ICYMI: Writers vs. AI Bombshell; Co-Pro Deals 101; Ariana, Denzel & Oscar
Plus: Richard Rushfield gives thanks; the state of Asian money in the market
It was a short but busy week here at The Ankler; here’s hoping everyone made the most of some downtime. As Richard Rushfield wrote this week, we’re always thankful to have you with us.
Yet I don’t need to tell you . . . the dramas of Hollywood never take a holiday. Case in point: Elaine Low’s blockbuster about the discovery of 139,000 scripts from produced TV and film making its way into the hands of Big AI for training that has everyone in town furious, worried and demanding action. This, just one year after a long and agonizing strike where AI protections were a centerpiece of the negotiation.
This conversation from the WGA West’s Instagram basically summed it up:
Read Elaine’s story here:
And listen to Elaine’s interview with Good Wife/Good Fight creator/showrunner Robert King about his horror on finding his own work in the database and what he thinks should be done about it:
Seems like this is time to remind you to that the best gift of all to give your smartest friends and colleagues in the industry is a subscription to The Ankler, an independent media source that tells you what’s really going on in the business (no stultifying stream of recycled press releases, our promise):
Now, with no further ado, ICYMI:
Series Business: The Art of the Co-Production
Once an unsexy backwater, international “co-pros” like Peacock’s The Day of the Jackal have become the best way for TV producers to get shows made today. Manori Ravindran demystifies how to begin your hunt for a co-pro partner; how American producers can take advantage of them; and when it is (and isn’t) the right avenue for your project:
Rushfield’s Gratitude Journal
Richard took a break from exposing the Penske monopoly’s buck raking in authoritarian countries and California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office reopening its look into Todd Boehly’s deal to acquire the Golden Globes to deliver a heartfelt message:
Dealmakers: Finding Money in Asia Despite Trump
In the latest Dealmakers (paid subscribers only), top lawyers and experts tell Ashley Cullins how they expect Trump’s re-election to impact Hollywood-China relations; where there are opportunities from Japan to Indonesia; and the hard truth about how the marketplace sees U.S. studios:
Prestige Junkie: Eddie Redmayne’s Killer Role
Katey Rich chats with Eddie Redmayne about his role as an assassin (and as an executive producer) on The Day of the Jackal and breaks down why Ariana Grande and Denzel Washington’s supporting roles in Wicked and Gladiator II position them for the same type of Oscar nom Ryan Gosling scored for Barbie:
THE WAKEUP
Wondering why every company doesn’t just create a SpinCo of their own? Sean McNulty goes studio by studio to explain why everyone but Comcast is stuck with their cable networks:
MARTINI SHOT
Hollywood is Just Like Trump Rob Long on our culture of score-settlers, braggarts and braying egomaniacs:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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