Al Cattabiani

During a conference this week, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra stated that the business is trying to create more profitable, genre-specific streaming projects that are equivalent to Crunchyroll. Tony stated, "We would love to launch more genre-based targeted, passionate fan centered streaming services. We're really positive on that front. And that's what we're now working on. However, it will take some time for the market to stabilize." He added that Sony is not beset by legacy TV networks, in contrast to Disney and other broadcasters. When he began working for Sony, the business had 110 cable networks worldwide. However, all of those networks have since been sold, with the exception of three markets—Spain, Latin America, and India—where cable networks are continuously expanding. For licensing of content, Sony has "proposed structures where we'd get the show back after 4 years or 5 years as opposed to the much longer terms that are currently in place, but thus far, there hasn't been much development in that area." Tony said that when it comes to consolidation in the market, Sony plans to "sit back and watch what comes available to us because we're in a very stable, very comfortable position. And we think that there will be lots of businesses that pop out of these companies...we would be interested in taking on mainly in the IP area, and that's really where we'll be focused." #streamingmedia #sony #SVOD #AVOD #paytv #cordcutting

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#UnHollywood: The Golden Age of Indie Film The Indie Film Revolution has begun! We are all captivated by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. As aspiring filmmakers and theater artists, we've grown up dreaming of reaching the major studio levels, Broadway, and fantasizing about leaving our mark on the stage and screen. However, as much as we adore and admire Hollywood, it's crucial to recognize that the movie industry has increasingly prioritized commercial success over story and creativity, forcing many of us to reevaluate our paths. This reality has led to the rise of a new era – the Golden Age of Indie Film! An electrifying period that celebrates authentic storytelling, diverse perspectives, and creative freedom. The Indie Film Revolution champions the artists who dare to challenge the major studio system and redefine the future of filmmaking. While Hollywood may not always open its doors to the incredible talent that exists beyond its gates, the Golden Age of Indie Film reminds us that there's another way to make our dreams come true. By joining forces and embracing the power of independent artistry, we can create opportunities and forge a path that values creativity and originality above all else. Together, we can build a world where independent filmmakers and theater artists thrive and push the boundaries of storytelling in ways never seen before. We believe in the power of authentic storytelling and its ability to connect us on a deeper level. IFT Network's infrastructure is designed to support the entire journey of independent film and theater production: • The IFT Network Writing Room: A dedicated virtual space for script development and collaboration. • Producer Community: A network of talented producers ready to bring projects to life. • Streaming Platform: A global stage that offers independent filmmakers and theater artists an opportunity to showcase their work to audiences worldwide. • Marketing and Promotion: A comprehensive support system, including the IFT Network Marketing Agency, that assists independent artists in amplifying their projects' visibility and connecting with their target audiences. • Community Share Program: A system that shares revenue with each film and show on the platform, ensuring mutual success within the IFT Network community. Our long-term vision includes expanding our infrastructure even further: • Indie FIlm Theater Fund: A future venture fund tailored specifically for indie film and theater projects within our ecosystem. • Physical Studio: A dedicated space for production and collaboration, fostering innovation and growth. • Theater Partnerships: Partnering with or owning theater venues to provide opportunities for live performances. Join us as we redefine the future of storytelling and prove that the power of authentic, independent artistry cannot be ignored.

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Fascinating to see how VR and AR are being used nowadays. Thanks to Howard McCabe for being a panelist and Dream Syndicate, Inc for being a sponsor of Philly Ad Club's Impact and Innovation Summit. #augmentedreality #XR #voiceover

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I have been looking at the The Black List model for a long time and understand that it has huge unrealized potential. In fact, Black List removes only part of the investment risks in IP, acting as a kind of Early Stage Metacritic. But without testing the idea in battle (at least at the MVP stage), the risks still remain the same - often divergent critics' ratings and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes will not let you lie. We designed our technological cycle at Mad Crusader taking these risks into account. And we decided to implement IP design at the meta-level at the creative idea stage and connect production partners to the project at the early stage, who turn the designed IP into an MVP. We will go even further and offer, among other things, a full-cycle model - from idea to publishing, which can work as a conveyor for mass IP production in any corner of the planet. And such a framework will now be created by all industrial giants.

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Prebid.org #PrebidSummit2024 The Battle Against Bad Actors Keith Candiotti/Optimera On the publisher perspective. What is a reasonable expectation that publishers should have about feedback from SSPs? "A publisher is like a car driving down the road without any posted speed limit. Publisher is pulled over and given a ticket for speeding. Publisher: Officer, if I knew the speed limit, I'd comply. Officer: If we posted the speed limit, you'd break it!" There needs to be more communication. Publishers should not be penalized for small missteps that are often unintended and corrected. #Intent In a way, intent doesn't matter. Mistakes happen but just like a retailer has an obligation not to put bad items on the shelf, bad inventory is bad inventory. SSPs are responsible for quality supply. Outcomes will drive clean up. #Incentives to create quality outcomes: Optimera we sniff inventory to see if any of it gives off a "naughty" whiff. When the buying hose is pointed at good quality inventory, whether it is #Direct Sold, #ProgrammaticDeals, or the #OpenExchange, it all works the same. Prebid.org can be the scaffolding to increasing quality inventory!

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Night bought Bottle Rocket Management. Yup, more M&A consolidation amongst talent rep companies! BIG congrats to Chas Lacaillade, BRM’s founder and a close friend of mine. Chas is a shrewd operator, and over the years I enjoyed watching him build a high-performing creator management company. Awesome to see him pick a strategic partner that aligns with his plan for future growth and improved client servicing. RockWater Industries served as financial advisor to BRM. I therefore can’t go into deal specifics due to the NDA between our companies. Let's break it down… ---TARGET: Bottle Rocket Management--- OVERVIEW • Talent management firm for digital content creators • Founded 2015 by Chas Lacaillade • Bootstrapped, no outside capital • Focus on YouTube creators • Reps ~40 talent clients • Based in Austin, TX TALENT HIGHLIGHTS • Austin Evans • BroScienceLife • JerryRigEverything • UrAvgConsumer ---BUYER: Night--- OVERVIEW • Next-gen representation platform for artists • Founded 2015 by Reed Duchscher • 75-100+ team per LinkedIn • Reps 100+ talent clients • Based in Austin, TX BIZ UNITS • Talent - management, focused on digital creators being entertainers and entrepreneurs • Studios - content studio, helps digital creators create and package shows for TV, streaming • Labs - venture studio, pairs operators with creators to build companies e.g. Feastables • Capital - TCG-backed fund to invest in / acquire profitable creator-led businesses • Ventures - early stage venture fund, focused on tech OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS • Reps world’s largest Twitch streamer, Kai Cenat • First manager of MrBeast, helped catapult his growth • Launched Feastables in 2022, est $100M+ 2024 revenue CAPITAL MARKETS HISTORY • 2022 raised an est high 7 to low 8 figures from TCG • 2022 raised $100M from TCG for Night Capital • 2023 bought mgmt co LFM • 2024 bought The Roost Podcast Network ---DEAL DETAILS--- OVERVIEW • Announced 11.25.24 • Deal terms undisclosed DEAL ORIGINS • Night and BRM leadership have known one another for years • Lacaillade and Night President Ezra Cooperstein both worked at Fullscreen, an early YouTube MCN VALUE PROP • Bring a top digital manager into Night’s leadership team • Deliver larger and more exciting opportunities to BRM clients • Scale talent roster and offerings for Night’s brand and client partners • Scale Night’s seasoned digital talent team via BRM team additions • More leverage to recruit more digital-native clients ...I'll write more about the deal in my Friday M&A newsletter, signup link in comments 👇 -- I'm the founder of RockWater. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.

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The Cumulus compensation ploy • May 2nd Cumulus had their annual shareholders meeting and they were not talking about what their angry investors did. • They approved one thing – their account firm. • When asked to re-elect their board of directors, a surprising and resounding outcome. • The company is still laying employees off and shrinking operations so when they asked shareholders to show a financial vote of confidence in them, an even greater surprise. • What’s really going on here – a questionable debt exchange deal, a second bankruptcy and a growing rift between investors and their top management. https://lnkd.in/gQRZYCWq

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Good report from Variety on #generativeAI in the film and TV industries. One intriguing tidbit was how big an effect people think AI will most likely have in certain areas of the industry: the top three are search and discovery, video analytics, and localization. Content creation was further down the list. It's also got a good outline of the state-of-the-state, as well as an overview of attitudes toward the tech from a number of different parties.

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HyperFrame CEO Steven Dickens takes AnewZ viewers deep into the detail driving the ongoing #AI boom and wider #tech trends set to shape 2025 Key insights include.. 💨Dramatic impact of AI on ‘code explanation’ - freeing up developers to code more than “1 hour per day” 🥊Serious challenges coming to the market dominance of #NVIDIA in the AI GPU sector 🫨Expect disruption in the custom silicon sector Check out the clip below 👇

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The Meaning of vinyl outselling CDs • Physical sales keep growing but there is a hidden problem about streaming music that labels are about to address. • 3 strategic ideas music radio stations can employ to get in on the trend. • How young consumers are in the midst of changing the way they enjoy music (again). • The user-generated tools that will soon become available to allow music fans to control the speed of the music they hear and these other factors. • TikTok and Instagram Reels have forced a new approach that will make sure labels get paid. https://lnkd.in/eX4aKwQc

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13 Examples of Non-Profits doing well with video (and how) https://lnkd.in/eYEfmEJG

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This is an interesting and insightful film industry article. I am currently producing a few feature films with international co-production partners for theatrical release. Whilst it's always very difficult due to increased costs including needing a much larger budget to include the necessary marketing funding to ensure, and improve the films chances of a successful outcome on release! It's worth mentioning that not all feature film's are suitable for a theatrical release for a variey of reasons including that the story may not be high concept enough to secure a paying audience. There is plenty of room for all feature and factual film content in the market place. The decision to whether an individual film is destined for theatrical release starts firstly by how strong the story' premise, and that the film has the ability and potential to drive a paying audience to the cinema. It's possible to negotiate with a studio to secure soft money! In my case, streamers is only a second window option once my feature films completes it's release run.

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Bear Market "The film and TV production drought plaguing the U.S. entertainment industry appears to be “here to stay,” according to a sobering new report by ProdPro. The tracking company found that production in the United States was down about 40% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to peak-TV levels of filming activity during the same period in 2022. For nearly two years, Hollywood has suffered a stark decline in film and TV shoots that has prolonged mass unemployment and mental health crises among entertainment workers. Globally, production in the second quarter of the year was down by about 20%, compared to 2022. ProdPro also tracked studios’ spending habits, noting that they committed in the second quarter of 2024 to investing a total $11.3 billion on film and TV productions — a 39% increase from the same period in 2023, but still lagging 20% behind 2022. According to the report, data show that “returning episodic projects and mid-budget studio films” have attracted the most funding."

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Hi all! I wanted to share a piece I wrote about the 6 stages of the media franchise lifecycle. This is a strategic framework to guide IP management, creating a content roadmap of expectations, rewards, and payoffs that keep audiences engaged. Crafting a roadmap is no easy task. There are no simple answers, and the path forward can often feel overwhelming. A solid starting point, however, is understanding the stages of the media franchise lifecycle and where you currently stand. Then, you can start to figure out what story to tell and experiences to create (and in what order) to achieve your objectives. I was thinking about how much time and patience plays a factor in the success of franchises while reading Simon Pulman's post about Unknown 9's launch. It's so important to land that first experience with audiences in an emotionally satisfying way and then expand upon that relationship carefully over time before presupposing there's demand for experiences downstream they may not want. Hope you enjoy the piece! #MCU #StarWars #FranchiseDevelopment

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Good grief...Weedmaps busted for lying to investors about their MAUs! WM Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: $MAPS), the parent company of much maligned industry leader, Weedmaps, recently agreed to a $1.5 million settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over misleading #investors regarding their #usermetrics across 2021-2022. Executives #falsely inflated *monthly active users* (MAUs) by counting non-engaged visitors redirected from pop-up ads, skewing performance metrics. Despite reporting user growth, actual engagement on the site #stagnated or #declined, leading to regulatory action. The company's leadership changes and financial struggles underscore the #challenges Weedmaps has faced since going public #Cannabis #cannabisindustry #SEC #corporategovernance

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New York Magazine (NYMag) published The Power Issue with a piece on the state of journalism titled “Can the Media Survive?” that everyone in media and communications was sharing and commenting on. The story was a roundup of journalism industry elites dunking on the business (and one another) in mostly anonymous quotes. The TL;DR, as NYMag put it: “All of these media insiders have watched up close as the business that undergirds journalism changed dramatically in the past decade, and almost all of them would agree that it hasn’t, for the most part, been for the better.” It also unleashed a flurry of reactionary newsletters, tweets, and texts from my old journalism peers, who largely shared the sentiment that Ernie Smith, writer of the Tedium newsletter, said on Threads: “It’s telling that only two people on this entire list went on record.” There were a lot of shots fired. Of note, Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack in a post titled I’m (not) one of the 57 most powerful people in media said, “There are few things that the media industry likes to talk about more than itself. The pity is that it is an increasingly small and irrelevant bubble, and so there are fewer and fewer people around to listen.” While this NYMag story was about journalism, the reality is it exists within the broader “media” industry, which is awash in content of varying degrees of quality while dealing with shifting consumer preferences. Meanwhile, every single creator of content is competing with social media platforms that are so good at constantly changing to better capture people’s time and attention. In the non-journalistic media world, there’s a broader re-focusing on content audiences are obsessed with, regardless of platform. This debate was online and IRL (and I'll put more commentary in the comments) but the important takeaway is that we are clearly at an inflection point where the industry is aligning that: Publishing for scale and creating for audience are not the same thing.  The next generation of journalism should also certainly strive to be seen as valuable to the next generation of readers. When I ask my under-40s peers what their news media diet looks like, there’s always a few select masthead homepages sprinkled in, but the vast majority comes from whatever hits their TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Shorts feeds. The evolution of journalists as creators and vice versa is the defining issue. TOMORROW, I’m speaking with Dave Jorgenson, senior video reporter at the Washington Post who leads their stellar TikTok channel, for a keynote at the Future of Television conference in LA. This is something we’ll talk about – let me know if you want a ticket; I have a few extra. Subscribe for more: https://lnkd.in/gnRggM7f

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