# Unscripted Gold: Turning Real Life into Global Hits

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**Date:** March 14, 2026 · 10:30 PM  
**Location:** Omni Downtown / Pennybacker  
**Format:** Panel  
**Track:** Film & TV track  
**Reviews:** 0

## Speakers

- **Jilly Pearce** — Senior Vice President
- **Emily Longeretta** — Director of Features
- **Sharon Vuong** — Executive Vice President, Unscripted Programming
- **Ryan O’Dowd** — President, Unscripted

What does it take to turn raw, real-life moments into a binge-worthy, culture-shifting unscripted hit? From the rise of reality competition shows to docuseries that dominate streaming charts, the unscripted genre is having a serious moment. But while the content may be “real,” the strategy behind it is anything but improvised. Join Ryan O’Dowd, President of Unscripted at BBC Studios, Sharon Vuong, EVP of Unscripted Programming at NBC, Jilly Pearce, SVP of Unscripted for ABC & Hulu and Emily Longeretta, Sr. TV Features Editor at Variety,  as they dive into the magic of making unscripted content that travels globally. We’ll explore how formats are born, why authenticity matters more than ever, and how producers are adapting to shorter attention spans, TikTok culture, and the binge-all-in-one-weekend model. Whether it’s turning everyday people into breakout stars or local stories into international sensations, this panel pulls back the curtain on what works, what flops, and what’s next in unscripted.

## Transcript

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