Transcript: Leaks, Meetings & Calls. Oh My!
After months of silence, studio heads seem newly committed to ending the industry shutdown
(00:35)
Welcome to the Ankler Podcast. This is Sean McNulty from The Wakeup newsletter, recording here on Thursday, August 17th in New York City, joined of course by Elaine Low and Richard Rushfield in Los Angeles. Richard, what are you going to do with your extra $2 that you got back in your $10 Sound of Freedom marketing investment? You going to spend that all in one place, or what's going on?
Richard Rushfield (00:56):
Maybe I'll double down and put money in advance on the Sound of Freedom 2 GoFundMe. Bring it up to $4.
Sean McNulty (01:04):
Listen, double your money, Richard. It says, Angel Studios returning 20 cents on the dollar to everybody who essentially donated, or invested a dollar, to help get the word out about Sound of Freedom.
Richard Rushfield (01:17):
You call it 20 cents on the dollar, I call it they saw 120 percent return.
Sean McNulty (01:23):
The marketing budget was $5 million, so essentially they're laying out $6 million, so that's really very generous of them. $100 million plus. But times are tight in Hollywood, Richard. What you going to do?
(01:33)
Elaine, are your galoshes ready? Are you guys getting a hurricane? I'm a little concerned. Is there a concern about this going on? What's up for the... Is there striking in a hurricane?
Elaine Low (01:41):
Are we? This is news to me. It's been like 100 degrees out.
Sean McNulty (01:44):
Oh.
Richard Rushfield (01:45):
You didn't know? We have a hurricane coming towards us, Elaine.
Sean McNulty (01:47):
Oh my.
Elaine Low (01:48):
Oh, well, that's what I get for having my head down in strike news all week. A hurricane.
Richard Rushfield (01:52):
Tell your picket lines to take cover on Sunday afternoon. A little bit of hurricane will come through here.
Sean McNulty (02:02):
Monday striking may-
Elaine Low (02:02):
In my 15 years in L.A., I think I've checked the weather like three times, so.
Richard Rushfield (02:06):
This has only happened twice in the last 100 years, so this will be the second time in 100 years.
Sean McNulty (02:12):
Wow. There you go. Richard, I kind of do picture you in the Gorton's fisherman outfit with the yellow poncho. I see that being part of your wardrobe.
Elaine Low (02:19):
I can see it.
Sean McNulty (02:20):
I mean, am I wrong on that? I don't know.
Richard Rushfield (02:23):
I'm building my ark in front of my house and waiting to sail away, as all you sink below the waves.
Sean McNulty (02:31):
Noah's ark style. All right. So, while speaking of the strike here, Elaine, let's start. As always, seems to be some things going on. There's some antitrust note that went out. Just get us up to speed, if you would here, as we are on a Thursday afternoon of this week here in late-ish August.
Elaine Low (02:47):
Yeah. So, three-plus months into the writer's strike, one-plus month into the SAG strike, we've got some movement happening. The WGA and the AMPDP have met three times this week, which is three more times than they've met pretty much over the last three months. So, that's something. So, we're seeing movement there.
(03:06)
And the Guild put out this note today, this report, on antitrust. And basically, their recommendation is to block further consolidation, because they see Disney, Netflix and Amazon as being the quote-unquote new gatekeepers in the industry. We've all seen the incredible consolidation and the vertical integration over the last five to 10 years.
Richard Rushfield (03:28):
Elaine, why did they pick those three?