1 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: guest is Sima Zargami, founder and CEO of Memo Studios. 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: Memo is an independent kid's content company based in New York. 6 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: Siema knows this arena well after spending thirty plus years 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: with Nickelodeon. She rose through the ranks when Nickelodeon was 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: one of the hottest things in cable during the go 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: go growth years of the nineteen nineties. She left after 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: a decade in the top job in eighteen, so no 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: one is better situated to see how the kids TV 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: business is changing than Zargami. In June, Mimo put its 13 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: toe in the water with a short form animated series, 14 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: Hippo Park, that debuted on YouTube. In our Converse station, 15 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: Seema explains what she's learned during her short time working 16 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: in the YouTube system and seeing the kind of data 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: role in daily that she could only dream of a 18 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: decade ago. We talk about whether there really can be 19 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: such a thing as a kid friendly metaverse, and she 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: gamely explains the broad strokes of Web three content creation 21 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: and why it's such a radical departure from Hollywood tradition. 22 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: That's all coming up on Strictly Business after the break, 23 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: and we're back with Memo Studios founder SEMA's Argami Seema's 24 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: are Gamy, founder and CEO of Memo Studios. Thank you 25 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: so much for joining me today, Thank you for having me. 26 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: Where did you start in terms of putting your focus 27 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: for what what Memo was going to focus on? In 28 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: terms of in terms of generating content? I mean, it's 29 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: not this world. It's not necessarily obvious that you start 30 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: with an old fashioned TV series, right. Well, the big 31 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: difference for me is, you know, I'm still a sort 32 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: of a developer and a you know, producer, but I'm 33 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: a seller now and not a buyer, which is the 34 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: change for me. And I think that, you know, the 35 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: most notable difference today versus probably ten years ago is 36 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: the kid's ecosystem used to be made up of pretty 37 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: much three channels, Cartoon, Disney and Nickelodeon. And they were 38 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: you know, um, they were three big brands that had 39 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: multiple sub brands underneath them, right, So he had Mickey 40 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: Mouse Nickelodeon had SpongeBob Cartoon Network at Adventure time. What's 41 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: happened now is the kids ecosystem is far greater than 42 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: it ever was before, and the platforms are now the 43 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: brands and the content are the sub brands, and the 44 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: role of the you know, sort of like um Curator 45 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: brands has been a little bit diminished. That's a challenge 46 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: for a startup entity to get into that into that world. Yes, 47 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: so so the the real you know, opportunity is to 48 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: develop i P, not so much to build you know, 49 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: sort of like a branded organization. I love the name 50 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: of my company, but what I really want to do 51 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: is find great properties that can live, you know, sort 52 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: of in my own little ecosystem. But it's the it's 53 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: the new ecosystem that it's so interesting to me, which 54 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: is why, um, you know, I still I had kids 55 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: in my veins, and I'm staying in the kids business 56 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: because I want to see what the next version of 57 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: the kids ecosystem is going to look like. You know, 58 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: as a startup studio, obviously you don't have a large 59 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: I P library. How did you go about knowing that? 60 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: How did you go about deciding, you know, which route 61 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: you were going to take just to start, because it 62 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: is so hard these days to have a wholly original 63 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: property launch. Well, I love the idea of finding a 64 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: new franchise right and in the kids, in the kids 65 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: business of franchises something basically the kids want to wear 66 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: on their backpacks. You know, it takes a while to 67 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: develop one, and it takes a while for one to 68 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: really sort of take hold. But but what's so interesting 69 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: now is that the tools with which you do that 70 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: are just a different set of tools. So you know, 71 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: we talked a lot about podcasts or a really interesting 72 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: piece of it, and you know, n f t s 73 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: aren't totally in the kids world yet, but they're probably 74 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: coming quickly. And games are a really important part of it. 75 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,799 Speaker 1: And in order to become a franchise in the kids world, 76 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: you almost have to be everywhere all at once, immediately. 77 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: And you know, sort of ten years ago at Nickelodeon, 78 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: we were building you know, we were building shows, we 79 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: were building long form and we were you know, two 80 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: minutes long and putting and marketing them. Now you almost 81 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: have to go around the circle of the of the 82 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: places you can start and make sure that you can 83 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: be in all of those either immediately or very quickly 84 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: after you begin. I imagine that you've given a lot 85 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: of thought to the you know, the safety, both the 86 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: brand safety and the child safety aspects. How do you 87 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: how do you make it make something feel okay to 88 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: kids and parents and you know, building all those safeguards 89 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: that that are necessary in today's world. Well, I think 90 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: it's going to be the responsibility. I you know, it's 91 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: a fast moving ecosystem and the fast moving you know 92 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: sort of journey into Web three, and I think we 93 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 1: have to we have to a hope that anybody in 94 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: the kids business feels, uh, it is the responsibility to 95 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: be responsible to that audience. I mean, I think that 96 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: that was that's been true of most of the time 97 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: that people are in the kids business, is a sense 98 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: of like a responsibility to the audience and to the parents. 99 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: There's a lot more responsibility put on parents now to 100 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: monitor what their kids are doing because it is the 101 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: wild West out there. But you we do hope that 102 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, sort of educating kids on how to use 103 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: the you know, sort of like the Web three um 104 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: and understanding you know, sort of like where the where 105 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: the pitfalls are going to come into it and and 106 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: making the content so it makes it's it feels good 107 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: for kids, not necessarily sends them down a bad path. 108 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: But I think that as Web three takes hold, the 109 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: real difference now is that it's it's more direct to 110 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: consumer and so it's like minded people, you know, sort 111 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: of migrating to things that they like without anybody curating 112 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: it for them except for their peers. And that's the 113 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: biggest difference. In the beast, everything was curated, right there 114 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: were there were the it was curated both by you 115 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: know what you saw, what time you saw it, where 116 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: you saw it at an a middleman and a couple 117 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: of middle man. Right there was the there were the 118 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: platforms were middleman. The cable operators were middleman. Now it's 119 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: just it's Web two is more direct to consumer. Web 120 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: three is direct to consumer and curated and managed by 121 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: the consumer as well. Can you give a succinct and 122 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: perhaps kid friendly summary for the kid here of what 123 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: Web three is that that phrase has become in the 124 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: ether pretty much this year as as a as a noun, 125 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: not even a proper noun. Can you describe what that 126 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: architecture entails? You know, I'm not very good at it, 127 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: but I'll give you my best, my best effort, thank you. 128 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: I think that the first thing. The first thing is 129 00:07:55,440 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: that um it is not coming through any of the 130 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: traditional channels, right, So if traditional mainstream entertainment and media 131 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: channels is what you're saying, and there's and there are 132 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: not big companies doing the curating UM and or managing 133 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: the feed and how it gets to you and how 134 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't get to you. Really, the blockchain is a 135 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 1: series of you know, UM delivery platforms that that that 136 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: are not managed by one entity. That's the best I 137 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: can do on that. The the direct to consumer is 138 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: the best way for me to describe sort of like 139 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: how the metaverse is metaverse or meta verses are going 140 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: to come to life, because that really is about a 141 00:08:51,640 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: community building community organic and community curation and a lot 142 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: of user generated sort of content and dialogue and that 143 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: it's it's more interactive than than Web two typically was. 144 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: And and I do think that it's going to build many, many, many, 145 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: many communities, but many many smaller communities to make up 146 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: ultimately at some point bigger communities. All of that sounds 147 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: very challenging for content monetization in the old school way 148 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: that in the old school way that we know it 149 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: are are you building memo and your businesses to adapt 150 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: to this changing environment. I think it really changes the 151 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: journey of I P and not necessarily the um you know. 152 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: Making I P that can be uh edited, so to speak, 153 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: by the consumer is one of the interesting ways that 154 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: we enter web three. So there's a dialogue that happens 155 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: in the community. And if and if we can get 156 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: to making the content as quickly as we would like to, 157 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: then season two can have Season one can have feedback 158 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: from the consumer. They can very quickly affect season two. 159 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: So well, I like this character, I don't like that character. 160 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: I would like this character to have a baby brother. 161 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: I would like the character to get a dog. I 162 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: would like this character. Those are the kinds of things 163 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: that you want to have happened in this new world 164 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,959 Speaker 1: and this new sort of like kid space where the 165 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: the kids are allowed to give real time feedback and 166 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: have it affect the content into the future. There's that 167 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: That's one aspect of it. Right Then Can I can 168 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: the content that I love become a game because I 169 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: love games? And can I get the game with my friends? 170 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: And can I have a conversation with my friends while 171 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: I'm playing the game. So those are all the component. 172 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: I don't know how big brands are going to emerge 173 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: quickly for sure, and I do think there is an 174 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: opportunity again, water cooler talk happens in all different ways. 175 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: In the good old days, it was like everybody watched 176 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: the same thing at nine o'clock. I think moving forward, 177 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: it's going to be over time people gravitate to the 178 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: same things and stuff will still bubble up. That element 179 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 1: of the feedback and working that direct almost one to one, 180 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: you know, communication with fans into content that must require 181 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: I know you've worked with many creatives over the year. 182 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: You know, not many television writers like being told what 183 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: to write. But but is that it's just a different 184 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: mindset that creators go into to work in this field. 185 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: I think that you know, people like me and probably 186 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: a lot of people in my position are going to 187 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: probably live in both spaces, right and we're not going 188 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: to go all the way into Web three. We're gonna 189 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: live somewhere between Web two and Web three, just because, uh, 190 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: mostly because kids were not sure the way kids are 191 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: gonna you know, sort of fully embrace it or halfway 192 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: embrace it. Um. But I think that the that the 193 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: easiest way to describe sort of like how something is 194 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: going to bubble up is if it goes to all 195 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: the places, right, if it's if it didn't everywhere you're 196 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: you're looking for it at the same time, much the 197 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: way you know, adults find content because people are talking 198 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: about it. That's the way that stuff is gonna is 199 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: going to emerge. And probably last is it a different 200 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: process in the development process. Do you have to develop 201 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: or build a series or your content property in a 202 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: different way with the idea that you may with the 203 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: goal of having you know, many characters spin off extensions 204 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: and the potent and the possibility of feedback from from viewers, 205 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: you know, significantly affecting the character development in the store arts. Yeah, 206 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: I think everybody has to has to go into you know, 207 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: sort of like this next generation of content with a 208 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: real open mind, right, and it is gonna it is 209 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: going to require people to work very different ways than 210 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: they are comfortable working. You know. Um, some people, I 211 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: mean we're out there in the marketplace all the time. 212 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: Some people would like to just develop a show, right. 213 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: Some people would like to develop a show with short 214 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: form first, just to make sure that they're getting feedback 215 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: on the characters. Some people would like to do both 216 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 1: at the same time. UM a lot of things. You know, 217 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: publishing is a great source now because you can you 218 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: can see the response from a consumer on a book 219 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: and then turn that into content and it feels like 220 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: it's a more it's an organic journey for a piece. 221 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: So I do I think you're right. I think everybody 222 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: is going to have to think differently and adapt to 223 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: sort of what the requirements are going to be based 224 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: on increable input that the consumer is going to have. 225 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: Take a stretch break, but come right back for more 226 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: insights on how kids engage with content from Mimos Studios 227 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: founder Seema's Argami, and we're back with more from children's 228 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: programming veteran Seema's Argani. It's interesting because at this time 229 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: of just peak TV and seemingly endless programming, I have 230 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: definitely noticed there's no question that we're seeing brands like 231 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: Netflix and Amazon that have gone full bore into kids 232 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: programming at great volume, like they went from zero to 233 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: sixty at great volume. Definitely seems like like both of 234 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: those brands and perhaps others, are tapping the brakes a bit. 235 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: Do you census pull back from the major streamers on 236 00:14:54,040 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: programming specifically aimed for kids. I think as the business matures, 237 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: everybody is going to become probably a little bit more 238 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: thoughtful and a little bit more strategic in the way 239 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: that they go at it. I'm not sure. I think 240 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: throwing a lot of stuff at an audience to see 241 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: what sticks is, you know, sort of like an early 242 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: days strategy. And I think now what's going to happen 243 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: is people are gonna are going to spend a little 244 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: bit more time making sure that they're making the right choices. 245 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: And you know that's that's part of the maturation of 246 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: of the streaming business as well. But you and I've 247 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: talked about this before. I think in the kids business, 248 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: you know, the television was around for a really long 249 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: time before there was a channel just for kids, right. 250 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: I think, you know, it's early days on the streamers, 251 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: and it's still early days to see if if any 252 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: one of the big ones is gonna actually decide that 253 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: kids are a primary focus. I mean, you know, Disney 254 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: is a family brand more now than ever that has 255 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff just for kids. Um, And I 256 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: think as we Watch, you know, Warner Brothers, Discovery, you know, 257 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: settle into its new structure. I think the kids business 258 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: will become more important, so on and so forth. But 259 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: I think kids, the influence of kids in the new 260 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: landscape is still being tested. I think that's that's that's 261 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: absolutely true. Let me ask you the flip side of 262 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: that pro of that question, which would be the linear 263 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: businesses of Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. You know, 264 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: I know, you know that you know that business well, 265 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: and you know what what has been happening there in 266 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: the last ten years, especially with cord cutting, especially with 267 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: this the younger audience, which is the first to embrace 268 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 1: new platforms. Of course, UM, if you were, if you 269 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: were running those businesses, what what is your what what 270 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: the you know? What is your game plan for the 271 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: next five years? Is it just brand? Brand brand? I think, Um, 272 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,479 Speaker 1: that's a really tough question, in a hard one to answer, 273 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: But I do think that when a when I'm new 274 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: off the charts franchise emerges for kids wherever it comes from, 275 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: kids will become an important part of that business. That's 276 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: one idea, And two is how do you, um, how 277 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 1: do you begin as as the streamers start to think 278 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: about taking ads for example, and um, you know, they 279 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: realize that they have stuff for all different demographics. How 280 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: do you carve up your offering so that it's clear 281 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: where kids are supposed to go versus where parents are 282 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: supposed to go, where movies are supposed to go that 283 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: you know, the interfaces are very busy on all of them, right, 284 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: and and very hard to navigate if you're a kid, so, 285 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 1: especially a young you know, especially at preschool kid. So 286 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 1: um So I do think that the you know, sort 287 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: of like, how might you brand your um interface so 288 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: that it's easier to navigate is another strategy I might 289 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: think about employing. And then uh, and then again I think, 290 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: you know, keep keep putting out great property so that 291 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,199 Speaker 1: you get a hit. When you get a hit, it 292 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: actually attracts an audience to that platform, and then the 293 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: benefits of the kid audience will become crystal clear to 294 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: whoever get that one first. The aura effect is whether 295 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: it's streaming or linear, there are It is interesting that 296 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: after all the newness of the last and years, we 297 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: are starting to see that there is some conventional wisdom 298 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: about television and audience behavior does not change um, seem 299 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 1: it was interesting when you launched at Hippo Park, you 300 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: launched that with a very specific set of because it 301 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: is so aimed at that preschool demo you meant you 302 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: launch when as part of the announcement of the show, 303 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: you launched with seven really specific promises that you were 304 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: going to make to the audience. That are you know, 305 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: definitely a suite that would assuage a lot of the 306 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: concerns that that that parents automatically have about kids going 307 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: into a you know, video or content portal that they 308 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: don't have eyes and hands on. Can you talk about 309 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 1: how you develop those seven things? I'll read one of 310 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: them is respect the community, especially kids. Another one is 311 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: assume the audience is younger than they are, which is 312 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: a very very interesting cautionary point. Talk about how you 313 00:19:55,160 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: developed those you know, those those promises as you describe them. Um, sure, 314 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: you know, starting let me just carry out that with 315 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of the things that I 316 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: would like to see happen or not within my control, 317 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: right so there there within my control for the I 318 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: p that I that I create. They're not within my 319 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 1: control for the platforms entirely. But I think if we 320 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: start to have the dialogue about sort of how important 321 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 1: it is to take care with a very precious kid audience. 322 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 1: Then hopefully some of that will start to bleed into 323 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: all of the people who are thinking about how this 324 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: should and shouldn't work. You know, I think a lot 325 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: of people have gone to great lengths to try and 326 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: curate there. There's stuff enough so that you know that 327 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: the audience is respected the way that they need to 328 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: be respected. Right, Kids safety should be at the top 329 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: of everybody's list, right, not just because we make stuff 330 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: for kids, but kids safety should be the top of 331 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 1: everybody's lift. And I think that you know, when you 332 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: think about that, all the all the articles that have 333 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: been written about social media and the older than thirteen 334 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: and younger than thirteen, and right, there's not a six 335 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: year old out there that isn't watching TikTok, right, whether 336 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: you yes, and and that's okay, right, as long as 337 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: as long as you know people are aware that that 338 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: they are there, somebody is aware that that TikTok is 339 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: being consumed. Yeah, and you hope, you hope, but you 340 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: know that that can't be the case for all kids, 341 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: But you can hope, right, you can hope and and 342 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: so I guess by by listing the things that that 343 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: I would promise if I were, you know, sort of 344 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: like able to control all the things that I would 345 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: like to control, then I'm hoping that that will sort 346 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: of like you know, sort of bleed into other people 347 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: in other ways, that people are looking at it and 348 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: thinking about it, and you know, you gotta I believe 349 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: everybody does care. Uh. You know, there's there's uh, you know, 350 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: sort of like the business and then or's the emotion, 351 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: and they don't always they don't always match. As we 352 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: speak here today, it's just about four weeks almost to 353 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: the day since you launched at Hippo Park. What have 354 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: you learned? What have you learned about your property being 355 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: having it up on YouTube and being able to, you know, 356 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: see that what you were saying, if I understand you, right, 357 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: you that you can really see a lot of the activity. 358 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: You can see who's watching, how long they watch. That 359 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: must be That must be just Mona from Heaven for 360 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: it for you. It's actually really it's really having been 361 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: dependent on Nielsen ratings for most of your career exactly, 362 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: um at least the Nielsen ratings came the next day, 363 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: maybe that maybe that separation isn't so bad, right, Yeah, 364 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: you could, you could get a good night's sleep. Um No. 365 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: I think what's what's great is you can see what 366 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 1: people like and what they don't like very quickly. Um. 367 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: And you can you know, sort of like you can 368 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: watch your success and your failure at the same time. 369 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: And I think what we've learned is there's definitely and 370 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: you know, YouTube has masterfully figured out sort of like 371 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: that there's a rhythm to the way that you know, um, 372 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: stuff should be released. We were able to very quickly 373 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: decide that you know, number seventeen should go at number 374 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: thirteen spot versus number thirteen should go at seventeen spot 375 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: because they respond better to this kind of thing. Right, 376 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: Longer is longer better or shorter better? In terms of 377 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: the duration of the the episodes that we're putting up, 378 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: are there some characters that they like better than others? 379 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,679 Speaker 1: And can we you know, put the ones where this 380 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: character is more prominent sooner, so that bigger audience, quicker, 381 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: so that granular that quickly quickly. Yeah, So that's been 382 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 1: that's been a ton of fun. Um and and basically 383 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 1: you know, uh, you you look at you I've studied 384 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 1: YouTube and the things that come in and out of 385 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: it for a long time, but actually putting a channel 386 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: up and watching the channel take form, it's kind of 387 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,640 Speaker 1: great learning curvet really is. It's it's masterful what they've 388 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: sort of like created um for people to gain popularity, 389 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: and it is you know, it is such a platform 390 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: for entrepreneurial activity that you know, just that alone it 391 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: makes it. It just makes it such a such a 392 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: huge force. Um, tell me a little bit about Memo Seman. 393 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: Do you have any partners? How did are you? How 394 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: did you get the business up and on its feet? 395 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: So you know they call it a fam friends and 396 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: family investment right and how we started And I think 397 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: that what we what we set out to do was 398 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: to build a interesting slate as opposed to start with 399 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: one property. So a lot of people, a lot of companies, 400 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: begin by making their version of a hippo park and 401 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: then you know, sort of um moving from one property 402 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: to another property. We we actually took the attack to 403 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: build a slate that could become a library over the 404 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: next few years more quickly, so that if we could 405 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: get deals with different partners and have four or five 406 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: shows going at once then we we perhaps would have 407 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: a little bit of a head start. So we have 408 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: probably six animated properties and in different forms of development 409 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: and in different stages of deals with various partners. And 410 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: then we have probably four to six live action properties 411 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: that are similar, different stages of development and different stages 412 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:40,439 Speaker 1: of scripting, etcetera, etcetera. So so we have a slate 413 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 1: that we're very pleased with. You know, my taste is 414 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: very different than it was before, just because it's allowed 415 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: to be a little bit broader and uh, and we're 416 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 1: meeting with like, you know, we're discovering all new you know, 417 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:56,199 Speaker 1: all new people that I never had a chance to 418 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,880 Speaker 1: meet with before, which was really which is really exciting 419 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: for me. And yeah, so I'm I'm hoping that in 420 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: a couple more years, I have a lot of properties 421 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: that I can point to and say, I'm that that's 422 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: one of mine, and in ultimate success, I have a 423 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: property that's gonna you know, sort of like really you know, 424 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: sort of hit the charts and become a franchise. You're 425 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: based in New York, Yes, what what's the size of 426 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: your operation right now in terms of staff, So we 427 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:33,959 Speaker 1: have probably we have five full time and probably five 428 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: on a consulting and or freelance basis. So that's got 429 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: to be exciting for you. I mean via calm, you know, 430 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: and it's heyday was known for its entrepreneurial spirit. But 431 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: to have your name on the door, as it were, 432 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: must be exciting for you. Yeah, it is very exciting. 433 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: It's a it's just it's a you know, it's a 434 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: lot of fun and it's I wasn't quite ready to 435 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,119 Speaker 1: be finished. Um, you know, I've been in the kids 436 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: business a really long time. So what white White leave 437 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: it now? Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us 438 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 1: a review at Apple Podcasts. We love to hear from listeners. 439 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: Please go to Variety dot com and sign up for 440 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 1: the free Strictly Business newsletter, and don't forget to tune 441 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: in next week for another episode of Strictly Business