Stephanie Ouaknine

One of Playback's "5 to Watch" class of 2018, Steph Ouaknine is an award-winning producer specializing in niche series, digital content, and fan engagement. She has a proven track record of creating evocative series that have garnered passionate fans, critical acclaim, and forged innovative new revenue models. She creates content that finds an audience.

Steph has co-created and produced CARMILLA, the award-winning multi-platform series that ran for 108 episodes and spawned a global and engaged community. Financed by U by Kotex, the series topped 100 million views, earning Steph and the team a Cannes Lion nod, Rocky Award, multiple Canadian Screen Awards, Webby and Streamy noms, and in 2018, took home MIPTV's "Brand Content of the Year" and “Best Digital Fiction” Awards.

As the lead on the project since 2014, from ideation to worldwide fandom, Steph has successfully led Carmilla in all of its iterations: three seasons for YouTube, a theatrical feature, a book deal, live events and now the primetime TV series in development.

For the past six and a half years, she has been a digital-turned-TV producer and development executive for leading Canadian prodco Shaftesbury, overseeing series developed at AMC, Corus, CBC and more.

Steph's entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the future of television has landed her a spot in the Canadian Media Producers' Association "Next Generation of Producers" feature in Winter 2018.

She's also a recipient of Netflix's 2018 Diversity of Voices fellowship at the Banff World Media Festival, and has been selected for the Trans-Atlantic Partners' co-production training program along with 25 fellow producers from around the world.

Now freelance and based in Los Angeles, Steph is passionate about the future of television and diverse voices, and eager to propel the Phoebe-Waller Bridges' of Canada to the international market.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]