Que Gaskins

Ionie Banner

Caleb Miner

Jared Thompson

Julia Benavides

Deirunas Visockas

Schuyler Roos

DJ Nate Da Barber

Jayson Council

Gersh U

The NYU Sports Film Festival (NYUSFF) was created to showcase and celebrate the powerful intersection of sports and film. The festival is student-run and co-produced by the NYU Production Lab, NYU Athletics, and the NYU Tisch Institute of Global Sport, with support from NYU Tisch Undergraduate Film and Television and SNY.

NYU Sports Film Festival

Gersh U x NYUSFF: Three panels on sports, culture, and athlete branding – connect with industry leaders at the NYU Production Lab.

NYU Production Lab

6th Annual NYU Sports Film Festival

Join us for our 6th annual celebration of sports film! Our 2026 events include screenings of selected films from around the world, Q&As and speaker panels with award-winning sports media professionals, a networking reception, and an awards ceremony.

As part of the 6th Annual NYU Sports Film Festival, Gersh U partners with NYUSFF to present an immersive afternoon of panels and live programming exploring the intersection of sports, media, and culture.Moderated by Jayson Council, Head of Culture at Gersh Talent Agency, the event brings together a dynamic group of athletes, executives, strategists, and storytellers whose work spans the court, the community, and the evolving business of sports. Across three panels, the conversation moves between a broader examination of community impact and cultural strategy and an inside look at athlete representation, content creation, and the future of sports media.Featuring speakers including Que Gaskins, the President of THINK450, Ionie Banner and Caleb Miner, and Gersh executives Deirunas Visockas, Jared Thompson, and Julia Benavides, each discussion offers a distinct, experience-driven perspective on how the sports ecosystem is being shaped today.Throughout the afternoon, DJ Nate Da Barber provides a live, curated soundtrack that carries the energy of the event—setting the tone as guests arrive, bridging transitions between panels, and transforming the Production Lab into a space that feels as much cultural gathering as it does industry forum.Designed for students, creators, and industry professionals alike, this event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with the people building the future of sports storytelling—both on stage and in the room.Date | Saturday, April 18thTime | 1:30-4:30pm – doors open at 1:00pmLocation | NYU Production Lab

Accommodation Statement: The NYU Production Lab provides reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Requests for accommodations for events and services should be submitted at least two weeks before the date of the accommodation need. Please email <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diverse-mediums-of-sports-storytelling-panel-tickets-1291874173429?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diverse-mediums-of-sports-storytelling-panel-tickets-1291874173429?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">productionlab@nyu.edu</a> for assistance.Audience Notice: By entering the venue and live proceedings, you agree to be video and/or audio recorded by the producers of the event.Theater Capacity: As all our events are 100% free, we don't reserve specific seats per guest as they are instead claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Early arrival is the best way to assure a seat for you and company.NYU Campus: Whie events will be held in New York University buildings and facilities, non-NYU community can still attend upon getting a (free) "Non-NYU" ticket more than 24 hours in advance of the events.Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nyusportsfilm/" title="https://www.instagram.com/nyusportsfilm/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">@nyusportsfilm</a> on Instagram and subscribe to our <a href="https://nyu-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2DIiJpsZf4-4sQLINqQ2Do1K-nrYed2l7jBEtZMNZh0mm-WLFnAGBB9ZOF4oJAUXCqh5Pmm1MlxjQQjkvM1ulFJWDlif2cNDjRzACsLiotmtj0sS3RdyaPGv7j0P2B9_urBDacVEhLeapZyeW6wWsByohk_q8nxmtHSpx6wcTRJuxCJJuC8rlzdGd_6GvM8HRVdSTzmOR9Pm9l5NI9kNVin7-57mzk7DBzXxjJohxSHJBld2aE6LXc01uNuppXjzKty1-laZ6M0y2Dr0fPY07dAiSY9ydhAGJfvPPpUrjCeH7lBRAqJcJwyygKAyfnc5z2a0OyJAUut4hddyAJ1uc8rThVNw_kprfHvgMq9-Ji6KlgoXBvMzLITDje3yXi-S3ljDNc_eYM5KkVA" title="https://nyu-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2DIiJpsZf4-4sQLINqQ2Do1K-nrYed2l7jBEtZMNZh0mm-WLFnAGBB9ZOF4oJAUXCqh5Pmm1MlxjQQjkvM1ulFJWDlif2cNDjRzACsLiotmtj0sS3RdyaPGv7j0P2B9_urBDacVEhLeapZyeW6wWsByohk_q8nxmtHSpx6wcTRJuxCJJuC8rlzdGd_6GvM8HRVdSTzmOR9Pm9l5NI9kNVin7-57mzk7DBzXxjJohxSHJBld2aE6LXc01uNuppXjzKty1-laZ6M0y2Dr0fPY07dAiSY9ydhAGJfvPPpUrjCeH7lBRAqJcJwyygKAyfnc5z2a0OyJAUut4hddyAJ1uc8rThVNw_kprfHvgMq9-Ji6KlgoXBvMzLITDje3yXi-S3ljDNc_eYM5KkVA" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">newsletter</a> or visit our <a href="https://wp.nyu.edu/sff/" title="https://wp.nyu.edu/sff/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">website</a> to stay updated on the festival!

Panels

This featured conversation brings Que Gaskins into dialogue with Jayson Council, Head of Culture at Gersh Talent Agency, for an in-depth look at the intersection of sports, storytelling, and cultural influence.

Game Time

This conversation brings together two professionals working at the intersection of sports, culture, and community impact.

Ionie Banner approaches the industry through data, equity, and philanthropy—focusing on how strategy and infrastructure can drive meaningful, community-centered outcomes. Caleb Miner, a marketing strategist who has worked with brands like PUMA, NASCAR, and athletes including Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony, brings a cultural and creative lens to how sports lives within broader communities.

Moderated by Raven Vaz, this panel explores how data, storytelling, and cultural insight converge to shape campaigns, partnerships, and experiences that resonate authentically.

The Power of Intersectionality: Community, Impact, and Sports & Film

This panel offers a direct look into the business of sports through the voices of those building careers behind the scenes.

Deirunas Visockas, Executive Vice President of Gersh Sports and a certified NBPA agent, brings deep expertise in player representation, contract negotiation, and the global basketball landscape. He’s joined by Jared Thompson, a Vice President in Alternative Programming who works across unscripted television, digital content, and brand partnerships.

Moderated by Julia Benavides, a digital agent representing a new generation of creators and public figures, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how talent is developed, represented, and positioned across sports, media, and emerging platforms.

Real Talk with Gersh Sports & Film

Music

As part of the Gersh U x NYUSFF programming, DJ Nate Da Barber provides a live, curated soundtrack that shapes the energy of the NYU Production Lab throughout the afternoon.

Positioned as a constant presence during the panels, his role is to elevate the environment without disrupting the conversations—setting the tone as guests arrive, carrying momentum through transitions, and creating a dynamic backdrop between sessions. His sound bridges the space between formal discussion and cultural experience, reinforcing the themes of sport, storytelling, and community being explored on stage.

With decades of experience reading diverse crowds and building atmosphere in real time, DJ Nate Da Barber brings a level of polish and intentionality that transforms the panels from a traditional talk format into a fully immersive event environment.

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