ICYMI: Barbenheimer at the Gates
Catch up on our recent best
In a bit of much-needed good news, omg, Barbenheimer worked! The event of the year feels like it came, Hollywood-style, just in the nick of time to remind an industry of why it exists and what it does best. Congratulations to everyone involved. Sean McNulty will explain the spectacular numbers in tomorrow’s Wakeup, but for now, it’s absolutely worth reading what Sean said in his Friday newsletter:
While the “future” of our business may be Streaming… Hollywood needs to remember that what it does best is create cultural events - something that perhaps has gotten lost in this new age of “Watch when ya like, we don’t care” of the Streaming era... Events are what make Sports, and Hollywood used to do a lot more of this head-to-head eventizing too - demand people’s attention at a certain time and place. Please don’t let the talk of the town in this regard become relegated to just Earning Season calls. Please...
Meanwhile…
One smash weekend, another 51 to consider… This week, we underscored the urgent need to create and sustain a fair and thriving business on the other side of this dual strike — and reveal what happens if we don’t:
Rushfield: Sum of All Fears, 2023
Last week, in the heat of the moment after the SAG-AFTRA walkout, I wrote a column calling for Hollywood's CEOs to resign en masse ("Impeach the Poobahs") for their lack of leadership and the damage they were doing the industry. After a weekend to reflect, it really looks much much worse. I have some solutions but first…
Hollywood Should Share Profits. Here's How
What makes SAG’s asks more than the WGA’s is that it wants profit sharing. The AMPTP seems adamantly opposed. Residuals are a small form of that, but can play a key role in that if designed correctly. Today I’ll tell you...
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Duncan Crabtree-Ireland: 'It Takes Two to Tango...the Companies Aren't Stepping Up'
Listen now (14 min) | On the heels of Ted 'Union Son' Sarandos expressing he is “super committed” to ending the strike, Elaine Low caught up with SAG-AFTRA's chief negotiator to get his take on Wall Street’s impact on the impasse (2:09), stickiest issues on the table (including AI, 3:27), and whether actors could really stand to go on strike for six months ((7:10)...
Transcript here
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The Raw Deal Point Roiling Hollywood
Listen now (50 min) | Entertainment Strategy Guy joins to discuss perhaps the most existential of issues at the heart of the current SAG-studio impasse: profit sharing. Far beyond residuals, actors are asking for something that would remake Hollywood — and the…
Transcript here
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Say Hi to Claire 👋
We announced our newest Ankler-ite, Claire Atkinson, this week…
🪧 Strikegeist
Find reporter Elaine Low out on the pickets as she writes her daily coverage of our industry’s dual strike. Also, please contact her at Elaine@theankler.com.
Q&A: Duncan Crabtree-Ireland on AI, Revenue Sharing and Stalled Talks
Netflix's Ted Sarandos, Union Son, Says He's 'Super Committed' to Ending the Strike
☀️ 5 Days of The Wakeup
Stay tuned for Sean to walk you through earnings season (this week: Comcast’s, Charter, Verizon/Fios, Spotify, Snap and more) in addition to his usual delivery of the best (and most entertaining) daily analysis of this business:
🎧 This Week in Podcasts
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Transcript here
Listen here: Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts
Listen here: Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts
🔎 The Optionist
Two non-franchise movies owned the weekend! And a third if you count Sound of Freedom. Andy Lewis’ IP newsletter is filled with delicious, compelling and available IP to find your next great project. This week's recommendations are pure summer fun ready-made for the screen…
IP Picks🔎: Locked-Room Murder Mysteries and Deceit Galore! Plus, a satirical road-trip and the con man who became America's most successful undercover drug agent