The USC School of Cinematic Arts invites you and a guest to attend

An Evening with Strauss Zelnick
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Take-Two

In Conversation with Danny Bilson
Chair of the Interactive Media & Games Division,
and Director of USC Games

7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, December 1st, 2026

The Ray Stark Family Theater, SCA 108
George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. RSVPs REQUIRED.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

About Strauss Zelnick

Strauss Zelnick, a founder of and partner in ZMC, a leading media focused private equity firm, became Chairman of Take-Two in March 2007, Executive Chaiman of the Board of Directors in February 2008 and Chief Executive Officer in January 2011. Throughout his tenure at Take-Two, Strauss has been an inspiring, visionary leader, applying sound financial infrastructure and rigor to enable the industry’s top creative talent to pursue their passions and deliver incredible entertainment experiences for consumers across the world. Strauss has been instrumental in establishing a strong corporate culture that is diverse, inclusive, and respectful, and is driven by Take-Two’s mission to be the most innovative, creative, and efficient entertainment company in the world. By leveraging his vast media expertise, Strauss continues to position Take-Two to be on the forefront of our evolving industry and to chart our pathway for long-term success.

Prior to forming ZMC, Strauss was President and Chief Executive Officer of BMG Entertainment, a $4.7 billion music and entertainment company with more than 200 record labels and operations in 54 countries. His appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of BMG Entertainment followed his tenure as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company's North American business unit from 1994 through 1998. Before joining BMG Entertainment, Strauss was President and Chief Executive Officer of Crystal Dynamics, a leading producer and distributor of interactive game software. Prior to that, he spent four years as President and Chief Operating Officer of 20th Century Fox, where he managed all aspects of the worldwide motion picture and distribution business.

Previously, Strauss spent three years at Vestron Inc. as a senior executive and rose to become President and Chief Operating Officer. He also served as Vice President, International Television for Columbia Pictures.

Strauss received a BA from Wesleyan University, a JD from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Starwood Property Trust, Inc and the Entertainment Software Association, for which he served as Chairman from July 2014 to July 2017, and currently serves as Chairman since December 2025. From September 2018 to December 2019, Mr. Zelnick served on the board of ViacomCBS Inc. (formerly known as CBS Corporation), a public company, and as a member of its compensation committee and nominating and governance committee. He also served as the non-executive interim chairman of the CBS board from October 2018 until December 2019. Strauss is an associate member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and served on the board of directors of the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America.

About Danny Bilson

Chair, Interactive Media and Games Division
Director of USC Games

Danny Bilson is a writer, director and producer based in Los Angeles. After a long television and film career at Warner Brothers, Disney and Paramount, Bilson served as a senior executive at both Electronic Arts, and THQ. Danny has experience developing properties in film, video games, TV, theme parks and comic books. He has consulted at Walt Disney Imagineering on a number of  immersive projects. His most recently produced screenplay, "Da 5 Bloods" was directed by Spike Lee. Bilson has been on the faculty of the USC School of Cinematic Arts since 2005, where he currently leads the Narrative Design Workshop. Danny is Chair of the Interactive Media and Games Division and is the Director of USC Games, the joint program shared with the Viterbi School of Engineering.

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This event is free of charge. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA events are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/