Unreal Media.

Real Experience. Real Creativity. Real Results.
Content That's Unreal.

About Us

Unreal Media is a Denver-based independent film and TV production company focusing on independent films, documentaries, reality and web series.

Established in 2014, the Unreal Media team brings decades of top-tier industry experience to this dynamic, constantly evolving media landscape. We have worked with high level companies like STARZ, HBO, Sony Pictures, Liberty Global, Scorsese Productions, and many more, giving us a diverse background to pull strategy from. Our expertise lies in creating meaningful stories, producing outstanding content, and delivering the goods through channels that guarantee the most exposure. 

We are Denver to our core, yet have the advantage of a highly-experienced network that spans from New York to Los Angeles and beyond. We care about the story, we care about the team, and we care about changing the world through immersive film and television.

About Us.

Unreal Media tells powerfully entertaining, powerfully authentic stories that matter. And your story matters.

We’ll help you define your goal and produce premium content from start to finish. Unreal Media provides you the attention and hands-on approach needed to create amazing results.

Entertainment Networking

With decades of experience, we have the resources to connect you to decision-makers throughout the industry.

Writing & Development

Strong concepts and developed treatments are the foundation of any production. We've got the words you need.

Acquisitions

Negotiating before, during, or after a production can be stressful. Let us handle the hard work!

Financing & Legal Affairs

Taking a production to market is complicated. We help negotiate difficult legal matters.

Executive Management

We organize, manage, and maintain the entire production crew and staff to make sure your story is smooth and successful.

Distribution & Marketing

Creating an amazing production is just the beginning - now its time to give it to the masses!

The Team.

The Unreal Media team embodies over 50 years of collective experience in media and production. Bringing you the industry’s best, Unreal Media is your full service production house and consulting firm.

Stephan Shelanski

Stephan Shelanski has had a vast and high-level career as a television programming executive. As the EVP and Head of Programming for Starz Entertainment for many years, Shelanski oversaw all the programming, acquisitions, scheduling/planning, on-air branding, in-house production and operations for all of the 17 Starz networks. In addition he created and ran the Original Programming department for several years, and was responsible for such original series as Spartacus, Party Down, Crash, Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment. Prior to working at Starz, Shelanski worked for HBO in the research and programming departments.

Having left Starz in 2013, Shelanski is now focusing his efforts as an independent producer for film and TV. He holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard and has a Masters degree in Film from NYU.

Betsy Marino Leighton

Betsy Marino Leighton has worked in the film and television industry for the last twenty-five years. Beginning her career as a Page at NBC, she then went on to work for Scorsese Productions and Clinica Estetica, for Edward Saxon, before producing and directing the award-winning documentary, A Six Voice Home. More recently, she has produced long form reality and other series for Starz, Ovation, Animal Planet, and High Noon Entertainment. Betsy has published a YA novel for Dutton and is finishing her first adult novel, My Life on the Stage.

Betsy holds an undergraduate degree from Barnard College and an MSW from Hunter College.

Richard Turner

Richard Turner is a seasoned entertainment executive. He was senior vice president of business affairs, programming at Starz Entertainment and senior vice president of business affairs at Anchor Bay Entertainment. At Starz, Turner was responsible for legal supervision of all agreements related to Starz Entertainment’s licensing of motion pictures and provided strategic guidance for major corporate transactions. He was instrumental in creating Starz’s industry leading position in new media technology including Subscription Video On Demand and the Internet. At Anchor Bay, Turner provided legal supervision of all aspects of acquiring content for theatrical and home video distribution, for both domestic and international. Before joining Starz Entertainment, he worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment as an attorney in its corporate/international legal department. Most recently, Turner has been a consultant in the entertainment industry, providing services to Liberty Global, as well as producers of independent film and television productions.

Turner graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. He continued his graduate studies at the Pepperdine University School of Law where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Let us help you brings your dreams to screens.

What We're Up To.

The Modern Healthy

The Modern Healthy is a lifestyle blog focused on bring together diets and protocols for the “modern” person. Watch excellent food, great dieting tips and a guide to a healthy life!

Writer and Director of 'An American Terror'

Jennifer Conrad is a small-town girl stating over in the big city. Fleeing an abusive relationship, all she wants is a chance to begin again. But its hard to start over when something is eating you while you sleep… one painful bite at a time.

Tennis. Tradition. Sophistication. A Timeless Game. Where decorum and decency are required at all times, these divas have their own plan! Dive inside the life of an ultra competitive club tennis team, with a twist.

UnReal Helps Your Ideas Sizzle.

House of Morris

If you think the salon is only about hair, you’ve got another thing coming. Take a step inside the Matthew Morris Salon and see what its truly like to eat, sleep, and breathe the high fashion lifestyle!

The All Girl Paranormal Society

Two women and a mission to find paranormal activities from city to city. Travel with them to find the most disturbing and hunting environments.

Start Your Project

We are currently accepting submissions for documentaries, feature films, reality shows, and web series.  Unreal Media develops projects from start to finish – we do not finance projects for other companies. Thinking Unreal might be a perfect fit for your project? Great! Just make sure you’re coming to us with a script, an idea, and that’s it.
There are thousands of amazing stories to be told, and we are sure that yours is one of them! However, we want to focus our energies in the most efficient and effective ways possible. We would love to read your screenplay or script, but let’s make sure it’s the right fit first.
Submit your query letter, along with a logline and synopsis for your project that does not exceed one page. We will try to respond to all queries in 4-6 weeks.
Do not submit a screenplay or script up front. We will not read it. If we are interested in your logline and synopsis, we will contact you with further instructions.
Please follow the link here to submit your concept for feature films, web series, reality shows, documentaries, etc. and thank you for choosing to contact Unreal Media with your great idea