Transcript: The Raw Deal Point Roiling Hollywood
Entertainment Strategy Guy discusses the profit-sharing model behind the studios and SAG-AFTRA's breakdown
Sean McNulty (00:05):
Welcome to The Ankler Podcast. This is Sean McNulty from The Wakeup newsletter here at The Ankler on Friday, July 21st, back in New York City until I get the heck out of here to the beach tomorrow. I'm, of course, joined by Elaine Low,who is always in Los Angeles. Hello, Elaine. How are you?
Elaine Low (00:22):
Hello, hello. Just dying a little of heatstroke over here, but otherwise doing just fine.
Sean McNulty (00:27):
It's mid-July. Elaine, is this where I mention my dad was in a union as well, or is that... I just don't know where in the podcast I should mention that.
Elaine Low (00:34):
I'll add Ted Sarandos at the Netflix earnings call to the-
Sean McNulty (00:36):
[inaudible 00:00:37].
Elaine Low (00:36):
Yes, I believe this is the time where you do that.
Sean McNulty (00:39):
My dad was in a union, so shout out to dad. And joining us for the first time ever in, I think, his only second podcast appearance ever. We'll get to the bottom of that. Ladies and gentlemen, a man who's never been in any union but knows all about their financial statements, the notorious ESG, Entertainment Strategy Guy. Welcome.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (00:56):
Glad to be here, also with father in a union. So we have a-
Sean McNulty (01:01):
There you go.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (01:01):
... forum on union fathers for the podcast. So.
Elaine Low (01:04):
And as you can tell, with a voice changer since ESG is in the Hollywood witness protection program.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (01:10):
Yep. Mm-hmm.
Sean McNulty (01:11):
You're not actually an AI bot. Just so we have for the record here, ESG. I think in this day and age, we just need to have that on the record. Right?
Entertainment Strategy Guy (01:17):
Actually, now I want to say I am. So let's... I don't know, does that help or hurt? Yeah, the anonymity piece, every time I poll my audience like, "Hey, should I reveal who I am?" at least half the people are like, "No, go with it. It actually helps the brand better." So got to listen to the customer feedback because polls on social media are always accurate.
Sean McNulty (01:38):
That's how you rule your column. That's exactly right.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (01:41):
Yeah, exactly.
Sean McNulty (01:41):
Did you ever consider using a Cartman voice? Just saying. I think that's a possibility now if you want to be Cartman.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (01:48):
Yeah. See, that would probably drive me crazy. But now... I mean, I wrote about AI a few weeks ago and yeah, I think everything's on the table there. So yeah, maybe next time... I'll do different voices every time. So.
Sean McNulty (02:00):
That's it. Just go to Showrunner AI and there you go. It can whip it right up.
(02:06)
ESG, couldn't be a better day to have you on here. I need to know what does the data say? Do we go see Barbie first or Oppenheimer? I don't want to get this wrong. What is the correct data prediction for this? What do I do first?
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:17):
Try and go see Oppenheimer, because I think Barbie's going to be packed, and then just wait till the weekend to see Barbie next weekend. I think-
Sean McNulty (02:23):
Oh, oh.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:24):
I think Barbie's going to be packed. I-
Elaine Low (02:25):
Ooh.
Sean McNulty (02:25):
Controversial.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:26):
The latest numbers I see keep going up again. Again, I saw the poll was up in the poll results. Also, though, I will say the Barbie forecast has to have the widest error margins we've seen.
Elaine Low (02:37):
[inaudible 00:02:38].
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:37):
And that's what the theatrical people say. So it's up in the air. But yeah, I would say-
Elaine Low (02:42):
But what if you're saying a double feature?
Sean McNulty (02:43):
Right. That's what I'm saying. If I'm really... Yeah. What do I do here?
Elaine Low (02:45):
Yeah. Now, do I do the-
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:45):
I think you got to do Barbie first.
Elaine Low (02:47):
Do I do the upper first or the downer first?
Sean McNulty (02:49):
Yeah.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (02:49):
You got to do Barbie first because you're not going to want to come out of Oppenheimer and be like, "Now, let's go to Barbie." I don't know. Or maybe you do. I don't know.
Elaine Low (03:00):
Unless you want to end up. Yeah, yeah.
Sean McNulty (03:00):
I end up.
Elaine Low (03:00):
You do the downer and then the upper.
Entertainment Strategy Guy (03:00):
Yeah, I don't know.
Sean McNulty (03:00):
This is like a Rorschach test. This is your personality. Which way do you go? See, I go with Barbie second. I want to go home and like, "Ah, that was nice."