ICYMI: Tip Sheet 2024; Mistake of Making Musicals; Richard in Sundance
Catch up on our recent best
Join Richard at Sundance, Jan. 21 at 4:30
If you’re headed to Sundance this week, look for Richard and Peter Kiefer, but also please stop in as Richard moderates a panel, “Storytelling and Gun Safety: Changing the Narrative to Save Lives.” Keeping the important and under-discussed topic of guns and the screen going, Richard will be leading a conversation with gun violence survivor (and first Gen Z congressperson sensation) U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Brady president Kris Brown, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), actor-filmmaker Clark Gregg and think tank founder Lorna Randlett. The discussion will take place next Sunday (Jan. 14) at 4:30 PM at the Filmmakers Lounge on Main Street. You can find all the information including how to RSVP here. Warning: arrive early to lock up your seat.
Now, our best of the week, ICYMI— starting with the 5 Days of Rushfield event, an extensive tip sheet to the year ahead:
Richard’s Tip Sheet 2024
So where are we exactly? Richard dissected the Gang of Five CEOs whose decisions will decide Hollywood’s fate; the do-or-die questions for the year; early signs of an industry turnaround; and simple things to improve the business no McKinsey consultant could ever tell you:
Oh Koy! The Globes Seriously Stunk
The RC Cola of awards shows: Richard lambasts the overwhelmingly dull and meandering telecast that was the reinvented Golden Globes, and wonders why new owner Jay Penske (so involved he was wearing a headset at the show to deliver orders) chose this particularly poor direction above all others:
Musicals Are (Almost ) Always a Business Mistake
After the success of Wonka and The Color Purple, are we about to hear medleys in every big studio release? Not so fast, says Entertainment Strategy Guy, who shows Hollywood’s historic receipts on musicals:
The Making of American Symphony
What started as a doc on former Colbert bandleader Jon Batiste’s first symphony evolved into a heart-wrenching love story as Batiste’s wife, author Suleika Jaouad, struggled with a returning cancer. Gregg Kilday talked with director Matthew Heineman about the most intense film he ever made:
Debuting AnklerEnjoy
We announced the beta launch of our new standalone website, AnklerEnjoy, to showcase curated moments from our live events, beginning with our recent smash Documentary Spotlight program:
☀️THE WAKEUP
Sean McNulty chronicled the rough start to 2024 for Hollywood, from Amazon layoffs to Paramount’s for sale sign to ABC’s NBA bricks:
🎧 PODCASTS
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THE ANKLER
Pain in the New Year: Amazon Layoffs, Paramount Peril But the team swears — there could be a long-term silver lining in this playbook:
MARTINI SHOT
From Harvard to Hollywood, Rob Long on why it's harder to come by original material:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
IP Picks🔎: Two Period Thrillers Mix Procedurals with History Plus, a snowboarding drama and a Justified-like cop show
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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