Exclusive: Pocket.watch and Sunlight Entertainment, the Kaji family-owned production studio, are partnering with theatrical distributor Falling Forward Films to extend the domestic theatrical release of Ryan’s World The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure. Directed by Albie Hecht and produced by Shion Kaji and Loann Kaji, the film is slated to premiere on more than 2,100 screens August 16 and marks the first-ever wide theatrical release of a digital creator-driven film.
When his twin sisters Emma and Kate get sucked into a mystical comic book, Ryan has no choice but to rise up as the great big brother he is and jump in after them. Adventures, battles and hilarious debacles ensue as Ryan and his friends navigate the Titan Universe and bring everyone back home safely before his parents catch on.
Ryan’s World The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure‘s cast features the stars of Ryan’s World, the popular Kaji family — Ryan Kaji, Shion Kaji,...
When his twin sisters Emma and Kate get sucked into a mystical comic book, Ryan has no choice but to rise up as the great big brother he is and jump in after them. Adventures, battles and hilarious debacles ensue as Ryan and his friends navigate the Titan Universe and bring everyone back home safely before his parents catch on.
Ryan’s World The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure‘s cast features the stars of Ryan’s World, the popular Kaji family — Ryan Kaji, Shion Kaji,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Pocket.watch has inked another distribution deal for one of its most prominent properties. The kid-friendly media company, known for working with popular content brands like Ryan’s World and LankyBox, is coming to Hulu with an original series led by the stars of Kids Diana Show.
The hybrid program will include a mix of animated and live-action elements. For nine-year-old Diana and her older brother Roma, the Hulu series is the latest extension of the Love, Diana brand. Through original content, gaming apps, and licensing opportunities, Pocket.watch has turned Diana’s popular YouTube channel into a multimedia franchise.
Season 1 of Love, Diana will include eight 11-minute episodes, which are now available on Hulu. The show — aimed at viewers between the ages of three and five — takes place in the Land of Play, where Diana and Roma must protect their cartoon friends from a gloomy antagonist named Boris the Bore.
The hybrid program will include a mix of animated and live-action elements. For nine-year-old Diana and her older brother Roma, the Hulu series is the latest extension of the Love, Diana brand. Through original content, gaming apps, and licensing opportunities, Pocket.watch has turned Diana’s popular YouTube channel into a multimedia franchise.
Season 1 of Love, Diana will include eight 11-minute episodes, which are now available on Hulu. The show — aimed at viewers between the ages of three and five — takes place in the Land of Play, where Diana and Roma must protect their cartoon friends from a gloomy antagonist named Boris the Bore.
- 5/3/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
In general, Fubo is better known for its wide variety of sports channels than anything else. From national channels like MLB Network, NBA TV and NFL RedZone to more local offerings like regional sports networks from Bally Sports, the breath of live sports content on Fubo is truly impressive.
7-Day Free Trial $85.98 / month fubo.tv
It seems Fubo is trying to build a name for itself in the kids and family entertainment space, as well. The company has announced it will begin offering two channels from pocket.watch. The “Ryan and Friends” and “pocket.watch” channels will be available to all Fubo users for free later in 2023.
“Pocket.watch uniquely brings kids and families their favorite star creators in premium, high-quality shows that parents can trust,” pocket.watch founder and CEO Chris M. Williams said. “And we are thrilled to partner with Fubo to extend our channels and content to millions of new viewers across the country.
7-Day Free Trial $85.98 / month fubo.tv
It seems Fubo is trying to build a name for itself in the kids and family entertainment space, as well. The company has announced it will begin offering two channels from pocket.watch. The “Ryan and Friends” and “pocket.watch” channels will be available to all Fubo users for free later in 2023.
“Pocket.watch uniquely brings kids and families their favorite star creators in premium, high-quality shows that parents can trust,” pocket.watch founder and CEO Chris M. Williams said. “And we are thrilled to partner with Fubo to extend our channels and content to millions of new viewers across the country.
- 3/29/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
YouTube Originals acquired “Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers,” which will launch on the streamer later this year.
The documentary offers a deep dive into a condensed period of creativity and freedom (between 1993 and 1995) for the legendary, titular rock star and looks at his creation of his “Wildflowers” album. The project includes never-before-seen archival footage of Petty and his band in the recording studio and on tour, equally rare behind-the-scenes moments of Petty at home with his family and interviews with the album’s co-producers Rick Rubin and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, along with original Heartbreaker Benmont Tench.
“Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers” is produced by Peter Afterman and directed by Mary Wharton, with executive producers Dan Braun, Wharton and Adria Petty. It is presented by Inaudible Films, Warner Music Entertainment and Warner Records.
The doc debuted in March at SXSW and...
The documentary offers a deep dive into a condensed period of creativity and freedom (between 1993 and 1995) for the legendary, titular rock star and looks at his creation of his “Wildflowers” album. The project includes never-before-seen archival footage of Petty and his band in the recording studio and on tour, equally rare behind-the-scenes moments of Petty at home with his family and interviews with the album’s co-producers Rick Rubin and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, along with original Heartbreaker Benmont Tench.
“Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers” is produced by Peter Afterman and directed by Mary Wharton, with executive producers Dan Braun, Wharton and Adria Petty. It is presented by Inaudible Films, Warner Music Entertainment and Warner Records.
The doc debuted in March at SXSW and...
- 9/23/2021
- by Katie Song, Danielle Turchiano, Jennifer Yuma and Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Lilly Singh will star in a new animated musical short film — centering on the theme of LGBTQ pride — from Pocket.watch, part of the digital kids’ content studio’s expansive 2021 slate.
In “Lilly Singh’s Proud Princess,” the YouTuber and host of NBC’s “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” will voice a young girl discovering pride in her true identity. The film is currently in pre-production.
“She’s an amazing talent and represents an example of the diverse points of view we are bringing to our audience,” Pocket.watch chief content officer Albie Hecht said. The film “will speak to LGBTQ identity issues for kids. Lilly will be an eloquent and articulate spokesperson for that.”
Singh, the actor and comedian who rose to fame on YouTube, two years ago announced on social media that she is bisexual, female and “coloured.” “Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time.
In “Lilly Singh’s Proud Princess,” the YouTuber and host of NBC’s “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” will voice a young girl discovering pride in her true identity. The film is currently in pre-production.
“She’s an amazing talent and represents an example of the diverse points of view we are bringing to our audience,” Pocket.watch chief content officer Albie Hecht said. The film “will speak to LGBTQ identity issues for kids. Lilly will be an eloquent and articulate spokesperson for that.”
Singh, the actor and comedian who rose to fame on YouTube, two years ago announced on social media that she is bisexual, female and “coloured.” “Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time.
- 2/4/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s TV news roundup, FX released a trailer of “The Most Dangerous Animal of All” and Quibi announced Megan Rapinoe as the host of the new docuseries “Prodigy.”
Casting
Megan Rapinoe will host new documentary series “Prodigy,“ Quibi announced. As a host, Rapinoe will provide on camera commentary and her perspective on the eight athletes who are set to become the next superstars in their respective sports. Each episode will highlight one prodigy’s athletic accomplishments, while also diving deep into their personal stories. The 2020 prodigy class includes Jalen Green, Sha’Carri Richardson, Red Gerard, Regan Smith, Matthew Boling, Tyler Adams, Korey Foreman and Chantel Navarro. Rand Getlin and Janina Pelayo serve as executive producers for the show.
Programming
Discovery announced the return of “Monster Garage” starring Jesse James coming this year. James, founder of the west coast choppers, is returning to the show looking to elevate the...
Casting
Megan Rapinoe will host new documentary series “Prodigy,“ Quibi announced. As a host, Rapinoe will provide on camera commentary and her perspective on the eight athletes who are set to become the next superstars in their respective sports. Each episode will highlight one prodigy’s athletic accomplishments, while also diving deep into their personal stories. The 2020 prodigy class includes Jalen Green, Sha’Carri Richardson, Red Gerard, Regan Smith, Matthew Boling, Tyler Adams, Korey Foreman and Chantel Navarro. Rand Getlin and Janina Pelayo serve as executive producers for the show.
Programming
Discovery announced the return of “Monster Garage” starring Jesse James coming this year. James, founder of the west coast choppers, is returning to the show looking to elevate the...
- 2/24/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
Nickelodeon has ordered a 20-episode third season of top-rated preschool series Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, starring eight-year-old YouTube star Ryan of Ryan’s World.
Created and produced by pocket.watch, the live-action series follows Ryan as he tackles a series of imaginative, physical challenges and solves mystery box puzzles to reveal the identity of his playdate. Ryan’s Mystery Playdate ranked as the number-one preschool series on all TV for 2019. New season three episodes will begin airing this Spring.
The third season will feature a new-and-improved Guess-o-Tron and follow Ryan and his parents as they meet exciting all-new playdates, solve complex mystery box puzzles, tackle epic dunk tank and zip line challenges, and take super silly selfies with each guest.
Since its 2015 launch, Ryan’s World has grown to become one of the world’s largest YouTube channels in the world. The channel features fun and easy science experiments, educational content, animated adventures,...
Created and produced by pocket.watch, the live-action series follows Ryan as he tackles a series of imaginative, physical challenges and solves mystery box puzzles to reveal the identity of his playdate. Ryan’s Mystery Playdate ranked as the number-one preschool series on all TV for 2019. New season three episodes will begin airing this Spring.
The third season will feature a new-and-improved Guess-o-Tron and follow Ryan and his parents as they meet exciting all-new playdates, solve complex mystery box puzzles, tackle epic dunk tank and zip line challenges, and take super silly selfies with each guest.
Since its 2015 launch, Ryan’s World has grown to become one of the world’s largest YouTube channels in the world. The channel features fun and easy science experiments, educational content, animated adventures,...
- 2/24/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
One of YouTube’s biggest trends is hitting the big screen. An upcoming film called Unboxing -- which was just acquired by Paramount Players (a division of Paramount Pictures that focuses on contemporary properties) and is set to be produced by kid-friendly entertainment company Pocket.watch -- follows an 11-year-old YouTuber who unpackages her father’s secret safe for her channel, inadvertently unleashing chaos on her town.
Ice Age: The Meltdown writer Jim Hecht penned the script, and his uncle, Albie Hecht -- a former Nickelodeon and Hln exec and currently Pocket.watch’s chief creative officer -- is producing, Deadline reports. Pocket.watch CEO Chris M. Williams is executive producing, and Ali Bell is overseeing the project for Paramount.
For those not in the know, ‘unboxing’ videos on YouTube involve vloggers opening everything on camera from monthly subscription boxes to mystery packages they bought off eBay to online shopping hauls.
Ice Age: The Meltdown writer Jim Hecht penned the script, and his uncle, Albie Hecht -- a former Nickelodeon and Hln exec and currently Pocket.watch’s chief creative officer -- is producing, Deadline reports. Pocket.watch CEO Chris M. Williams is executive producing, and Ali Bell is overseeing the project for Paramount.
For those not in the know, ‘unboxing’ videos on YouTube involve vloggers opening everything on camera from monthly subscription boxes to mystery packages they bought off eBay to online shopping hauls.
- 11/15/2018
- by James Loke Hale
- Tubefilter.com
Exclusive: Paramount Players has acquired Unboxing, a script from Ice Age: The Meltdown writer Jim Hecht that indie studio Pocket.watch has been set to produce as a feature film. Albie Hecht, the former Nickelodeon and Hln boss and now Pocket.watch’s chief creative officer, is the producer.
The plot centers on a mischievous 11-year-old YouTube star who unboxes her father’s secret safe as a stunt for her channel and unleashes the treacherous Puck and his band of evil tricksters on a small town.
Jim Hecht, who is also Albie Hecht’s nephew, reunites with Paramount after he recently re-wrote for the studio one of John Hughes’ final scripts, The Gribsbys Go Broke. He also is penning the movie Out of Stock for Netflix, and adapting for Warner Bros TV The Big Cigar, from a Playboy article about Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton.
Pocket.watch CEO Chris M. Williams is executive producing Unboxed.
The plot centers on a mischievous 11-year-old YouTube star who unboxes her father’s secret safe as a stunt for her channel and unleashes the treacherous Puck and his band of evil tricksters on a small town.
Jim Hecht, who is also Albie Hecht’s nephew, reunites with Paramount after he recently re-wrote for the studio one of John Hughes’ final scripts, The Gribsbys Go Broke. He also is penning the movie Out of Stock for Netflix, and adapting for Warner Bros TV The Big Cigar, from a Playboy article about Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton.
Pocket.watch CEO Chris M. Williams is executive producing Unboxed.
- 11/13/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Pocket.watch has repackaged content from top YouTube kids franchises — including the mega-popular Ryan ToysReview channel — into half-hour TV show formats that are now streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
The startup is looking to sell the collection of TV shows internationally, too, through a pact with Paramount Pictures. The shows mark the latest line of business for Pocket.watch, launched in the spring of 2017 by CEO Chris M. Williams. The company’s strategy: to develop and launch internet-centric children’s media brands that yield multiple revenue streams.
“For us, it’s about a global extension into these long-form platforms,” said Williams, a former Disney and Maker Studios exec. “For our partners, it’s an opportunity to capture what kids are truly interested in and passionate about today.”
The first format is “Ultimate Mishmash,” which strings together best-of clips from Pocket.watch’s stable of YouTubers into 22-minute episodes.
The startup is looking to sell the collection of TV shows internationally, too, through a pact with Paramount Pictures. The shows mark the latest line of business for Pocket.watch, launched in the spring of 2017 by CEO Chris M. Williams. The company’s strategy: to develop and launch internet-centric children’s media brands that yield multiple revenue streams.
“For us, it’s about a global extension into these long-form platforms,” said Williams, a former Disney and Maker Studios exec. “For our partners, it’s an opportunity to capture what kids are truly interested in and passionate about today.”
The first format is “Ultimate Mishmash,” which strings together best-of clips from Pocket.watch’s stable of YouTubers into 22-minute episodes.
- 10/11/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Pocket.watch is teaming up with one of the largest media companies in the Us. The digital studio and network, known for working with family-friendly online video creators like Ryan ToysReview (pictured above), EvanTubeHD, and HobbyKidsTV, has announced a $15 million Series B funding round led by Viacom.
With its newfound capital, Pocket.watch will continue to expand the reach of its content and advertising while continuing to link up with top kids channels. Viacom Media Networks COO Sarah Levy will join the Pocket.watch board, and the two companies are expected to team up for programming ventures that will be released across digital platforms and TV.
One of Pocket.watch's top execs has a significant tie to Viacom. Albie Hecht, the network's Chief Creative Officer, had a memorable stint as the President of Viacom-owned Nickelodeon, during which he oversaw the development of shows like SpongeBob SquarePants.
The funding round follows Pocket.
With its newfound capital, Pocket.watch will continue to expand the reach of its content and advertising while continuing to link up with top kids channels. Viacom Media Networks COO Sarah Levy will join the Pocket.watch board, and the two companies are expected to team up for programming ventures that will be released across digital platforms and TV.
One of Pocket.watch's top execs has a significant tie to Viacom. Albie Hecht, the network's Chief Creative Officer, had a memorable stint as the President of Viacom-owned Nickelodeon, during which he oversaw the development of shows like SpongeBob SquarePants.
The funding round follows Pocket.
- 7/18/2018
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Viacom is getting into business with Pocket.watch, leading a $15 million Series B funding round in the kids’ entertainment startup and the two companies setting a commercial partnership for content and advertising.
Under their commercial agreement, Viacom and Pocket.watch will develop and produce long- and short-form content and identify future kid creators and talent for digital and TV. In addition, Viacom will become the exclusive third-party agent for ad sales on Pocket.watch’s YouTube and creator footprint, which the media plans to package Nickelodeon inventory.
Pocket.watch and Viacom have already engaged in a variety of content initiatives together including developing “Skoogle,” the sketch-comedy show created by and starring Keenan Thompson for Nickelodeon, while Paramount Players (headed by Brian Robbins) has bought a pitch from Pocket.watch for a feature film currently titled “The Unboxing Movie.”
“It became clear there were areas of alignment between the two companies,...
Under their commercial agreement, Viacom and Pocket.watch will develop and produce long- and short-form content and identify future kid creators and talent for digital and TV. In addition, Viacom will become the exclusive third-party agent for ad sales on Pocket.watch’s YouTube and creator footprint, which the media plans to package Nickelodeon inventory.
Pocket.watch and Viacom have already engaged in a variety of content initiatives together including developing “Skoogle,” the sketch-comedy show created by and starring Keenan Thompson for Nickelodeon, while Paramount Players (headed by Brian Robbins) has bought a pitch from Pocket.watch for a feature film currently titled “The Unboxing Movie.”
“It became clear there were areas of alignment between the two companies,...
- 7/18/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
While YouTube work to ensure the family-friendly nature of the videos in its children's section, a startup is putting together a formidable lineup of popular, kid-safe creators. Pocket.watch, led by a group of execs that includes Chris Williams, Albie Hecht, and Jon Moonves, has added EvanTube and Jordan "CaptainSparklez" Maron to its roster of creative partners. In addition, the company has inked a partnership with a book publisher, hired a CFO, and announced a powerful team of advisors.
Both EvanTube and CaptainSparklez have played innovative roles in the world of children's content on the internet. The former channel, which stars an 11-year-old kid named Evan, is one of the best known examples of the unboxing trend, in which kids open up new toys and play with them on camera. Evan's prowess in that category is so great that in 2015 his exploits pulled in a rumored $1.4 billion for his family.
Both EvanTube and CaptainSparklez have played innovative roles in the world of children's content on the internet. The former channel, which stars an 11-year-old kid named Evan, is one of the best known examples of the unboxing trend, in which kids open up new toys and play with them on camera. Evan's prowess in that category is so great that in 2015 his exploits pulled in a rumored $1.4 billion for his family.
- 11/21/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Pocket.watch, a children’s digital entertainment network founded by a trio of media luminaries -- which announced a $6 million funding round late last month -- has signed its first network partner: the massively popular YouTube brand HobbyKidsTV.
Jon Moonves, pocket.watch’s chief strategy officer, tells Tubefilter that the kids' content company will ultimately collect a streamlined roster of 15 YouTube partners, whose relationships with the company will extend far beyond those operated by a traditional multi-channel network. Partners channels not only receive an equity stake in pocket.watch, Moonves explains, but will also gain access to the strategic acumen of its co-founders, including: Moonves, a noted dealmaker; former Maker Studios executive Chris Williams; and ex-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Jon Moonves, pocket.watch’s chief strategy officer, tells Tubefilter that the kids' content company will ultimately collect a streamlined roster of 15 YouTube partners, whose relationships with the company will extend far beyond those operated by a traditional multi-channel network. Partners channels not only receive an equity stake in pocket.watch, Moonves explains, but will also gain access to the strategic acumen of its co-founders, including: Moonves, a noted dealmaker; former Maker Studios executive Chris Williams; and ex-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 4/26/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
If you’ve paid attention to our Tubefilter Charts recently, then you know that children’s content is making a huge mark on YouTube. From sing-alongs to toy reviews to whatever this is, videos aimed at kids receive billions of views per week.
Now, a new media company is looking to take advantage of the massive market for family-friendly online videos. Pocketwatch, led by former Maker Studios exec Chris Williams, ex-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht, and Hollywood dealmaker Jon Moonves, has raised a $5 million Series A funding round. With that capital, Pocketwatch will create a digital network that will partner with top children’s creators to build a multi-platform library of original content.
Williams, who is himself a father, told Tubefilter he was inspired to start Pocketwatch in part because “no brand had emerged from the digital space in an endemic fashion targeting kids.” His team will change that by partnering...
Now, a new media company is looking to take advantage of the massive market for family-friendly online videos. Pocketwatch, led by former Maker Studios exec Chris Williams, ex-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht, and Hollywood dealmaker Jon Moonves, has raised a $5 million Series A funding round. With that capital, Pocketwatch will create a digital network that will partner with top children’s creators to build a multi-platform library of original content.
Williams, who is himself a father, told Tubefilter he was inspired to start Pocketwatch in part because “no brand had emerged from the digital space in an endemic fashion targeting kids.” His team will change that by partnering...
- 3/22/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
One of the key elements to success on digital platforms like YouTube is engagement with audiences. Without a strong connection to fans, creators can't expect to efficiently grow their reach, message, or even quality of content. And no one knows that better than Maker Studios' Chief Audience Officer Chris Williams.
At Maker, Williams' job is to grow the network's audience across the globe through strategies like partnerships and network development. With over 55,000 creators, Maker routinely pulls in ten billion video views per month. While Williams can claim some responsibility for helping Maker achieve those numbers, a lot of the credit can also go to Maker talent partners who work tirelessly to create content worthy of their fans' support, trust, and continued attention.
Along with several members of this Maker talent (including Bart Baker and Timothy DeLaGhetto), Williams will host a panel called "Your Audience Is Listening... And Talking" at...
At Maker, Williams' job is to grow the network's audience across the globe through strategies like partnerships and network development. With over 55,000 creators, Maker routinely pulls in ten billion video views per month. While Williams can claim some responsibility for helping Maker achieve those numbers, a lot of the credit can also go to Maker talent partners who work tirelessly to create content worthy of their fans' support, trust, and continued attention.
Along with several members of this Maker talent (including Bart Baker and Timothy DeLaGhetto), Williams will host a panel called "Your Audience Is Listening... And Talking" at...
- 10/19/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Star Wars: The Force Awakens products are set to be unveiled in the world’s first-ever global live toy unboxing event. Unfolding over 18 hours in 15 cities and 12 countries, the event will see highlights from the range of epic merchandise revealed in a rolling New Year’s Eve style celebration featuring top digital stars from the Maker Studios network.
“Star Wars toys have always played an important role in how our fans interact with the Saga,” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “They’ve inspired multiple generations to relive the experience of the movies and to create new adventures all their own. These spectacular Star Wars: The Force Awakens products will continue that tradition.”
Kicking off in Sydney, Australia on the morning of September 3, and continuing through Asia, Europe, Canada, and North & South America, selections from the new toy line will debut to global fanfare leading up to retailers around...
“Star Wars toys have always played an important role in how our fans interact with the Saga,” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “They’ve inspired multiple generations to relive the experience of the movies and to create new adventures all their own. These spectacular Star Wars: The Force Awakens products will continue that tradition.”
Kicking off in Sydney, Australia on the morning of September 3, and continuing through Asia, Europe, Canada, and North & South America, selections from the new toy line will debut to global fanfare leading up to retailers around...
- 8/26/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Last year it was “content marketing”, now the newest buzzword in online marketing seems to be “authenticity”. What does this mean for filmmakers? The good news is that no one is as in-tune with your audience as you are, so you should know best what kind of content your audience would like to see. The bad news is, professional marketers are all vying for your audience and trying to be as authentic as possible to steal their online attention away from your films and videos.
The annual Stream Market by Brunico leads straight into the wildness known as RealScreen/KidScreen and while small in comparison, really gives a chance to meet with some top minds in the online media space. The VidCon conference in Anaheim is a massive event focusing mainly on YouTube, but many of the creators extolled the importance of developing a robust “off-YouTube” strategy. This two-part article focusing on authentic online marketing for film will be drawing on personal experience as well as insight from some of the various experts I had a chance to interact with at these recent events.
[Bing Chen-Moderator, Youtubers - Meg DeAngelis, Tyler Ward, Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart]
Which are the best Social Networks to use? How do you choose which social networks to focus on, when there’s only so many hours in a day? The YouTube Creators Panel at Stream were nearly unanimous that Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook were their platforms of choice for building and communicating with their audience. Other possibilities include Google+, Vine, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, and many, many more, but the aforementioned networks are a good place to start. It’s important to remember that YouTube is itself a social network and to utilize it effectively a creator should keep this in mind - it’s more than just a video hosting service, it’s a community.
I recommend focusing initially on just two of these networks and working hard to understand their particular idiosyncrasies by spending as much time using them as you can. Really focus on a goal for each and every post you make; whether it be to grow your “likes” and “fans” or drive existing fans to either another social network, or to a direct-to-consumer facing site. (These days my company focuses on Facebook (162,000+likes) and YouTube (70,000+ subscribers) as our two “main” social networks. We have begun working more with Twitter, but it’s not as robust for us yet as these two.)
Practical tip: It can’t be understated enough that each and every social post must have a goal; that specific “call-to-action” that literally tells your audience what you want them to do. “Visit xyz website to see exclusive content!” “Download the full movie today at yourwebsite.com!” “Please subscribe and leave a comment below!” are good examples of clear calls to action.
In his inspiring opening remarks for Stream, Jesse Cleverly of Wildseed Studios recommended “Speaking to [your audience] in their language”.
In regards to his approach to financing projects he says, “Wildseed are not interested in years of paper development. We do not bend people’s creative vision to fit the tastes of a commissioner somewhere else. We pilot ideas in conversation with their intended audience. You won’t get a script commission from us – you’ll get cash to go out and make something, and then you will enter into a dialogue with an audience about what worked and what did not.”
Cleverly extolls the importance of the dialogue between creator and audience and as filmmakers this should be second nature since we’re always making a film for a specific group of people. The importance of making indie films with a niche audience in mind applies to online marketing most of all. Doc makers can use interviews, outside press, and video evidence as engaging online bits to excite potential viewers and create an authentic ongoing dialogue.
“Story will save you.” Elan Lee, Chief Design Officer, Microsoft Studios.
The main gist of Elan Lee’s keynote, “The Next Era of Disruptive Technology…” could be boiled down to the wonderfully simple statement. Known for his creative use of the ‘Net in marketing campaigns, Lee notably made his name by spearheading the wonderful and intricate online universe surrounding the film A.I. Along with the original online marketing triumph of "Blair Witch Project" , this campaign was a watershed moment in film marketing. By way of example, Lee described how his team created an entire backstory around all the characters in A.I. and brought enthusiastic and curious fans into that world by creating websites and personal accounts for characters and places in the film. Even without creating such an immersive (and well-budgeted) online universe, filmmakers need to use their online presence to provide a community experience for their potential fans and followers.
Brands are always coming up against the problem that they need to show consumers that their product is worth something in their lives versus other competing products and as filmmakers we have an immediate advantage because our films are created to appeal to an audience on an emotional level as art and entertainment. We’re naturally authentic when we are engaging with our audience about our films. Holding contests and giveaways to encourage dissemination of content and creation of user-generated content (Ugc) are tried and true ways of getting your film’s message to a wider audience.
It’s relatively easy to get free product from companies for giveaways; just Google “brand-manager company xyz” and write the person a note on LinkedIn. (In addition to the social networks mentioned above, I’m a huge proponent of LinkedIn as an additional social network for business outreach and connections like this.) Explain in one or two sentences how your film or project aligns well with the brand’s demographic and it’s very likely some free product will flow your way.
During the shooting of our first film Choppertown: the Sinners I called up the brand manager for Dickies clothing and tried to get her to finance the film, she laughed and said no way, but sent me a huge box of clothes to pass around to the subjects and crewmembers. This “currency” went a long way in gaining us credibility. Four years later Dickies financed two films and a European theatrical tour for us which never would have happened without the first relationship we created early on.
In the “Jump Into Bed With An McN” panel, Chris Williams, Chief Development Officer, Maker Studios exhorted attendees to “expand the ecosystem” by embracing technology and the new media landscape in their outreach efforts.
[Chris Williams-Maker Studios, Sean Atkins-Discovery Digital Media, Dan Weinstein-The Collective, Larry Shapiro-Fullscreen Inc., Brett Boutier-Awesomeness TV, Drew Baldwin-Tubefilter]
If your film is the nucleus, what are the circulating “particles” of content that will draw passersby into your world? Is there an app or other emerging piece of technology that you can partner with the help get your message out? (During the shooting of our online live ghost hunting show for Yahoo! we partnered with Spudpickles Studios to align with their Ghost Radar app and cross-promoted each other leading into and during the show.)
Start early and confidently when reaching out to your audience. Don’t be afraid of the “homey” approach, speak openly and honestly about your film and why you hope they will enjoy it. Begin reaching out at the earliest stages of production and rally your audience around your concept. Use all the amazing tools that social media have to offer and aggregate your audience to as few platforms as possible. Speak to your audience authentically.
Even without a huge budget or staff commitment, indie filmmakers can delve deep into their own stories for wonderful content to engage their audiences. Remember, you are master storytellers. Let your stories save you.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. Zack is an award-winning film producer specializing inonline strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack onLinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
The annual Stream Market by Brunico leads straight into the wildness known as RealScreen/KidScreen and while small in comparison, really gives a chance to meet with some top minds in the online media space. The VidCon conference in Anaheim is a massive event focusing mainly on YouTube, but many of the creators extolled the importance of developing a robust “off-YouTube” strategy. This two-part article focusing on authentic online marketing for film will be drawing on personal experience as well as insight from some of the various experts I had a chance to interact with at these recent events.
[Bing Chen-Moderator, Youtubers - Meg DeAngelis, Tyler Ward, Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart]
Which are the best Social Networks to use? How do you choose which social networks to focus on, when there’s only so many hours in a day? The YouTube Creators Panel at Stream were nearly unanimous that Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook were their platforms of choice for building and communicating with their audience. Other possibilities include Google+, Vine, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, and many, many more, but the aforementioned networks are a good place to start. It’s important to remember that YouTube is itself a social network and to utilize it effectively a creator should keep this in mind - it’s more than just a video hosting service, it’s a community.
I recommend focusing initially on just two of these networks and working hard to understand their particular idiosyncrasies by spending as much time using them as you can. Really focus on a goal for each and every post you make; whether it be to grow your “likes” and “fans” or drive existing fans to either another social network, or to a direct-to-consumer facing site. (These days my company focuses on Facebook (162,000+likes) and YouTube (70,000+ subscribers) as our two “main” social networks. We have begun working more with Twitter, but it’s not as robust for us yet as these two.)
Practical tip: It can’t be understated enough that each and every social post must have a goal; that specific “call-to-action” that literally tells your audience what you want them to do. “Visit xyz website to see exclusive content!” “Download the full movie today at yourwebsite.com!” “Please subscribe and leave a comment below!” are good examples of clear calls to action.
In his inspiring opening remarks for Stream, Jesse Cleverly of Wildseed Studios recommended “Speaking to [your audience] in their language”.
In regards to his approach to financing projects he says, “Wildseed are not interested in years of paper development. We do not bend people’s creative vision to fit the tastes of a commissioner somewhere else. We pilot ideas in conversation with their intended audience. You won’t get a script commission from us – you’ll get cash to go out and make something, and then you will enter into a dialogue with an audience about what worked and what did not.”
Cleverly extolls the importance of the dialogue between creator and audience and as filmmakers this should be second nature since we’re always making a film for a specific group of people. The importance of making indie films with a niche audience in mind applies to online marketing most of all. Doc makers can use interviews, outside press, and video evidence as engaging online bits to excite potential viewers and create an authentic ongoing dialogue.
“Story will save you.” Elan Lee, Chief Design Officer, Microsoft Studios.
The main gist of Elan Lee’s keynote, “The Next Era of Disruptive Technology…” could be boiled down to the wonderfully simple statement. Known for his creative use of the ‘Net in marketing campaigns, Lee notably made his name by spearheading the wonderful and intricate online universe surrounding the film A.I. Along with the original online marketing triumph of "Blair Witch Project" , this campaign was a watershed moment in film marketing. By way of example, Lee described how his team created an entire backstory around all the characters in A.I. and brought enthusiastic and curious fans into that world by creating websites and personal accounts for characters and places in the film. Even without creating such an immersive (and well-budgeted) online universe, filmmakers need to use their online presence to provide a community experience for their potential fans and followers.
Brands are always coming up against the problem that they need to show consumers that their product is worth something in their lives versus other competing products and as filmmakers we have an immediate advantage because our films are created to appeal to an audience on an emotional level as art and entertainment. We’re naturally authentic when we are engaging with our audience about our films. Holding contests and giveaways to encourage dissemination of content and creation of user-generated content (Ugc) are tried and true ways of getting your film’s message to a wider audience.
It’s relatively easy to get free product from companies for giveaways; just Google “brand-manager company xyz” and write the person a note on LinkedIn. (In addition to the social networks mentioned above, I’m a huge proponent of LinkedIn as an additional social network for business outreach and connections like this.) Explain in one or two sentences how your film or project aligns well with the brand’s demographic and it’s very likely some free product will flow your way.
During the shooting of our first film Choppertown: the Sinners I called up the brand manager for Dickies clothing and tried to get her to finance the film, she laughed and said no way, but sent me a huge box of clothes to pass around to the subjects and crewmembers. This “currency” went a long way in gaining us credibility. Four years later Dickies financed two films and a European theatrical tour for us which never would have happened without the first relationship we created early on.
In the “Jump Into Bed With An McN” panel, Chris Williams, Chief Development Officer, Maker Studios exhorted attendees to “expand the ecosystem” by embracing technology and the new media landscape in their outreach efforts.
[Chris Williams-Maker Studios, Sean Atkins-Discovery Digital Media, Dan Weinstein-The Collective, Larry Shapiro-Fullscreen Inc., Brett Boutier-Awesomeness TV, Drew Baldwin-Tubefilter]
If your film is the nucleus, what are the circulating “particles” of content that will draw passersby into your world? Is there an app or other emerging piece of technology that you can partner with the help get your message out? (During the shooting of our online live ghost hunting show for Yahoo! we partnered with Spudpickles Studios to align with their Ghost Radar app and cross-promoted each other leading into and during the show.)
Start early and confidently when reaching out to your audience. Don’t be afraid of the “homey” approach, speak openly and honestly about your film and why you hope they will enjoy it. Begin reaching out at the earliest stages of production and rally your audience around your concept. Use all the amazing tools that social media have to offer and aggregate your audience to as few platforms as possible. Speak to your audience authentically.
Even without a huge budget or staff commitment, indie filmmakers can delve deep into their own stories for wonderful content to engage their audiences. Remember, you are master storytellers. Let your stories save you.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. Zack is an award-winning film producer specializing inonline strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack onLinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
- 7/10/2014
- by Zack Coffman
- Sydney's Buzz
Toby Turner is one of the biggest stars on YouTube. His three channels account for over 2 billion video views and 10.5 million subscribers, at least one of those channels consistently ranks in the Top 50 Most Viewed YouTube Channels each and every week, and the individuals that watch those channels recently contributed over $642,000 to a crowdfunding campaign, which Turner is using to build his own video game franchise. But if those stats aren’t enough to convince you of Turner’s star status, check out what happens when he shows up in a public place and his fans find out about his location: Those numbers and that fan base are why Maker Studios is happy to announce Turner is the latest online video all-star to join its YouTube Multi-Channel Network. “As a leading digital entertainer Toby has an extremely unique brand of humor with a clear love of videogames – a perfect fit for our network,...
- 7/12/2013
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
"Manage change by provoking it." Alexander Manu , Keynote Speaker, Stream Conference 2013. If there were one line I could repeat about the mood at the inaugural Stream Conference from Brunico, this would be it. I have no illusions that the world of traditional "filmmaking" and the digital arena are converging so I try to attend as many new media and advertising conferences as I can. The panels are interesting, but I most enjoy mixing with the other attendees to get a boots on the ground perspective from the digital trenches.
Stream bills itself as the "world’s first marketplace and conference for Internet TV originals...bringing the independent production community together with the leading Internet TV development executives, media agencies and brands to network, do business and learn how to work together more effectively."
A very ambitious mission for a first-time event. I have to give them credit though, the Brunico team (responsible for the venerable RealScreen and KidScreen conferences) had quite a line up of speakers and execs for the panels and speed pitch sessions offered to attendees.
A few takeaways from Stream:
"You can distribute your content if you believe you can." Alexander Manu, Keynote speaker, Stream.
Billed as a "provocative author, speaker and leading practitioner in the field of strategic foresight," in all honesty Alexander Manu provided one of the best keynote presentations I've heard in years; on the level of Ted. More than a couple times I shared a Mind=Blown moment with fellow attendee Will Keenan from Maker Studios as Manu discussed his research on behavioral space and the changing context of content delivery and creation. Manu posits that "the transformation from linear to Internet TV is not a tactical challenge, but a strategic one." Hmm... See what I mean? The audio is available free here.
Most of the following panels were excellent and featured high-level execs from the likes of Yahoo! Inc., Paramount Insurge, Wme, Funny or Die, and others; with titles such as, "Agents and Managers for the Digital Age", "Meet the Newest Heavyweights to Enter Original Online Video", and "The Art of the Syndication Deal".
However as an active YouTube creator I was most interested in what the heavyweights from the McN (Multi-Channel Network) panel had to say.
Moderated by Drew Buckley (COO Electus), the panel featured Barry Blumberg (Evp Alloy Digital/President Smosh), Brett Bouttier (COO Awesomeness TV), Sarah Penna (Co-founder Big Frame), Aaron DeBevoise (Evp Machinima), George Strompolos (CEO Fullscreen), and Chris Williams (Cdo Maker Studios).
The debate rages over what these new entities "MCNs" really are and what they bring to the content table. Some are essentially aggregators of similar YouTube channels that make it easier for audiences and advertisers to find similar content to enjoy or a particular demographic to target, and others have morphed into neo-traditional entertainment content production studios. What I found most interesting about this panel was that while it was supposed to provide insight as to specifically how MCNs make money for their content partners, it morphed into a discussion of how these studios are working hard to actually move their content Off YouTube, or at least develop content that lives in more traditional spaces than YouTube exclusively. This was literally on the heels of a fascinating blog post by YouTube personality and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis decrying what he called the unfair business relationship between Google and it's content partners. Read his post here and feel free to give your two cents' worth below!
The MCNs understandably have to walk a fine line, but they all admitted to also be working on taking their content to other platforms and/or traditional TV, if not off YouTube altogether. Lucas Shaw has his own thoughtful take on the McN's discussion here.
I think a diversified strategy usually tends to be best anyhow, but in the end good content will always win. If one platform or distributor doesn't want it, keep shopping it until you find the right home for it. We use YouTube to study the market, create interest, and even make some money on the side. Our Ouija movie I Am ZoZo was essentially incubated on YouTube and we made changes to the film's script based on the demographic and viewer interaction we were seeing on our viral video.
Even while admitting that they are always trying to diversify, Barry Blumberg Evp of Alloy Digital and Smosh made a pretty simple argument in favor of staying with YouTube on some level, "Say what you want, but YouTube doesn't want to own your content like the TV networks do." A powerful distinction! With YouTube rolling out subscription channels and continuing to work on it's VOD service I wouldn't count them out as a viable long-form distribution platform. When you factor in the cost of hosting and streaming your own video content and creating a massive user-friendly social network, YouTube's terms hold their own against any broadcast deal (last time I checked NBC wasn't handing out advertising rev-shares to indie producers. or letting them own 100% of their content.)
Random quote for thought: "DVDs are still the biggest moneymaker," Brett Bouttier COO, AwesomenessTV on their DVD release of the "All Around the World" concert film about boy-band phenoms Mindless Behavior. It's true, DVDs are still hanging around so don't give up on them yet!
Interesting startup of the day:
There are a million new services popping up promising to help filmmakers get distribution or providing some automated service that is supposed to streamline the insanity of film production. As a habit I make it a point to try out most of them if for no other purpose than to see what these services think I need. As a "music licensing and technology company that provides creative music licensing solutions for all media" music licensing service Audiosocket seems to have great potential for indie filmmakers and established producers alike. I sat down with toppers Jenn Miller and Edward Averdiek and posed a couple of questions about their new service.
Zack Coffman: How can your services help producers and content creators deal with the conundrum of music licensing?
Jenn Miller: All music is pre-cleared for any media, so you can quickly and easily find and then license music to meet your needs at the click of a button using our technology.
Zc: What kind of music do you have available? There are stock libraries out there already. What makes Audiosocket different?
Jm: Our curation strategy is what differentiates us, we have a team that scouts emerging artists using blogs, venues and festivals to find great acts. As well, we just partnered up with Cue Songs, a company founded by Peter Gabriel and Ed Averdieck, to bring their well known artists to our roster of great indie artists! Their music will be available this fall.
Zc: Is it affordable?
Jm: Yes. We strive to get our artists paid fairly while using a fresh perspective on what licensing rates should be based on where their media is being used. No one will pay even $100 for a track being used for a personal video of their kids playing soccer to share with friends and family. But they're very happy to pay $2. Likewise, a wedding videographer will not pay $100 a track for a single use when they may make $500-$2000. We understand that and have priced these licenses accordingly.
Zc: What about syndication, copyright notification systems and Content ID?
Jm: Our licenses can cover all web media, just make sure you get the right license. We're also in early beta with a license identification technology which authenticates a license across the web. It will call back a license from anywhere on the web, validating its clearance rights so for those using the system, your work will not be claimed, taken down, contested, etc.
Zc: How did Audiosocket come into being?
Jm: While running an extreme sports organization, I was clearing music for these films by famous artists when I discovered a much easier approach. Instead of trying to track down and get return calls from dozens of rights holders in a timely manner within a fixed budget, I started working with my now business partner, licensing music from touring bands he'd booked for shows at one of his venues. My clients got affordable music from the freshest emerging artists and their movies helped propel these bands careers. And my job of clearing content was simplified. Win-win-win. So my business partner and I, on a whim one night over margaritas decided to start Audiosocket.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. He is an award-winning producer specializing in online strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack on LinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
Stream bills itself as the "world’s first marketplace and conference for Internet TV originals...bringing the independent production community together with the leading Internet TV development executives, media agencies and brands to network, do business and learn how to work together more effectively."
A very ambitious mission for a first-time event. I have to give them credit though, the Brunico team (responsible for the venerable RealScreen and KidScreen conferences) had quite a line up of speakers and execs for the panels and speed pitch sessions offered to attendees.
A few takeaways from Stream:
"You can distribute your content if you believe you can." Alexander Manu, Keynote speaker, Stream.
Billed as a "provocative author, speaker and leading practitioner in the field of strategic foresight," in all honesty Alexander Manu provided one of the best keynote presentations I've heard in years; on the level of Ted. More than a couple times I shared a Mind=Blown moment with fellow attendee Will Keenan from Maker Studios as Manu discussed his research on behavioral space and the changing context of content delivery and creation. Manu posits that "the transformation from linear to Internet TV is not a tactical challenge, but a strategic one." Hmm... See what I mean? The audio is available free here.
Most of the following panels were excellent and featured high-level execs from the likes of Yahoo! Inc., Paramount Insurge, Wme, Funny or Die, and others; with titles such as, "Agents and Managers for the Digital Age", "Meet the Newest Heavyweights to Enter Original Online Video", and "The Art of the Syndication Deal".
However as an active YouTube creator I was most interested in what the heavyweights from the McN (Multi-Channel Network) panel had to say.
Moderated by Drew Buckley (COO Electus), the panel featured Barry Blumberg (Evp Alloy Digital/President Smosh), Brett Bouttier (COO Awesomeness TV), Sarah Penna (Co-founder Big Frame), Aaron DeBevoise (Evp Machinima), George Strompolos (CEO Fullscreen), and Chris Williams (Cdo Maker Studios).
The debate rages over what these new entities "MCNs" really are and what they bring to the content table. Some are essentially aggregators of similar YouTube channels that make it easier for audiences and advertisers to find similar content to enjoy or a particular demographic to target, and others have morphed into neo-traditional entertainment content production studios. What I found most interesting about this panel was that while it was supposed to provide insight as to specifically how MCNs make money for their content partners, it morphed into a discussion of how these studios are working hard to actually move their content Off YouTube, or at least develop content that lives in more traditional spaces than YouTube exclusively. This was literally on the heels of a fascinating blog post by YouTube personality and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis decrying what he called the unfair business relationship between Google and it's content partners. Read his post here and feel free to give your two cents' worth below!
The MCNs understandably have to walk a fine line, but they all admitted to also be working on taking their content to other platforms and/or traditional TV, if not off YouTube altogether. Lucas Shaw has his own thoughtful take on the McN's discussion here.
I think a diversified strategy usually tends to be best anyhow, but in the end good content will always win. If one platform or distributor doesn't want it, keep shopping it until you find the right home for it. We use YouTube to study the market, create interest, and even make some money on the side. Our Ouija movie I Am ZoZo was essentially incubated on YouTube and we made changes to the film's script based on the demographic and viewer interaction we were seeing on our viral video.
Even while admitting that they are always trying to diversify, Barry Blumberg Evp of Alloy Digital and Smosh made a pretty simple argument in favor of staying with YouTube on some level, "Say what you want, but YouTube doesn't want to own your content like the TV networks do." A powerful distinction! With YouTube rolling out subscription channels and continuing to work on it's VOD service I wouldn't count them out as a viable long-form distribution platform. When you factor in the cost of hosting and streaming your own video content and creating a massive user-friendly social network, YouTube's terms hold their own against any broadcast deal (last time I checked NBC wasn't handing out advertising rev-shares to indie producers. or letting them own 100% of their content.)
Random quote for thought: "DVDs are still the biggest moneymaker," Brett Bouttier COO, AwesomenessTV on their DVD release of the "All Around the World" concert film about boy-band phenoms Mindless Behavior. It's true, DVDs are still hanging around so don't give up on them yet!
Interesting startup of the day:
There are a million new services popping up promising to help filmmakers get distribution or providing some automated service that is supposed to streamline the insanity of film production. As a habit I make it a point to try out most of them if for no other purpose than to see what these services think I need. As a "music licensing and technology company that provides creative music licensing solutions for all media" music licensing service Audiosocket seems to have great potential for indie filmmakers and established producers alike. I sat down with toppers Jenn Miller and Edward Averdiek and posed a couple of questions about their new service.
Zack Coffman: How can your services help producers and content creators deal with the conundrum of music licensing?
Jenn Miller: All music is pre-cleared for any media, so you can quickly and easily find and then license music to meet your needs at the click of a button using our technology.
Zc: What kind of music do you have available? There are stock libraries out there already. What makes Audiosocket different?
Jm: Our curation strategy is what differentiates us, we have a team that scouts emerging artists using blogs, venues and festivals to find great acts. As well, we just partnered up with Cue Songs, a company founded by Peter Gabriel and Ed Averdieck, to bring their well known artists to our roster of great indie artists! Their music will be available this fall.
Zc: Is it affordable?
Jm: Yes. We strive to get our artists paid fairly while using a fresh perspective on what licensing rates should be based on where their media is being used. No one will pay even $100 for a track being used for a personal video of their kids playing soccer to share with friends and family. But they're very happy to pay $2. Likewise, a wedding videographer will not pay $100 a track for a single use when they may make $500-$2000. We understand that and have priced these licenses accordingly.
Zc: What about syndication, copyright notification systems and Content ID?
Jm: Our licenses can cover all web media, just make sure you get the right license. We're also in early beta with a license identification technology which authenticates a license across the web. It will call back a license from anywhere on the web, validating its clearance rights so for those using the system, your work will not be claimed, taken down, contested, etc.
Zc: How did Audiosocket come into being?
Jm: While running an extreme sports organization, I was clearing music for these films by famous artists when I discovered a much easier approach. Instead of trying to track down and get return calls from dozens of rights holders in a timely manner within a fixed budget, I started working with my now business partner, licensing music from touring bands he'd booked for shows at one of his venues. My clients got affordable music from the freshest emerging artists and their movies helped propel these bands careers. And my job of clearing content was simplified. Win-win-win. So my business partner and I, on a whim one night over margaritas decided to start Audiosocket.
Written by Zack Coffman, Head of Content, Distribution, & Strategy at One World Studios Ltd. He is an award-winning producer specializing in online strategy and monetization, live streaming, and YouTube channel development. Connect with Zack on LinkedIn, Google+, and @choppertown.
- 6/20/2013
- by Zack Coffman
- Sydney's Buzz
Los Angeles, Oct. 29, 2012 – Natpe President & CEO Rod Perth today announced that prominent investor Mark Cuban, owner-chairman of Axs TV (formerly HDNet) and owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, will serve as the opening keynote speaker at the organization’s milestone 50th anniversary market and conference, to be held Jan. 28-30 at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Resort. Mr. Cuban’s session will kick off the three-day event built around the theme of moving “Beyond Disruption.” Mr. Cuban’s keynote conversation with CNN’s Poppy Harlow will headline the Game Changers track at Natpe||Content First, which spotlights leaders from some of the world’s top companies that have continually challenged mainstream thinking. Other speakers in the Game Changers track include Erin McPherson, vice president and head of video, Yahoo!; Rhonda Shantz, vice president, Global Brand Marketing and PR, Norton; Jamie Byrne, global head of content strategy, Google/YouTube; Chris M. Williams,...
- 10/29/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
A year ago, YouTube launched an initiative pouring millions of dollars into premium channels in hopes of raising the bar for its content from cat videos to professional productions. Now, according to Maker Studios' chief development officer Chris Williams, "everything is moving in the right direction," as advertising revenue leads to six-figure monthly profits for some of its rising stars. "With the objective of changing perception, I think [YouTube] has been very successful, advertisers' perspective has been changed as to the type of content on YouTube," Williams said at TheGrill conference Tuesday...
- 10/3/2012
- by Alexander C. Kaufman
- The Wrap
Now that we’ve all had a chance to see Craig Singer’s follow up to Dark Ride, the Horrorfest feature Perkins’ 14, I’m sure the prominent question in everyone’s mind is; what is he doing next? Well, I’m glad you asked!
”My partner Chris Williams and I are doing a film with Warner Brothers called Fear 101, that's the working title.” the director told Bloody Good Horror in a recent interview, ”It's really going to take the user-generated element to the next level, even moreso than "Perkins 14", and give the fans an extremely robust opportunity to kind of participate in the feature film. We're very excited about that, I always wanted to do a film with Warner Brothers, and we're just starting the process as we speak so I'm pretty psyched.”
So what the hell is it about? Presumably a school that teaches its students how to be killers,...
”My partner Chris Williams and I are doing a film with Warner Brothers called Fear 101, that's the working title.” the director told Bloody Good Horror in a recent interview, ”It's really going to take the user-generated element to the next level, even moreso than "Perkins 14", and give the fans an extremely robust opportunity to kind of participate in the feature film. We're very excited about that, I always wanted to do a film with Warner Brothers, and we're just starting the process as we speak so I'm pretty psyched.”
So what the hell is it about? Presumably a school that teaches its students how to be killers,...
- 1/11/2009
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
Director Craig Singer, whose Perkins' 14 opens in theaters tomorrow as part of Horrorfest III, spilled the beans on his next endeavor. "My partner Chris Williams and I are doing a film with Warner Brothers called Fear 101 , that's the working title," Singer revealed. "It's really going to take the user-generated element to the next level, even moreso than Perkins' 14 , and give the fans an extremely robust opportunity to kind of participate in the feature film. We're very excited about that, I always wanted to do a film with Warner Brothers, and we're just starting the process as we speak so I'm pretty psyched. " Perkins' 14 was developed through Massify.com, a place where site visitors can chime in on the making of the film during production....
- 1/8/2009
- shocktillyoudrop.com
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