Story • Strategy • Culture
We are at a defining period in global storytelling. Authorship and access are being renegotiated in real time. Deana Nassar Fernandez founded Sea Street to meet this moment.
Sea Street is a development and cultural strategy house focused on shaping stories that influence culture.
For storytellers from the Global Majority and historically marginalized communities, it’s time to define our own narratives with thoughtful development and clear strategy.
Sea Street Founder
Deana Nassar Fernandez
“At the core of my work is a commitment to stories that shape culture and honor our humanity.”
I grew up in Los Angeles, between two worlds. At school and in the broader culture, I learned early that stories can be written about you before you have the language to define yourself. I saw how those narratives shape confidence, belonging, and possibility.
During my summers in Egypt, I experienced something entirely different. On Thursday nights, we gathered on my grandmother’s balcony—her children, grandchildren, and sometimes neighbors—recounting stories about our family, our street, and our history. Those evenings were sacred. They were how I learned where we come from. They were the counterweight to the stories being written about me elsewhere. In those moments, I learned that stories can steady you. They can remind you who you are.
Storytelling can entertain and build industries. At their most powerful, they shape culture and define what we believe is possible.
That understanding has guided my career. I support stories that have yet to be told and help build the systems that allow them to thrive. I listen closely. I pay attention to what is missing and think carefully about how to strengthen the whole. I believe in honesty, in protecting creative vision, and in approaching each project with care and long-term responsibility.
Sea Street is for. . .
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I work with writers preparing a script for its next step. I provide close story support—sharpening structure, character, and cohesion while protecting voice.
I also think about where the work belongs and how it moves. When useful, I bring in trusted collaborators to strengthen targeted elements.
The aim is simple: work that is precise, well-positioned, and ready to move.
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With producers and companies, I advise on slate building and creative strategy. I support projects as they move through the development pipeline, helping position them thoughtfully for production, festival, or distribution.
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For directors preparing for market, I help refine narrative positioning, pitch language, and long-term strategy. Whether navigating festivals, streamers, or international partners, I ensure the work is presented with clarity and intention— strengthening both creative integrity and strategic visibility.
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For studios and production companies, I advise on talent strategy, development frameworks, and long-term pipeline building—particularly for Global Majority and underrepresented creatives. From writers’ labs to cross-market partnerships, I help design systems that are sustainable, scalable, and aligned with the realities of today’s industry.
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For cultural organizations, festivals, and educational institutions, I design programs and convenings that connect creators to meaningful opportunity. My work spans conferences, training initiatives, international partnerships, and industry-facing events—building ecosystems that endure beyond a single moment.
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For teams working with culturally or politically nuanced material, I provide strategic advisory to ensure specificity, dimensionality, and contextual clarity. My role is to strengthen the work while anticipating audience reception and institutional considerations—without flattening the story’s depth.
For more than a decade, I’ve worked across film and television developing stories, cultivating writers, and helping build the programs and institutions that support them.
I served as the inaugural director of the Middle East Media Initiative at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where I established a program that trains Arab television writers and content creators to develop socially relevant, quality storytelling. I later joined Netflix’s MENA content team, contributing to the expansion of regional talent pipelines across North Africa, the Gulf, and the Levant.
Alongside this work, I’ve advised public leaders, cultural institutions, and film funds on initiatives designed to strengthen creative industries and support long-term sector growth.
Most recently, I led the Creative Talent Division at a Dubai-based studio, building the department and helping guide a slate of feature films from early development through production readiness.
Across these roles, I’ve managed multimillion-dollar budgets, worked closely with senior leadership, and navigated complex international partnerships. Trained as an attorney and licensed in New York, I bring a legal and structural lens to creative work and institutional collaboration.
A writing collective and home for personal work exploring memory, identity, and belonging.
Launching soon