1 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of entertainment. Today, my guest 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,119 Speaker 1: in New York is John Cayman, chairman and CEO of 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: Radical Media. Radical has been a mainstay in the New 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: York production scene for decades. It's best known for producing 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: high end documentaries and non fiction series of all varieties. 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: Its offices in the Village are a soup to nuts 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: hub of activity for production, from development to the post 9 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: production facilities that it also has. Cayman here speaks candidly 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: about what it takes for a company to survive as 11 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: an independent for as long as Radical have, and he 12 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: talks about the unique skill set that it takes to 13 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: manage creative people and process. John Cayman, chairman and CEO 14 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: of Radical Media, thanks for coming by to talk to 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: us about the independent production business. Happy to be here. 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: It is. Radical Media is really a rarity these days. 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: It is a true independent of real size. So much 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: production in New York City flows through your offices, and 19 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: we appreciate you coming down to talk to us about 20 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: what it's like in this moment of incredible demand for content, 21 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: particularly television content this moment of incredible demand. What it's 22 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 1: like to run a sizeable, independent company at a time 23 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: when the industry economics are also shifting radically. If you 24 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: will tell us about right now where you see the 25 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: most where you feel most optimistic for for long term 26 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: growth for your business, Well, I think it's uh truly 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: in the audience behavior. I think that what we're seeing 28 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: in this radical shift and change that's taking place obviously 29 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: due to technology. As a company, we anticipated it. We 30 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: thought that this would eventually happen. Old media dies slowly, 31 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: as we know, but in name itself, we embrace radical change. 32 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: And I think that for for a company like ours, uh, 33 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: in the multidisciplinary approach that we have to business. UH, 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: it's been part of the ethos of the company. So 35 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: while it is quite confusing, and will admit our heads 36 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: are spinning at the daily announcements of yet another service 37 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: in a new way in which content will be distributed, 38 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: we feel fairly secure that as a company, we make content, 39 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: and we've always embraced the concept of producing content that 40 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: could live across multiple platforms. So it's crazy, it's challenging, 41 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: but it's also exciting. At the same time. You Uh, 42 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: the company in its current form kind of came together 43 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: in the early nineties and you were sort of perfectly 44 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: positioned to capalies on the growing demand at the time 45 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: from cable for high end a lot of unscripted production. 46 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: Can you talk about how the that the moment of 47 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: the nineties boom in cable and the current boom that 48 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: we're seeing from from digital buyers as well as linear 49 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: TV buyers, how the two moments are different. Well, I 50 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: think obviously the proliferation of channels that began in the 51 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: nineties and then impacted by obviously digital media and the 52 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: disruption of of digital was a in a sense almost 53 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: uh forced us to change some of our plans. Uh. 54 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: You know, in the earliest days of of of radical, 55 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: of being radical, we were big promoters of single sponsored 56 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: programming and the kind of back to the future scenario 57 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: that would cut through the clutter of fragmentation of media 58 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: and cut through some of the uh expansion of advertising 59 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: on cable. Uh. That was quite successful for a while, 60 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: but as broadband began to deliver and companies could resort 61 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: to producing and publishing effectively their own content on their 62 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: own websites, it kind of changed things. A little bit. 63 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: The gatekeepers weren't there. The the programmers that were managing 64 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: the networks weren't necessarily judging whether a program was appropriate 65 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: for air or not, or for their air which was 66 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: something uh different for let's say a brand or an advertiser. 67 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: But from a programming standpoint, we just began to focus 68 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: on producing quality programming for the various partners that we 69 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: could seek out, and and documentary work was certainly an 70 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: early sign of our strength. We obviously are known for 71 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: our premium nonfiction work. Perhaps it's uh my own personal 72 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: preference for nonfiction over overscripted, but I thought it was 73 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: a place that we could we could stand out and uh, 74 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: certainly in the early two thousands with programming that we 75 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: did for companies like the Sundance Channel and Iconoclass and 76 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: other things that we began to produce in documentaries that 77 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: we made like The Fog of War winning an Academy Award, 78 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: or the Concert for George or Joe Berlinger's or or 79 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: second season of Paradise Lost, or or even as they 80 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: moved on to things like Some kind of Monster. Uh. 81 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: That became the signature of the company is when nonfiction 82 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: and documentary style was really defining who we were as 83 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: a company. And how do you make a living on documentaries? 84 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: That's a great question. I don't think you do make 85 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: a living on documentaries per se, although we are seeing 86 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 1: a resurgence, thank god of box office for one or 87 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: two films. But but I think with the advent of 88 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: Netflix now and increasing the popularity of documentary and of 89 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: course series based nonfiction is a strength of ours and 90 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: one in which we are quite prolific today. Um and 91 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: it's and it's it's something we enjoy and it's uh, 92 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: it seems as if there's an audience there that really 93 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: appreciates it. With all the programming that is out there, 94 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: there's certainly people like myself who prefer nonfiction. And uh, 95 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: we I think are in a great place in terms 96 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: of the various distribution platforms that have constantly evolved, and 97 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: with the advent of streaming and the multiple services that 98 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: are announcing themselves every day, we're in a pretty decent 99 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: demand in terms of content that we create. Yeah. I mean, 100 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 1: even before we saw the influx of Netflix and Amazon money, 101 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: you saw Discovery, Channel A and E Networks, Sundance. I mean, 102 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: they were already becoming important funders of documentary. Is the 103 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: theatrical release for documentaries? Is that becoming a very rarefied 104 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: thing or do you still see a theatrical market. Well, 105 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: I think the theatrical release for documentary is the brass ring. 106 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: It's rare, and most people would say it never it 107 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: never really can happen any longer until you come along 108 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: to something as beautiful as Mr. Rogers and UH and 109 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: Won't You Be My Neighbor, and also some of the 110 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: other films the RPG as well as UH as as 111 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: well as UH Free Free Solo. So you start you're 112 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: starting to see perhaps an audience as theaters are improving 113 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: themselves and becoming more comfortable to go to with the 114 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: reserve seating and all the benefits of the concession stand, etcetera. Today, 115 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: I think people are starting to enjoy seeing a good 116 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: doc in a theater and ironment as well as at home. 117 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: And I think that there's opportunity in the non fiction space. UM. 118 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: We are certainly excited by it with projects that we're 119 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: doing still for companies. Next weekend we'll have a premiere 120 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: of a new documentary we've just done for Discovery. UM. 121 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: It'll be UH in the competition with Ross Kaufman directing. 122 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: And uh, it's based on the World Wildlife Fund, Uh, 123 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: desire to preserve tigers around the world. Uh. So we're 124 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: still in that business. We're still producing content for the Discoveries, 125 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: not so much Sundance. We'd like to be doing more 126 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: with Sundance. We had a great six years with Iconoclass, 127 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: often pointed to as a as A as a benchmark 128 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: show in that space, but for us, UH, the advent 129 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 1: of Netflix and the way in which that served up 130 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: in the way in which an order as has been 131 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: consuming premium nonfiction. We've just recently premiered the Ted Bundy 132 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: Show that will be on Netflix. Uh as of January. Uh, 133 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: super excited for Joe Burlinger, who has been obviously super 134 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: active in that true crime space. But interestingly, Joe is 135 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: also just premiered his film on the subject of Bundy 136 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: um at Sundance, and on practically the same weekend they've 137 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: launched the documentary series, also directed by Accidental Um not 138 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: completely accidental, quite actually bizarrely coincidental, but timing probably not. 139 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: It is an anniversary And uh, who better than Joe. 140 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: He's he's clearly a student of the subject. At this point, 141 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: and these things you know that the Tiger project that 142 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: I understand, Fisher seats Stevens worked on, and the Ted 143 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: Bundy these things are not things that you put together 144 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks. These are long term lots 145 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: of research that shoe leather work of documentaries. I still 146 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: want to drill down, like how how do you help 147 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: support that? Do you get distribution money early or do 148 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: you are there times when you guys write checks and 149 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: you're not sure where it's going to go. We develop 150 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: things with a very long tail. We are constantly searching 151 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: and exploring the topics of interest. It's not all crime, 152 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: thank god. Um. We are super excited about the development 153 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: process in discovery and reading great books, reading great articles, materials. 154 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: People come into us. We have a pretty open architecture. 155 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: Radical is a community and it's one that I cherish. 156 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: We have a lot of artists that consider Radical their home, 157 00:10:54,920 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: whether they're directors, editors, filmmakers, producers, etcetera. And so things 158 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: come into us as a Hopefully I'd like to think 159 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,199 Speaker 1: of us as a reliable partner that people UH want 160 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: to be in business with, which is perhaps a secret 161 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: to our longevity. But I think from a standpoint of 162 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: being able to support an idea, being able to evolve 163 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: an idea, finding the UH what we believe will be 164 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: the secret sauce to making it something that a public 165 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: will appreciate is our job. And within Radical we have 166 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: this community of talent and and UH partners that are 167 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: always looking for those projects. And the internal conversation that 168 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: takes place is the development process for us. It's not 169 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: as much as that we're writing checks, although we are 170 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: optioning material based on I P based on books, etcetera. 171 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: To support a project we might do, but we're mostly 172 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: involved in development as a conversation and an internal conversation 173 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: and a workshop and brainstorming it with the artists that 174 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: call Radical home and you actually you call them your 175 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: artists in Residents program. It's a reference I've made to 176 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 1: the many people who have a desk into our office. 177 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: We're all artists and residents. Uh. Some are more on 178 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: staff than others UM and I think a very respectful 179 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: term for people whose work I super appreciate and UH 180 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: it's great to know that as an artist in residents 181 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: they may be UH. Fisher Stevens is a great example 182 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: of it. UH. Somebody who's pursuing many different things, including 183 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: his acting career. But the opportunity to to cross pollinate 184 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: our projects, to discuss the possibilities of doing something with 185 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: someone like Fisher and the people whom he might bring 186 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: in to talk about a project is extraordinary and it's 187 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: part of the privilege of having him as an artist 188 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: in Residents and we many others who we consider that. 189 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: You did a terrific documentary a couple of years ago. 190 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: What happened Miss Simone with Liz Garbus exactly, just really 191 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: so well done, such illuminating a subject like that. That's 192 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: got to be very gratifying to see when that, when 193 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: something like that comes out and get such a claim, 194 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:22,239 Speaker 1: and it was super gratifying. It was a fabulous collaboration 195 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: with Liz um. It was one in which we brought 196 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 1: Liz into the project. Actually, my first conversation was with 197 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: Liz was at a dinner for one of her films. 198 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: Liz Garbs a very accomplished documentary producer and director exactly, 199 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: and uh I was at a premiere for one of 200 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: the films that she had just completed in with her 201 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: producing partner. They turned to me and said, what are 202 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: you working on next and I said, well, we're sort 203 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: of circling this project around an incredible artist and one 204 00:13:55,240 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: that who's highly misunderstood, Nina Simone, and the two of them, 205 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:06,479 Speaker 1: both Liz and Amy Hobby lit up at the prospect 206 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: of it. Uh. We were approached by the daughter of 207 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: Nina Simone, who knew us through another project. Speaking of 208 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: years of development, we we had known the people who 209 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: were brought the project to us for many years. One 210 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: of the producers, Jason, was part of the part of 211 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: the process and he approached us, and then eventually we 212 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: brought Liz into the into the mix and produced a 213 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: film that went all the way to the Academy Awards. 214 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: Didn't win, but it's nice to be nominated. You were invited, 215 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: And what does the what in your experience when because 216 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: you've had you've been you know, you you've had the 217 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: success with things like Fog of War. What does in 218 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: this day and age, what does that kind of award 219 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: season traction? Does that? Can that translate to dollars and 220 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: cents on you know, video sales or streams or I 221 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: think that obviously winning an award is as prestigious as 222 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: being recognized for your work. Being nominated, quite frankly, even shortlisted. 223 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: I think being recognized by your peers as an honor. UH. 224 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: I don't think that actually winning the award itself is 225 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: always the uh the secret to success. UH, having won 226 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: many of them, it's uh, it looks nice on the mantel, 227 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: but it's not. It's not. It's it's it. It just 228 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: encourages you to continue to pursue your craft. And having 229 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: one and been part of a film that won an 230 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: Academy Award, having been there two other times for two 231 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: great films, also for the Paradise Lost third installment to 232 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: Paradise Loss with Joe Burlinger and Bruce Sinowski, UH losing 233 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: to a high school football movie, Undefeated, which was UH 234 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: an interesting year with three young men recently UH freed 235 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: from wrongful incarceration and front page of the New York Times. 236 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: We thought we had a good shot. We lost to 237 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: Harvey Weinstein, but we have learned since, and we were very, 238 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: very proud to be with Netflix for their first nomination 239 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: of a the first original Netflix documentary. UH. And even 240 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 1: Adam del Dao and Lisa reminded me that this past year, 241 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: when they finally won for Icarus, that don't forget you 242 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: were the first we brought them to the party. That's awesome. Well, 243 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: what would you say at this point? Is your bread 244 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: and butter? Is it the is it the multi episode 245 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: unscripted programming for for cable and digital fires in You know, 246 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: Radical has uh three verticals of its opportunity, so entertainment 247 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: is clearly an important one and UH rising with a 248 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: bullet in terms of opportunity for us, and in that space, 249 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: premium nonfiction is our bread and butter. It's work that 250 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: we do for all the various distribution platforms today there's 251 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 1: no end to them, as well as the all the 252 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: new ones being announced every day. But we're very privileged 253 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: to have been working with many of the existing ones 254 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: and working with some of the new ones that are 255 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: about to be unleashed. UH. So we're UH, we're certainly 256 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: focused on that business as a recurring series business as 257 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: well as UH limited series. We're focusing on some development 258 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: of some very important scripted material right now, some of 259 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: it based on nonfiction, but the hybrid model of nonfiction 260 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: scripted dramatization combined with script is an area that we're 261 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: very active in. We have our Mars series on national geographic. 262 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: We're just in production and completing production actually of a 263 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: grant ulyssess Grant series based on the Ron Churnout book 264 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 1: for the History Channel. Uh again, UH, super exciting project 265 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: that we uh just finished production we're in post production on. 266 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: We are looking at other projects like that as we speak, 267 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: and we are very excited about some of the scripted 268 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: material that we're developing based on factual UH stories that 269 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: we think will make for very interesting scripted series or 270 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: even documentaries. So we have a complete mix in that space. 271 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: We are also as a company and part of our 272 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: success is also coming from the work that we do 273 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: in advertising. Uh. It's no secret that radicals roots began 274 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:56,360 Speaker 1: in advertising, and we still are quite active and UH 275 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 1: significant player on a global basis. We work for major 276 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: brands like Nike and uh, Apple and others that produce 277 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: great commercial work and longer form content around the world. UH. 278 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: We have a great relationship with both advertising agencies and 279 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:21,400 Speaker 1: many of the brands directly those That world is incredibly 280 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: confused by the current media landscape as UH an audience's 281 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: behavior as to how they're watching programming in the V 282 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: O D universe. UM, it's not anymore it can't just 283 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: be disruption and uh, I'll become a preacher of the 284 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: or an evangelist for needing brands to rethink how they're 285 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: going to reach an audience and not just think of 286 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: them as consumers, but create something that's truly appreciated by 287 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: that audience. And so we're working actively with brands. We're 288 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: working on a global basis. With that, we will have 289 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 1: a very robust traditional advertising business, but in another category 290 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: of the company, what we call our studio, we are 291 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: doing a lot of invasion innovation in experiential entertainment, immersive 292 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: entertainment technology. We've always had with a name like Radical Media, 293 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: we've always had a digital fluency as a part of 294 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: the mix of artists and talent that work at Radical 295 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: and that digital fluency allows us to think three dimensionally 296 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: across all the platforms that we produce for whether it's 297 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: entertainment or it's advertising, or in the original creation of 298 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,439 Speaker 1: experiential entertainment that we're doing in the studio section of 299 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: the company. That must be great for you for talent 300 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,479 Speaker 1: scouting and for kind of identifying the next, you know, 301 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: the next thing on the horizon in terms of in 302 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 1: terms of production in terms of the way that consume 303 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: or want to interact with content. Imagine that's that's really 304 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: fertile ground for you. Well, the fertile ground is for 305 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: talent that considers Radical their home. We truly can provide 306 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: them with multiple platform opportunities. So you could take a 307 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: young artist like Austin Peters who's enjoying UH producing a 308 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: show for ESPN Plus right now with Lebron James more 309 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: than an athlete. H Austin came to us through his 310 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 1: music video career, has had a very successful commercial career 311 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: and his also going on to series based programming UM, 312 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: not just in a digital side button, developing original work 313 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: as well. Derek c In France, homegrown talent at Radical 314 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: has been with me many many years UH to see 315 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: Derek's not only his his commercial career blossom as it has, 316 00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: but his now feature career. And we're looking at projects 317 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: to eventually wear online with every studio and network as 318 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: well to do some work with with Derek. But Derek 319 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: still considers Radical as home, and even while he's in 320 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: the middle of production of a very exciting new HBO show, 321 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: he's working out of our offices and meeting with some 322 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 1: of the key talent and developing it there and other 323 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: people are working on that. So we we have the 324 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: privilege of this cross pollination of all of the work 325 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: that we do. UM happening in this one place that 326 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 1: we call home. But it's a community, and it exists 327 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: not just in New York, but in our Los Angeles office, 328 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 1: in our London office, Berlin as well as Shanghai. You're 329 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: you're widespread around the world. This might be hard to generalize, 330 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: but would you say that the brand work that you do, 331 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 1: whether it's brand initiatives for for a Nike or or 332 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: even creative advertising, is it is it pound for pound? 333 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: Is it more lucrative for radical to produce a commercial 334 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: for a brand or do an experience for a brand? 335 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: Or is it or is the home run still the 336 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: multi part series that can be renewed. There's a there's 337 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: a nuance of both. Uh, you know. The renewal of 338 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: something like allows us to think ahead of ourselves and 339 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 1: being able to think about what we're gonna be doing 340 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: next year. Advertising generally is pretty reactive and sometimes doesn't 341 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: know what it's doing from quarter to quarter, but we 342 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: benefit from doing it all. Uh, you know, I I'm 343 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: headed to visit a company to today tonight, UH, visiting 344 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: a company that we make commercials for, but is smart 345 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: enough to know they need to be doing something else. 346 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: And being able to be part of that conversation and 347 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: to have the uh, the credential to be able to 348 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: be part of that bigger conversation is a privilege of 349 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: being radical, radical and also having been doing it for 350 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: many It's not as if we're new to the party. 351 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: It's not as if we haven't done this before. The 352 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: claim that we've gotten a critical acclaim that we've gotten 353 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: for the show's maybe even some of the awards that 354 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: we've won, have given us permission to speak on a 355 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: much broader basis of possibility and UH. And as I 356 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: said before, I'd like to think of us as evangelists 357 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,479 Speaker 1: in that category. How do you as a leader, you 358 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: are the chairman, CEO. How do you We've I've seen 359 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: you know many companies have success grow, but inevitably partners leave, 360 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 1: projects go, there's fights, lawsuits. How do you? How have 361 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: you kept radical media together in its current form since 362 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: the early nineties, but the roots are even deeper. How 363 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 1: have you kept it together? What is the what would 364 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: you say have been keys to effective leadership of this 365 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: incredibly creative operation. Well, I think it goes back to, uh, 366 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: the concept of family and of community. I think that, um, 367 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: we don't really have too many fights. We may have disagreements, 368 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: but we don't have fights. Um. All families are sometimes 369 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: a little dysfunctional, but dysfunctionality can lead to great things. Uh. 370 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,719 Speaker 1: I think that it's been a terrific partnership of different 371 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 1: people in different categories of their responsibilities. And UH, I'd 372 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: like to think that as the ringmaster, along with my 373 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: partner Frank Sherma, has been We've been together for almost 374 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: thirty years in our careers. UH. And Frank was recently 375 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: elected as the chairman of the Television Academy, which I'm 376 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: so incredibly proud of him as well. Yeah, arts and 377 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: Sciences based in New York, which is an amazing accomplishment 378 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 1: for for Frank and one that I'm particularly proud of. 379 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: But I think our leadership and the part ownership with 380 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: different people, in the way in which we've been able 381 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 1: to work with people who have been part of the company, 382 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,120 Speaker 1: We've had an incredible record of people staying with us 383 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 1: for a long time. And UH, and even when they leave, Uh, 384 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 1: we remain generally pretty good friends and they come back 385 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: to visit me constantly, And Uh, I think it's because 386 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 1: of the relationship that we built and the road that 387 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 1: we decided to take in terms of looking towards the 388 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,679 Speaker 1: future and always thinking about the future and a vision 389 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: for what's next with the company, which i'd like to 390 00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 1: think of is my job. Well, that speaks It speaks 391 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: well of how you treat people, for sure. Tell us, 392 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: speaking of what's next? What for nineteen what are we 393 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: give us a hint of a couple of things that 394 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: are brewing that you're excited about. Well, I think that 395 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: from a standpoint of conversations that we're having right now 396 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 1: and a little too soon to announce some of the projects. 397 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: But we have been uh incredibly active in producing and 398 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: selling and developing and production on shows across almost every 399 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: key distribution platform out there right now, from networks to 400 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: streamers and new platforms of technology. So, uh, we have 401 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: a host of shows that we've been developing that are 402 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: in that gestation period which we are finally closing on 403 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: all of the deals and going into various stages of production. 404 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: We are thinking about the creation of some new I 405 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 1: P and some projects in the experiential space that we've 406 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: been incubating for the last year or so and that 407 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: are finally coming to fruition. I think that those uh, 408 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: those projects are near and dear to me in terms 409 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: of the potential of new economic model old for us. 410 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: As you mentioned earlier, there's no question there's a challenging 411 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: economy of all of this liberation of channel channels. It's 412 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: not as simple as everybody thinks it's. It could be 413 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: considered the new Golden Age of television, but not with 414 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 1: the same price tag or opportunity um. But at the 415 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: same time, there are places in which we're recognizing opportunities. 416 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,439 Speaker 1: In two thousand nineteen I think is gonna be a 417 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: big year for us in terms of realizing some of 418 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,360 Speaker 1: those projects. Great well, we will stay tuned and keep 419 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: our eye out for that at Radical Media Logo. Thank 420 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: you so much for your time, John super, thank you, Cynthia, 421 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: and look forward to it by thanks for listening. To 422 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: be sure to tune in next week for another episode 423 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: of Strictly Business.