Verso University Presents: Hollywood Behind the Scenes with 'Shrek' Screenwriter Roger Schulman

Celebrate 25 Years of Shrek as we go Behind the Scenes with Screenwriter Roger Schulman!

Tuesday, May 19, 7-8:30 pm (Trefz Forum)

Registration fee: $10

Event Details

Go behind the scenes with Roger S.H. Schulman, the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated co-writer of Shrek, whose work spans film, television, journalism, and teaching. From Disney favorites like Balto, Mulan II, and The Jungle Book II to hit series including Living Single and Bizaardvark, Schulman brings decades of storytelling experience to the Trefz Forum stage — just in time for Shrek's 25th anniversary!

In conversation with Prof. Todd Barnes, Associate Director of the School of Communication, Media & the Arts and Artistic Director of the graduate film program (FTMA) at Sacred Heart University, Schulman will reflect on his creative journey — from journalism to Hollywood and the classroom — offering an entertaining, behind-the-scenes look at storytelling across media.

Make it a double feature: Catch a Shrek 25th anniversary screening at a movie theater near you the week of Friday, May 15 — then come to the Library for an exclusive look into one of the minds that brought this timeless story to life!

About the Speakers

Roger S.H. Schulman co-wrote the animated feature Shrek, for which he won a British Academy Award (BAFTA) and was nominated for an Oscar® for Best Adapted Screenplay. He previously co-wrote the animated feature Balto for Executive Producer Steven Spielberg and wrote Mulan II and The Jungle Book II for Disney.

Roger has also worked extensively as a producer and writer for television, including the Disney show “Bizaardvark” starring Olivia Rodrigo. He also co-created the Disney Channel series JONAS; was Executive Producer of "2Gether" for MTV and was Executive Producer for “Living Single" with Queen Latifah, for which he won the NAACP Image Award and he co-wrote a pilot for HBO with Tom Hanks.

Roger started out as a journalist for such outlets as Newsweek and BusinessWeek. He earned an MS in Journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Roger has taught screenwriting at schools including the University of Southern California and The New School in New York City. He’s currently Artist in Residence at the graduate FTMA program at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.

He’s fortunate to live with his beautiful and talented wife Elizabeth Vienneau, along with three disparate dogs, a wayward dove and a six-pound tortoise.

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Todd Barnes is an Associate Teaching Professor at Sacred Heart University, where he serves as Associate Director of the School of Communication, Media & the Arts and Artistic Director of its graduate film program, FTMA. He has been making films with his brother Brad since the early 1980s. Their work includes The Locksmith (aka Homewrecker), which won the Best of NEXT Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

His latest film, Hiding Places (2023), is available on Amazon, Google, and Apple. Barnes’ work has also screened at Cannes, aired on Showtime, and been distributed internationally by Canal+. His commercial clients have included IBM, Adobe and Victorinox among other. He lives in Fairfield, with his lovely wife, Kim, and two good sons, Augie and Maverick.

Important Information About Verso University  

The Westport Library wants to ensure that all who are interested are able to participate in Verso University courses. If the registration fee is a barrier to entry for you, please contact [email protected].

Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.

Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.