11:00AM – 12:00PM PT – ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON “THE STATE AND FUTURE OF STORYTELLING“
Get ready for an engaging roundtable discussion that delves into “The State and Future of Storytelling.” Join us as we gather distinguished guests of honor, judges, and the visionary founder of Syllble for a dynamic conversation exploring the evolving landscape of storytelling and its impact on the ever-changing industry. Be part of the moment as we unveil the triumphant winners of Syllblecon and collectively reflect on the enriching experiences of the weekend. It’s a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the boundless possibilities that storytelling holds for the future.
SYLLBLECON 2023 JUDGES
Labid Aziz is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of People of Culture Studios (PoC Studios), a diverse and forward-thinking content studio offering an all-inclusive and true equity & equality approach to producing, financing, and distributing film/TV content intended for a global audience – all under one house.
Aziz is a multi-faceted media executive who brings a disciplined and balanced approach to art and commerce. Combined with his experience as an entrepreneur across film, television, technology, media, and trade finance, Aziz brings invaluable experiences and varied perspectives to each of his endeavors. In 2019, Labid was brought on to help build and launch Wayfarer Studios as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Under his leadership and guidance, significant and major deals were structured and closed including a Warner Bros co-production and co-finance deal, the historic sale of the company’s first film Clouds to Disney+, making it Disney’s first narrative film acquisition for the global platform and a first of its kind first-look deal with Proctor & Gamble.
In 2017, Aziz helped launch Starzione, the US-based production arm of legendary Korean film producer, Dong-Joo Kim (OLDBOY). While at Starzione, Aziz became one of the only US-based media executives to successfully secure capital from mainland China for investment opportunities in the United States for Starzione’s slate of projects. In 2016, as part of Mucho Mas Media, Aziz helped lead theatrical distribution efforts for feature film THE VESSEL starring Martin Sheen in partnership with Outsider Pictures. Aziz has worked with a number of high-profile distribution, film production, finance, and development companies consulting on operations, capital raise efforts, financial modeling, deal structure and execution. In 2016, Aziz was a featured speaker at an exclusive ceremony and conference in Beijing sponsored by the Golden Globe Awards highlighting Sino-US integration by way of Hollywood.
Prior to his executive career in film, Aziz held executive positions at two merchant banks and served as an operations executive at various physical commodity trading firms. With vast experience across multiple sectors, Aziz has significant business and finance expertise with a diverse global perspective that allows him to develop unique strategies.
Aziz’s career first started in media production, communications strategy, and technology. His work spanned from producing, directing and editing independent feature films, short films, music videos, and commercials to designing mainframes for one of the first private corporate social networking sites. Aziz has a deep understanding and a wealth of experience as a media strategist collaborating with non-profits, socially responsible corporations, and educational institutions. He was responsible for crafting and implementing media strategies designed to impact operations and affect policy at a local, state and federal level. Prior to launching his career, Aziz graduated from Brandeis University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and later completed a post-Baccalaureate program in Entrepreneurship at the Brandeis International Business School.
Andrew Cosby is the Chief Creative Officer of People of Culture Studios (PoC Studios), the first of its kind, minority-owned content studio offering an all-inclusive and true equity & equality approach to producing, financing, and distributing film/TV content intended for a global audience – all under one house.
A prolific screenwriter, producer and comic book creator, Cosby’s career was jump-started in 2001 with
his first television series, Haunted. This was soon followed by Syfy’s award-winning Eureka, which became the highest rated series in the history of the network and ended its five-year record-breaking run in 2012. While serving as the series’ showrunner, Cosby was dubbed by CINESCAPE Magazine as the “Hot New Creator” to watch and continued to pursue his lifelong passion as a dedicated comic book enthusiast. He created his first graphic novel, Damn Nation, for Dark Horse Comics, which was immediately set up at Paramount Pictures with Cosby attached to write and produce. Since then, he’s been involved in numerous other feature film and television projects for Fox, Disney, Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Lionsgate, New Regency, Spyglass, MGM, Revolution, HBO/Cinemax, Showtime, Amazon and others.
In 2005, Cosby co-founded the award-winning BOOM! Studios, which has since gone on to become a top-10 comic book publisher, producing Universal Pictures’ 2 Guns based on their graphic novel. Following his stint at BOOM! Studios, Cosby has gone on to launch a number of new series and film projects, including an animated tv series adaptation of Activision’s DIABLO for Netflix and the 2019 reboot of the Hellboy film franchise. He also recently wrote the big budget film adaptation of Rebellion Development’s popular video game STRANGE BRIGADE for the acclaimed producer of ASSASIN’S CREED and the TAKEN franchise. Cosby also sits on the board of the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company, Legion M, and is currently developing a live-action Dungeon and Dragons television series in addition to developing and show-running River of Gods, based on the science fiction novel of the same name written by Ian McDonald for AMAZON/AMAZON India.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Cosby attended the University of Georgia in Athens, where he studied art and creative writing. A self-described “geek of all trades” he currently resides with his wife and two children in the greater Los Angeles area, where far too much of his time is spent watching horror movies and
playing video games.
Chris Hazenbush is an accomplished TV Development Executive and Independent Producer, and most recently helped launch international distribution company Osmosis Global in 2023. Prior to that Chris served as the Director of Development at AfterPortsmouth Productions (Ken Olin, EP/Director of NBC’s THIS IS US,) where he sourced, packaged, and developed an expanding slate of TV projects in broadcast, cable, and streaming. Their procedural series TRACKER, starring THIS IS US star Justin Hartley is slated to air in February 2024.
Before that, Chris was on the development team for Peter Lenkov, (former Showrunner of CBS’ HAWAII FIVE-0, MAGNUM P.I., and MACGYVER,) where he worked closely with both Studio and Network executives developing procedural and world-building cable series through their overall deal with CBS-TVS. He also worked in the TV Lit Department at CAA and in the unscripted space at a branded entertainment start-up.
A Hudson Valley native, Chris graduated from Tufts University in Medford, MA with degrees in Classics and Communications and Media Studies, and before moving to LA he worked in the legal field as a Case Manager in Rochester, NY.
James Lejsek is a media executive with 15+ years of experience in entertainment, including 10+ in media finance, having worked on the equity and debt financing of 30+ films. James began his career in the mailroom of Paradigm Talent Agency and later working at management Thruline Entertainment. James transitioned to media finance while at Benaroya Pictures, where he helped arrange equity financing on films with major A-list actors like Daniel Radcliffe, Nicole Kidman, Samuel Jackson, etc. James subsequently joined the LA office of British media company Prescience Film Finance (THE KING’S SPEECH), overseeing dealmaking on US originated projects.
After consulting for a number of clients, he joined Kodiak Pictures to oversee finance and business strategy, helping guide investments from studio co-financed productions (THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Paramount / Netflix, etc) to micro budget projects (~$1M) as well as a debt lending business in partnership with Meitav Dash, an Israeli $60B AUM investment company. James still consults for private HNW individuals and other companies in the greater entertainment space. James recently founded the Media x Science x Technology Foundation a non profit media company whose goal is to showcase the future of science and technology in our everyday lives.
James grew up in Mexico City and Silicon Valley before attending the University of Southern California. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, an entertainment attorney, and a young daughter.
Zack Zucker is a Literary Manager at Bellevue Productions. Prior to joining Bellevue, Zack worked at Google, United Talent Agency, and Twentieth Century Fox. He also produced independently.
On the feature side, his clients have placed #1 on the 2020 and 2021 Black Lists and had films premiere at Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, and Tribeca. On the TV side, his clients have sold to the likes of Fox, Hulu, Netflix, Sony, eOne, and Village Roadshow, and have written on such series as FBI: International, Frasier, Manifest, Star Trek: Picard, Flatbush Misdemeanors, Black Lightning, and AJ & the Queen.
As a producer, his feature, THE NOVICE, premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won multiple awards including Best US Narrative. The film went on to sell to IFC Films and was nominated for five Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature.
Zack attained a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California’s Peter Stark Producing Program and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.
ABOUT SYLLBLECON 2023
Hosted by Syllble Studios, this science fiction and fantasy convention dedicated to celebrating fiction worlds brings together writers, worldbuilders, fans, artists, experts, and creators from every corner of the globe. Our mission is to celebrate and amplify underrepresented voices in the realm of speculative fiction.
Syllble’s ‘World Presentations’ are set to showcase series pitches created by underrepresented science fiction and fantasy writers and artists from around the world working and creating collaboratively within shared-worlds.
These presentations will delve into their imaginative realms by presenting a series of their choice set in their world, exploring aspects such as tone, lore, characters, conflict, themes, story arc, plot and subplots, and more. With complete creative freedom, they will infuse their presentations with a range of artistic mediums, from audio, text, music, animation, and illustration to dynamic PowerPoint decks. Syllble extends its full support for harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence in visualization and storyboarding. These presentations are expected to last between 10 to 30 minutes, promising a captivating glimpse into the diverse and innovative worlds crafted by these talented creators.
SYLLBLECON NEWS
“One Humanity Writing Collective Wins ‘World of the Year’ Award at Syllblecon 2023” in Syllble News
“SYLLBLECON 2023 Launches An Arts Movement Rooted in Collaborative Science Fiction and Fantasy Worldbuilding As A Social Practice” in Syllble News
“SYLLBLECON 2023 Unveils Official Selections For World Presentations” in Syllble News
“Syllble Studios Unveils Second Annual Virtual Convention: Literary Manager Zack Zucker to Judge at SYLLBLECON 2023” in Syllble News
“Recap Of The First SYLLBLECON 2022” in Syllble News
“The Inaugural SYLLBLECON 2022 and The First Guest of Honor ‘Ibi Zoboi’” in Syllble News