ICYMI: Boiling Point
Catch up on our recent best
Earth just experienced its three hottest days on record, apt metaphor for summer’s entertainment business. Last week, exactly zero scripted TV shows filmed in L.A. as the writers strike entered its third month; now Hollywood holds its breath for word from a ready-to-strike SAG (as the C-suite churns again). All the while, summer movies have (yet) to produce blockbuster numbers.
As one subscriber commented on Richard’s column this week:
The survival of Hollywood has come to the most meta, bonkers and bad ass pitch of all time:
Robert Oppenheimer and Barbie must work together to save Hollywood from the streamers over an explosive and bright pink Blockbuster weekend.
A quartet of new stories from The Ankler revealed myriad intertwined issues at play, none acting in isolation:
Peter Kiefer’s harrowing look at the state of the L.A. real estate market, thrown into suspended animation by the strike and the paralyzed state of entertainment, deeply resonated for many — particularly his point about what is lost when our most creative people can’t afford a place to call home:
Hollywood's Real Estate Romance is Over
Realtor Tami Pardee's clientele is usually split 50-50 between folks who work in entertainment and those in technology and gaming. Transactions involving the former, she says, have grinded to a halt. "That’s across the board, not just writers,” she says. “I think there’s a solemn sense of solidarity"...
Entertainment Strategy Guy dove into AI and what’s coming. His view? The fear of widespread human redundancy is not hysteria. Step by step, he envisions AI’s Hollywood rollout and what to do about it:
AI: Yes, Hollywood, You Should Be Afraid
Despite the hype, even now, people could still be underestimating AI. For once, I believe the hysteria around a technology is warranted. In this article, I will explain: Why talent should fight this technology tooth and nail, but studios and streamers should invest (and no, this is not contradictory)...
In this late-stage Streaming Wars, Sean McNulty took stock of Netflix films’ animation unit and its challenges in producing an original hit:
☀️ NETFLIX Films Animation can't find a new hit
The more glaring number this week is the very low premiere audience for NETFLIX’s Q2 Animated movie this year, Nimona The quite well-reviewed film had a… pretty terrible opening of just...
Finally, lots of you were moved and inspired after Richard wrapped himself in the Hollywood flag on July 4th, calling for the entertainment community to say enough is enough, take a stand, and save this industry:
Rushfield: It's Time to Fight Back
Our overlords, in their wisdom, have winnowed the Hollywood business model down to more or less two things: humongous four-quadrant tentpoles and streaming subscription fees. And at this moment, it looks an awful lot like no one knows how to make a profit in either. To be clear…
🪧 Strikegeist
Elaine Low will be back in full force this week as the deadline approaches. Reach her at elaine@theankler.com.
Sources: SAG-AFTRA, Studios Still 'Far Apart' On Key Issues as Clock Ticks Down SAG-AFTRA pres Fran Drescher is a 'surprisingly strong' voice in the room, I'm told
🎧 This Week in Podcasts
Transcript here
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Listen here: Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts