Ann Carli - Sun, Mar 21 -
Ann Carli
Film Producer
A producer with an extensive, multi-faceted and much celebrated career across music, film and television, Ann Carli’s success is largely due to her vast experience and exceptional eye for recognizing and nurturing up-and-coming talent in the fields of music, film and digital media. Two Grammy Award noms, an American Music Award and The Golden Ring Award are testament to the magic she works consistently, whether working with talent in front of or behind the camera or mic.
Dubbed the “artist whisperer” by many luminaries who’ve collaborated with Ann, her knack for finding the heart of and elevating every artist and project, song and script – from shepherding the career of a young Will Smith to giving Shonda Rhimes her first break - is well-documented.
Ann’s career in the entertainment business began in New York at E. G. Records, working on the record and management sides of the company, with legendary producer BRIAN ENO and the band ROXY MUSIC. Soon after, she signed on to the post of Senior Vice President of Artist Development for the Jive Records arm of the Zomba Music Group. While there, she discovered, nurtured, launched and helped guide A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS, THE STONE ROSES, KOOL MO DEE, BACKSTREET BOYS and DJ JAZZY JEFF AND THE FRESH PRINCE.
During her years overseeing their creative arm, Ann was pivotal in growing Jive/Zomba Records into one of the largest-ever independent companies in the music business.
In 1996, having accepted an invitation from Will Smith to become President of his Will Smith Enterprises, Ann learned to drive and moved to Los Angeles. Ann was responsible not just for development of an entire slate of film and TV projects, but for also reinventing WILL SMITH’s music career, garnering him two multiplatinum international hit albums and multiple awards.
Just four years later, with WILL SMITH’s blessing, Ann founded her own independent media production and music consulting company, Fuzzy Bunny, Inc. Under her new umbrella, Ann produced or executive produced several feature films – including DARNELL MARTIN’S “I LIKE IT LIKE THAT”, BRITNEY SPEARS’ “CROSSROADS” and TAKESHI KITANO’S “BROTHER”; as well as the music documentary “FESTIVAL EXPRESS”; RICHARD LINKLATER’S “FAST FOOD NATION” and “ME AND ORSON WELLES”.
Inventing an entirely new format, Ann was also co-creator, producer and executive producer of all 36 chapters of “TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET”, the groundbreaking hip-hopera hailed by the New York Times as a cultural phenomenon. Her achievements and credits are too long to list, but Ann’s produced musicdocumentaries, DVD’s and digital content for IFC, HBO, Centric Television, Sonyand RCA Records, among other clients and many other projects.
In 2010, Ann defied all odds and through sheer vision and determination wasinstrumental in securing the anthem spot for one of her clients for the 2010 WorldCup in South Africa. A huge honor and global exposure, Ann was involved in allaspects of both the recording and production of the performance at the openingceremonies.
Soon thereafter, Ann was hired by Rockstar/Airtel to create a song to launch theirtelecom service across 16 African countries. Dubbed THE ONE8 PROJECT andcomprised of superstars from 8 African countries, she produced the music videoand a one hour documentary for the company. Ogilvy International, the advertisingagency involved in the campaign, cited the project as the most effective integrationof music in a campaign for 2010.
From 2013 – 2016, Ann served as an independent consultant and producer forRussell Simmons’ former YouTube channel ADD (All Def Digital). She created andproduced two digi-series for the company under their partnership with HBO,helping to launch the on-line career of Facebook comedy superstar, Laura Clery.From 2016 - 2018 Ann consulted for the independent Swiss record label, THEHANA ROAD, strategizing and creating their digital content, including a digi-seriesfor the YouTube channel, WatchMojo (21M subs).
Since 2019 she has also been working as a screenwriter with writing partnerCristina Curbelo. They have completed THE PREDICTOR, a period drama based onthe life of the woman who created the first home pregnancy test, which Ann isproducing with Gary Goldstein and Kuniko Usui. Carli and Curbelo have alsofinished writing work on two theatrical features SLINKY for director TAMRA DAVISand OCCUPIED for Academy Award winning producer Richard Edlund and JonLevin. Ann is also serving as Executive Producer on Slinky and Producer onOccupied. Currently Carli & Curbelo are working on the screen adaptation of thenovel, THE KING OF THE BLIND. They have several other writing projects indevelopment for Fuzzy Bunny Films as well as other producers.A seasoned, hands-on producer across multiple platforms, with both creative andbusiness chops and an international perspective, Ann has produced independentfilm and digital projects in the United States, the UK, Mexico, South Africa andJapan. In April 2020, she cofounded Behind the Rhyme TV, one of the top musicchannels on Twitch, the world’s leading live streaming platform.
Production Partner – Britney Spears Television & Film (2009 - Present)Jury member Bangkok Film FestivalAdvisory Panel Member for J-Pitch, for Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade andIndustry1999 Asian American Arts Foundation – Golden Ring AwardOne of A Magazine’s 100 most influential Asian Americans of the Decade (1999)American Music Award for Men in Black soundtrack albumTwo Grammy Nominations for Trapped in the Closet
NOTE TO READER: Ann is far too humble, so this resume was authored by aproducer-friend who’s witnessed first-hand a great number of Ann’s stunningaccomplishments!
Speakers are subject to cancellation or schedule change, due to professional commitments.