We’re kicking off season 8 of Experience Imagination with an episode that explores the importance of diversity at themed entertainment companies. Join Audrey as she leads the conversation with influential women in the themed entertainment industry. It’s an honor to welcome special guest Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global Products & Experiences at Lionsgate, who we had the pleasure of working with when The Hunger Games was brought to life at MOTIONGATE Dubai. Also joining is our EVP of Marketing and Branding, Toni Caracciolo, who brings more than 30 years of experience in the themed entertainment space. Check out a summary of the conversation below or listen to the full episode on your favorite streaming platform.
Meet the Guests
Jenefer Brown
EVP and Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate
Jenefer oversees the expansion of the studio’s film and television properties into live, interactive, and location-based entertainment. Under her leadership, Lionsgate has launched attractions such as Lionsgate Entertainment World in China and the Lionsgate Zone at Motiongate Dubai. She also manages the company’s interactive games division, which has produced titles like the “Fortnite X John Wick” crossover and “John Wick Hex.” Prior to joining Lionsgate, Brown held roles at Thinkwell Group (now known as TAIT). Brown was named Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2021 and has been featured as a top theme park influencer by Blooloop.
Toni Caracciolo
EVP of Marketing & Branding at Falcon’s Beyond
Toni is responsible for directing and amplifying Falcon’s company brand awareness through its multiple projects, initiatives, and experiences among its three core business units: Falcon’s Creative Group, Falcon’s Beyond Destinations, and Falcon’s Beyond Brands. Toni previously served as VP of Global Marketing at Visit Orlando, driving record-breaking tourism growth, and as VP of Sales & Marketing at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, overseeing strategy, branding, and sales for SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove. Toni was recently honored as a Woman Who Means Business by the Orlando Business Journal.
Audrey Delong
Executive Producer and Host of Experience Imagination
Audrey DeLong is an Executive Producer at Falcon’s Creative Group, bringing extensive experience across television, video games, and live events. She began her career in TV production before becoming EA Tiburon’s first female game designer, contributing to multiple Madden and NCAA Football titles. She later transitioned to live events, holding various creative roles before joining Falcon’s. Today, she produces and hosts the company’s podcast, creates content, oversees media projects, supports marketing, and helps with recruiting, all while bringing our clients’ creative visions to life.
Guess the Icon
In a special segment of the podcast, Audrey and Toni played a fun quiz game to test each other’s knowledge of iconic women in the entertainment industry. See if you can guess the iconic women using the clues below.
Round #1
Clue #1: One of the most beloved comediennes of all time, with one of the longest enduring legacies.
Clue #2: She broke the glass ceiling for women executives in the film and television industry by becoming the first woman to own a major studio.
Clue #3: On her hit TV show, she became the first woman to appear on camera while visibly pregnant.
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Lucille Ball
Round #2
Clue #1: This amazing woman created Imagination Library, sending more than one million books per month to children around the world, inspiring them to “Dream more, Learn More, Care More, Be More.”
Clue #2: She also owns a theme park in the U.S. town of Pigeon Forge.
Clue #3: She wrote the music and lyrics for the musical 9 to 5 and the song from the 1980 movie of the same name.
HOVER / TAP TO REVEAL THE ANSWER
Dolly Parton
Advice for Young Professionals: Ask Questions, Take Risks, and Keep Learning
Audrey: When I see young professionals starting at Falcon’s, it’s asking the right questions and not being afraid of first of all of the question you ask like oh, I don’t want to sound stupid, but don’t ever think that. And second of all, don’t be afraid of the answer. You just have to be really inquisitive.
Jenefer: Number one is you’ve got to bet on yourself. You really have to believe in yourself. And if you know what you want, you have to value that you can go out and achieve it. And you can’t be afraid not only to ask questions, but to take risks. That can be scary. And you know, I remember early on in my career, I think it may have been Mary Kloth actually, who said , “You know Jen, you are fearless. You are not afraid to ask for what you want”. And mind you, like sometimes I ask, and I get, you know, a very loud no or a door closed. But the reality is I would much rather get the no than to not know, like that uncertainty, it’s not a place that I want to live in. And so, when I look back, every risk I’ve ever taken, every time I bet on myself or what I believed in, it’s always worked out. It’s always paid off. It may have been bumpy at the time, but it’s always led to something better and I think every single one of those instances has helped get me to where I am today.
Toni: What I think I would tell a young person today is, you know, that’s great that you’re observing and you’re getting the job done from that 9 to 5. But this is not a nine to five world, it’s not a nine to five industry. You need to seek out and kind of, you know, not be afraid, but also do what’s not comfortable and ask the questions. You’ve got to absolutely reach out and learn those different areas of the company that you may not understand, because at the end of the day, that’s how you become an executive and that’s how you move up, because you are a key stakeholder. And you may not have all the answers, but anyone in that room knows that you’re going to come back and find the answers.
Jenefer: Go to as many of the events that you can go to. I think there are a lot of great young professional opportunities for students, for people who are just starting out. Meet people, talk to people, like it is the one time in your life where everyone’s sort of willing to hear you out. And so you can get into rooms that maybe get harder to get in later in life. I think the earlier that you can start building relationships both with people who are already in the space but also people who are just like you, because at some point you’re going to be the face of the industry together. And you start building those relationships really early and I think that’s another important kind of piece of advice.
Reflecting Our Audience: The Essential Role of Diversity in Creativity
Jenefer: The work that we do, it has to be reflective of the audiences that we serve, I mean that is #1. And so, if you don’t have a diverse team that feels valued and respected, then the value with which you’re going to be able to create, it’s not going to be nearly as good. I think fortunately I have a really diverse team here at the studio, but our projects are so much more enriched by the contributions that are made by people with different backgrounds and different life experiences. I don’t know how we can do our jobs, quite frankly, if we aren’t reflecting the audiences that we serve. And it’s important as part of our work to really question and be challenging of things that we’re trying to push forward and I think having a diverse workforce is imperative to being able to make sure we’re asking all the right questions and looking at something from all the angles. I can’t imagine how we could successfully do our job without that.
Jenefer: Women are very close to 50% of the world population and so I don’t know how anyone could be thinking you can disregard that as pivotal, in the creation of anything. But we’re also often believed to be the lead purchaser of tickets or entertainment decision maker at a householder. And so, from a spending power perspective, it’s also really important.
Bringing Twilight to Life in the Digital World
Jenefer also gave us some insight into her latest venture at Lionsgate, bringing The Twilight Saga into the metaverse with an innovative partnership with Roblox. This project will allow fans to not only watch their favorite films but also collect exclusive in-game items like Bella’s iconic truck and Team Edward/Team Jacob apparel. Fans can purchase films inside Roblox, unlocking themed accessories that enhance their virtual presence. The excitement doesn’t stop there—between the Twilight LEGO set release and an upcoming Twilight TV series on Netflix, Jenefer and her team are redefining what it means to engage with beloved franchises.
