issue 174
Hello! Alright, so I might get in a bit of hot water for this opener, but I gotta say it - so many of my industry friends are helpless. If we’ve spoken recently, no this isn’t about you. These are general observations. We’re all in this godawful business to bring some meaningful stories to life (I hope) through film, tv, theatre, podcasts, whatever. But it seems that whenever I talk to anyone who’s ‘in it’ they are trying to change jobs. They whine, unhappy, believing they deserve better. The “have you heard of anything” line is now just implied in any catch-up call. It is a joke.
Some of these cats are salaried, full-time VPs on up, to ostensibly “produce” and they literally work for the most famous and/or richest people in the world. The power vacuums. Reminder: just because you might represent or be employed by a fancy name, does not make you one… re-read that if you need to. But, put simply, the job is to make something out of nothing. From words on a piece of paper to a cinematic event.
And you’re likely being subsidized by a first look deal, your firm’s back catalogue, a high-net worth (who prob hasn’t seen a return/distributions), or maybe even your company’s advisory division (how I stay afloat)… or dare I say it, the reality tv department. *Gasps* It’s near impossible to reap what you sow when commissions and fees for film and tv are needles lost in the thicket, especially in the age of the plague.
Yet, we’re on the hunt. To identify and breath life into story. Ideally projects that are emblematic of our tastes, identity, purpose, being. And most of us don’t have a single credit to our name (looks in mirror, cries) and many have been ‘in the business’ for nearly a decade. Keep at it. Motor along. Self-actualize through the process, not the name of your boss or company. The right people will take note. The industry knows who did the impossible work of the capital P producer. Nose to grindstone. The tides will turn, eventually.
But many don’t do the work. People are lazy. I recently met a nice furloughed dev exec who was down and out. I asked them what they’re all about. What they’ve done. Their main claim to fame was that they knew a senior talent agent and read the Tag article (WSJ) before the bidding war ensued and film came to fruition. Congrats. No hip-pocketed projects to their name. No nothing. I couldn’t help. A month or so later, they’re now highly paid earning six figs running development for a major company. And they still have no credits to their name. Cool job though.
Any who, I believe a lot of this ill sentiment and desire to play for a different team is grounded in management… or the lack thereof. No leadership. Give your staff some autonomy. Reward them for doing the job. Compensate fairly. Don’t allow a few breadwinners to sponsor the dead weight. This reminds me of the one and only secret guest post from issue 139. A good one. And if you’re trying to ‘break-in’ without any experience to your name. Good luck. Runaway. My advice? Work at Google for a decade then retire. Write a $10k ticket into development for a project and see where it goes. Poof, gone. Ouch.
To draft off this, I get a fair amount of inquiries about film finance, many want an intro to my old employer just for the sake of prospective employment (if you do this, I will trash your email). Here’s a hint. I’d surmise that a big reason I got my job there was because I came with a bird in hand. A self-generated initiative. On my own time in the summer of 2013, I prepared a (probably mediocre) report on the problems that filmmakers and producers faced when raising on Indiegogo and Kickstarter.
I had direct experience. In 2012, I was a producer’s assistant - I mean, unpaid intern - on The Canyons. Oh the stories from that set. It was one of the first features to fully embrace crowdfunding. Go indie. Here’s the Kickstarter. It was helmed by some of my fave filmmakers and writers: Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, First Reformed) and Bret Easton Ellis (Less than Zero, American Psycho). It was a dream job. I cold-emailed saying I’d jump on a grenade to work for them for free. I took on more debt. I got it. I learned a thing or two.
Fast forward to summer 2013. For fun, I interviewed about a hundred people asking their pain points with their campaigns. Number one: Audience Reach. They were starving for potential backers. They needed marketing help... it is the powerhouse of the cell. “If you make it, they will come” doesn’t ring true for many. I forget some of the other findings, but I do think this played to my advantage in the Cinetic interviews. I got the gig. Unbeknownst to me, Indiegogo was a client, and we later helped orchestrate the multi-million dollar raise for Super Troopers 2 on Indiegogo and organized this roundtable discussion called the Crowdfunding Council (THR) with some big names. I was a big-eyed, open-eared fly on the wall. Fun stuff.
To wrap this up. Take initiative. Be resourceful, ahead of the curve, self-sufficient. Do the work. Repeat. Do the work. Make ends meet. Cover the essentials. Keep overhead low. Bring the bread to the table. The goods.
And finally, I’m absolutely thrilled to share that I got my NZ resident visa yesterday. Champagne was popped. My head hurts. So relieved. I must say I have a totally newfound respect for anyone that has to deal with immigration officials re visa/sponsorship issues. It is the biggest pain in the ass. I represented myself, amateur attorney style. You have to write in crayon for immigration officers and your whole life is under the thumb of some desk jockey who probably hates their job. I’d rather be audited. Hell, it borderline is a social audit but they don’t acknowledge photo essays, shared leases, and more. It is ludicrous. I don’t mind talking a bit of smack on the process now that I’m on the other side of it.
On a very positive note, I have healthcare again! I rolled the dice for the last year and a half like a complete nut. Now I might have to go buy a dirt bike (sorry Mom). The visa process is all-consuming - and I’m so accustomed to hearing “no” so I was half expecting it - now I can open up the throttle in the promised land of the sheep. There is some covid here now (3 cases), we’ve been on lockdown in Auckland the last three days, but have a feeling we’ll open up again soon. Sorry, rambling. I’m just very excited and wanted to yell into the void of this newsletter :)
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Everything is a game. See you next week.
Tech
Stir, dashboard and drops for online creators, raised from a16z at $100m val. Info
Frame IO launches camera to cloud hook-up to collab live. Frame
Cameo, celeb vids, in talks to raise at unicorn status. Bberg
Unreal Engine’s digital human creator engine (magic). UE
EA to acq Glu Mobile for $2b. BW
Reduct Video, automated video editing and more, raised $4m. TC
TikTok preps live-shopping feature. BI
Mojo, youth sports coaching app from Disney execs, raised $8m. Bberg
Lyte, ticketing platform for online events, raised $40m. DMN
Scalarr, aims to fight mobile ad fraud, raised $7.5m. TC
US Integrity, sports betting, raised $1m. USIblog
Mutual Markets, ai for brand marketing, raised $3m. BW
Powder, shareable game clips and networking, raised $14m. TC
Labster, virtual ed-tech simulations, raised $60m. TC
Snapchat makes it easy to remove contacts. Axios
Jackpocket, lottery games, raised $50m. BizJ
FB building a Clubhouse clone. NYT
SplashLearn, game-based learning, raised $18m. CB
Savage x Fenty raised at unicorn status. FastCo
Isotropic Systems, next-gen broadband terminal with LEO sats, raised $40m. TC
Reddit raised $250m, val at $6b. WSJ
Selling your Tweets using blockchain. Input
IG’s Reels won’t promote videos with TikTok watermark. Verge
Bustle using rewards program to grow newsletter biz (tracking loyalty space). Digiday
*Lila Live intends to use live actors for certain game elements (neat — h/t Feng). LL
Twitter contemplates subscription for unique content. Bberg
Dobrick’s Dispo app in beta (don’t need any more social networks in my life). Yahoo
Goody, send gifts over text, raised $4m. TC
Genies looking to be digital front for celebs (mmk). BI
Linkedin launches creator program (barfs). Axios
Pivotal Commware, 5G infra, raised $50m. GW
Lengoo, uses AI for language translation, raised $20m. Slat
Inside the making of FB’s Oversight Board. NewYorker
Shopify expands into Instagram. TC
Jack Dorsey and Jay Z put 500 BTC into African tech scene. TC
AudioBlogs reads articles to you, now first on ProductHunt (was around a decade ago). AB
Quilt, audio only social network focused on wellness, raised $3.5m. TC
NeuReality, developing better AI hardware, raised $8m. VB
InEvent, virtual events, raised $2m (use Hovercast). TC
Labelbox, data tags for ML, raised $40m. VB
FB plans smartwatch, focused on health. Info
Tools made specifically for Clubhouse. PH
Clubhouse blocked in China. TC
Mighty, 3D printed houses, raised $40m. TC
Getaway, tiny home retreats, raised $40m (wrote about issue 47). TC
TikTok Oracle/Walmart deal on back-burner. SCMP
Media
Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs might acq Scooter Braun’s Ithaca and Ben Silverman’s Propagate with $2b in funding from Blackstone (!!). Var
Disney beats estimates almost 100m subs (insane). SA
Roku plans move into orig content. Prot
Vivendi might sells some of its stake in UMG, or take public. BW
Cinedigm acq ScreamBox, horror SVOD. BW
Fiverr acq creative talent platform Working not Working. SA
Oscars plan multiple in-person shows, beyond Dolby Var
Super Bowl 96m viewers, down from last yr. Bberg
NHL gets stake in PointsBet as part of integration deal. SPro
Big Hit and UMG invest in Kiswe for virtual concerts. Var
Ticketmaster launched livestream ticketing. MBW
Maryland to tax digital ads (?). Input
Bloomberg Media expected to do $100m in sub rev by 2021. Axios
Post Malone to do Pokesome simulcast concert for 25th anniversary. Poke
Rich Greenfield’s LightShed raised $75m TMT fund (looks like Bronfman LP). BW
Vindex is a $300m gaming/esports holdco by the MLG founders. VB
Airtime is a new music mentoring startup. Musically
Ballys acq SportsCaller, b2b free to play games betting. Cision
Artemis is a $150m SPAC focused on entertainment and gaming. SEC
Microsoft kicked tires on Pinterest. MW
Soundcloud looks to pay fans direct. Bboard
Sony Music and UMG partner w/ Audiomack streaming service. Var
UMG and TikTok enter into collab agrmt. Bboard
Triller (Kavanaugh) expands into tv with an SVOD (anotha one). Var
Podsights acq Podlink, share-able and search-able pods. PSsite
Musicians buying mobile game ads to expand. Bboard
Gannet and McClatchy team to sell publication ads. Axios
NYT continues to grow digital, looks to invest in puzzle games. Axios
T Swift re-releases some of her albums. Var
Match buys Korean media and social network app HyperConnect for $1.7b. TC
Progress is a $125m SPAC focused on telco space from Dish chair. SEC
CD Projekt Red (Cyberpunk, Wither) game studio hacked. BI
Gaines Svod begins rollout, delays linear launch. Var
Accountability drops as local newspapers go under. PandC
SPAC investors okay Playboy offering. SA
Streamers bulking up w/ non-English shows (globalization thru localization). THR
Bieber live concert on TikTok. Var
MLB deadening ball slightly over home run surge. AP
Kaerpernick and Najafi plan $250m culturally responsible SPAC. Yahoo
Entertainment
SxSW lineup. IW
Berlin lineup. Var
WGA noms. Dead
France’s Cesar noms. THR
Chernin and Connor Shell launch non-fiction studio. Var
Neon and Bleeker Street start Decal, home entertainment label. Dead
Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller Bridge Mr and Mrs Smith film for Amazon. Var
Annapurna takes NA rights to On the Count of Three for ~$2m. Dead
Focus takes most of WW rights on Limbo. Dead
Netflix offering anime school scholarships for Japanese students (this is rad). JT
Ron Moore inks Disney overall deal. THR
iHeart is committing to 3D spatial audio shows. Verge
Paramount and Temple King working on King and I musical. THR
Netflix orders The Overstory from Weiss Benioff. Var
FilmNation acq WW rights to Sean Baker’s Red Rocket (might want to rename that). Dead
Netflix orders Gamestop doc from Garbus and Cogan (enough of this). Dead
ABC Signature orders Josephine Bakers limited series from Springhill/Ruth Negga. Dead
Apple TV app plans For All Mankind backstory experience in AR (it begins…). 9toMac
Mission Impossible crew sent home early from UAE over UK lockdown. DM
Paramount lands Yumanzu pitch from Kenya Barris / Matt Lieberman. Dead
Melissa Benoist inks Warner Bros tv deal. THR
Minhall Baig overall with Amazon. Dead
Makeready options Gilded Ones fantasy books Dead
Netflix planning Redwall film/tv projects Var
HBO and Gibney team on opiod doc. Dead
David Steward II lines up film/tv projects under Lion Forge. Dead
eOne lays off 10% of staff. Var
Jimmy Chin and Chai multiple projects at NatGeo (jel, nice stuff Anna). Dead
Disney shutters Blue Sky animation studio. THR
Apple+ acq pitch Dolly (sci fi doll) with Pugh. Dead
Amazon developing Oona out of Order from Spyglass. Dead
HBO Max orders Rap Sh*t comedy from Issa Rae. Var
True Lies series adaptation gets CBS pilot order. Var
Westbrook teams w/ EbonyLife on Nigerian film/tv slate Dead
Reliance launches JV with filmmaker Ribhu Dasgupta. Dead
Players Table from Sweeney & Halsey lands at HBO Max. Dead
Adam Wingard to remake Face/Off. THR
Akiva and Haddish working on Renaissance poet series. THR
Beckham to produce Puma vs Adidas doc series w Matador and Boat Rocker (wonder if they’ll touch on the Nazi stuff). Dead
Netflix UK and more look to increase use of virtual production. THR
Paranormal Activity reboot in the works (meanwhile, Oren Peli retired in NZ). Var
Mubi takes Euro markets to Pleasure following A24. Var
Keke Palmer to star in Peele’s next film Dead
Jay Chandrasekhar plans Easter Sunday comedy film with Amblin THR
Biggest Loser creator plans doc about Moviepass . Dead
Disney+ unveils slate of European originals (moving into the next markets..). Dead
HBO Max orders Velma Dinkey series (Scooby Doo). Var
Henrik Bastin leaves Red Arrow to start new prod co. Dead
Netflix acq Quaid film Blue Miracle. Var
Oscars shortlist. IW
Influencers in SAG. NYT
SciTech recognitions. THR
Collaborative
Celebrities and brand activations / sponsorships in watch industry. NYT
Dalya Alberge on using game engines for the theatre (been thinking a lot about this space). Guard
Same Energy is a visual search engine (soo sick — h/t Cody). SE
Debate over teachers who record lectures and if schools own their teachings / recordings (hmmm). Verge
The many lives of Steven Yeun. NYT
List of naught AI words. Wired
Sia’s music film, MUSIC, financed by WMG Sia
Frozen animator might have code to solve human disappearance in snow. IW
Underwater photo contest winners for 2020. Digg
The celebs (?) that are getting into the gig economy. Wired
How we lost the data to our faces on the internet. MIT
Spying eyes and the data streams. Wired
Rise and fall of bitcoin billionaire Arthur Hayes (neat story). VF
Machines inventing never before seen math. Vice
CBInsights tech trends of 2021. CBI
Jesse Walden on NFTs. Mirror
A look at how virtual events have changed the UK industry (use Hovercast). PG
Slowthai and Skepta - Cancelled music vid. YT
The Daily on $2.7b case against Fox and voting ballots. Break
The quest to moderate podcasts. Verge
Cops playing music when being recorded to try to get copyright to take down vid. Vice
Patrick O’shag interviews Compound’s Dempsey. Col
Soccer teams look to use AI to prevent injuries. ESPN
Looking for intelligent life. SuperC
Streamers leaning into TikTok campaigns. BI
Zendaya and Sam Levinson. Interview
Interview w/ Li Jin around passion economy. Lenny
HighTea on mo-cap streamers, avatars and real-life personas. HTss
How covid reshaped live music performance. BBC
Fred Wilson says we’re in an asset bubble, track treasury bills. AVC
.Com is the best domain, Notion issue with Somalia over .so ETtwtr
Prospects of a NBCU / Warner Media merger (doubtful I say). Info
A look at Bad Robot’s expansion into games. GIB
AI researchers say need more investment in models and compute NextP
Ben Thompson on memes and aggregators. Stratech
Biggie doc trailer on Nflx. YT
Hacker tried to contaminate Floria water system. Wired
Interview w/ the Jeff Kosseff Section 230. ProPub
The psychology of why people share and going viral. NFX
Report on covid’s impact of music industry. MRCdata
Profile on Epic’s Sweeney taking on App Stores. CNN
Ivy League upset Tsai isn’t financing a bubble to play lacrosse. WSJ
Sequencing the genomes across Africa Nature
The Arctic is getting greener (bad). Wired
How Amazon changed wealth and power. Atlantic
Paris Hilton doing a short iHeart podcast. NYT
Brian Koppelman interviews music producer Rick Rubin. Apple
Ben Thompson on rise of memes and Clubhouse. Stratech