1 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and 2 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 1: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Thursday, September twenty fifth, 3 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Lyttleton. I am 4 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: co editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm 5 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: in LA. He's in New York, and Variety has reporters 6 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: around the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode, 7 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: we'll talk with senior media reporter Gene Mattis about his 8 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: investigative report on Los Angeles Film School. The private business 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: is facing allegations of massive student loan fraud, and Variety's 10 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: gaming chief Jennifer mos gives us the scoop on Scopely, 11 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: you may not have heard of the company, but you've 12 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: likely played one of their mobile games. But before we 13 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: get to that, here are a few headlines just in 14 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: this morning that you need to no. The Jimmy Kimmel 15 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: news doesn't stop. A shareholder group sent Disney a letter 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: demanding information about the suspension of Kimmel. They want to 17 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: know whether political pressure contributed to that decision. The Mouse 18 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: House gets it from the left and right. Meanwhile, Jimmy 19 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: Kimmel Live's return on Tuesday delivered some six point three 20 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: million viewers. I had predicted four million on Tuesday morning. 21 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: On YouTube, that episode has been viewed nineteen point nine 22 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: million times and counting as of this recording. In non 23 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: Kimmel news, we really liked House of Guinness. The soapy 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: Netflix drama tells the story about the family behind what 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,199 Speaker 1: might just be the best beer in the world. It's 26 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: from Peaky Blinder's creator, Stephen Knight. All of these stories 27 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: and so much more can be found on Variety dot 28 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:59,639 Speaker 1: com right now. Now we turn to conversations with Variety 29 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: Journal about news and trends in show business. Gene Mattis 30 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: explains his story on the swirl of allegations surrounding Los 31 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: Angeles Film School. It's not the first time this private 32 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: education outfit has faced questions about its business practices. Gene Mattis, 33 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: thanks for joining me. 34 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: Happy to do it. 35 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: Gene, you filed a really detailed investigative story that you 36 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: did a lot of digging in data and legal documents 37 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: and all of the labor intensive, brain power intensive work 38 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,839 Speaker 1: that goes into investigative reporting. And there is a lot 39 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: of stuff going on with Los Angeles Film School. First, 40 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: I want you to tell me what sparked your interest 41 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: in looking deeper into the Los Angeles Film School. 42 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: Oh, it's probably about two three weeks ago that I 43 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: literally just stumbled on this lawsuit that had been filed 44 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: initially under seal in twenty twenty four and then unsealed 45 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 2: a few months ago, and it is a real bombshell 46 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 2: law suit. 47 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: You were just doing your legal filing beat checks, where 48 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: you just look at the list of what's been filed 49 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: in a day, and you're hunting for a needle in 50 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: a haystack. Sometimes there's a lot. 51 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 2: Of panting for goal there and the usually, you know, 52 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: you don't find it much of interest, but every once 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: in a while it pays off. 54 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: What are the basic facts here in the basic allegations? 55 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: So the basic allegation is Los Angeles Film School has 56 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: been taking federal money for you know, student loans and 57 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: grants through the GI Bill for its students for many years, 58 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: and it has been maintaining its accreditation, which it needs 59 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 2: to do to get that money. And in order to 60 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: maintain its accreditation, it needs to show that those students 61 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 2: are actually gainfully employed in the film industry and that 62 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: turns out to be a pretty difficult thing to do. 63 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: It's one thing to educate people, train them about how 64 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: the industry works. It's quite another for them to go 65 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 2: out in the world and get jobs. And so the 66 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 2: allegation is that they have been basically cooking the book 67 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: and creating fake jobs for their own graduates to show 68 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: their creditors and prospective students that their employment rate is 69 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: higher than it actually is. 70 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: Dear listeners. The story on LA Film School you can 71 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: find it on Variety dot com right now. Some of 72 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: it gets pretty intricate, but what was shocking to me 73 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: is the elaborateness of the alleged scheme that was going 74 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: on here. The accusations that they paid companies to hire 75 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: people for a couple of days so that they could 76 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: report that they work the loss. 77 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: It uses the term fake jobs, So people would show 78 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 2: up for two days, they'd sign a form saying yes, 79 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 2: I'm gainfully employed. They'd get a couple hundred bucks or 80 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: whatever for a couple of days work, and then that 81 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: would be it. And then they can turn around and 82 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 2: show their creditors that, hey, look, our graduates are actually 83 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: employed in the film industry and isn't that great. That's 84 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: the core of the allegation that they would pay outside 85 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: companies to come on to campus and do these productions 86 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: for quote unquote graduates. They had they had it in writing, 87 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 2: they had contractual agreements with these companies that you will 88 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: hire our people and in exchange, we will pay you 89 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 2: X amount of money. So obviously, if that's true, that 90 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 2: would be fraudulent to claim that these are legit jobs 91 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: when they're actually fixed. 92 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: That's where this gets particularly dicey is where it involves 93 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: federal student loans. Can you unpack what was going on 94 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: with the student loans and just what that adds to 95 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: this whole case. 96 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 2: So, the Los Angeles Film School, according to this lawsuit, 97 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 2: takes in about eighty million dollars a year from the 98 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 2: federal government, and that's about sixty million dollars in student loans, 99 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 2: and that's another fifteen seventeen million something like that in 100 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: you know GI built veterans education, which are grands. And 101 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 2: in order to get that money, obviously you have to 102 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 2: be a school in good standing with accreditation or the 103 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: government doesn't want to just send student loan money to 104 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 2: some you know, fly by night operation, and so they 105 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 2: are accredited, but the claim is that they've maintained that 106 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: accreditation fraudulently by goosing their employment numbers. 107 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: This is a civil lawsuit, but do you have a 108 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: sense at this stage is there the potential for full 109 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 1: blown criminal charges. 110 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: I wouldn't go that far necessarily. What we do know 111 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 2: is that the Education Department has looked into at least 112 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: some of this. In a period of twenty seventeen to 113 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 2: twenty twenty, the Education Department did an audit where they 114 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 2: looked at is this school being candid about its job 115 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: placement numbers or not? And there was a settlement. We 116 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: don't understand everything about what happened with that, but we 117 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: know at least that the Education Department looked into some 118 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 2: of this. But the claim in the lawsuit is that 119 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: stuff was hidden from the Education Department at that time. 120 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: It's styled as a whistleblower lawsuit from two former top 121 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 2: executives at the school who allege that there was this 122 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 2: scheme going on, that they were not fully candid with 123 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: the Education Department, and that therefore the US government was 124 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 2: defrauded out of many, many millions of dollars under this scheme. 125 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: And if they're successful they prevail, then they could get 126 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 2: a cut of any recovery. And there have been other 127 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: schools that have gone through something similar to this, the 128 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: University of Phoenix being the example that comes to mind 129 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: most prominently. But this is a thing in the for 130 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 2: profit education world where former employees, former executives will go 131 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 2: file these lawsuits on behalf of the United States government 132 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 2: and if there is a recovery, then they get a 133 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 2: piece of it as the whistleblower. 134 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: The minute you involve federal dollars, the stakes just get 135 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: so much higher. 136 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: Well, the number that jumps out to me from the 137 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 2: lawsuit is there is an agenda document internal to the 138 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: school that is quoted that says that most graduates earn 139 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,679 Speaker 2: between zero and five thousand dollars in their field of study. 140 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 2: When we're talking about degrees that people are paying forty 141 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 2: thousand dollars for eighty thousand dollars for to end up 142 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: with a job or no job that pays less than 143 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 2: five thousand dollars at the end of the day. That 144 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 2: tells the story in terms of the student experience. You know, 145 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 2: if you think about nursing schools or engineering schools, like 146 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: the goal is to train people for a trade, and 147 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: when all these other schools are accredited, they want to 148 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: see that people who graduate from your school are actually working. 149 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 2: Otherwise it's not a successful school. The accreditation agencies want 150 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: to see that people are succeeding in the field that 151 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: they're studying for. 152 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: This is still the early litigation stage, but it does 153 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,479 Speaker 1: remind me there have been over the years many incidents 154 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: of disreputable talent agencies, people that claim just pay me 155 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: three hundred dollars for headshots and I'll get you meetings 156 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: with casting agents, and just that low level scam that 157 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: praise on people that just are desperate to be anywhere 158 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: near Hollywood. If you don't have connections, it's so hard 159 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: to break in to get that first foot in the door, 160 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: and there is just an unlimited number of people that 161 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: just exist to exploit that desire and just sort of 162 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: preying on people's dreams and hopes. Us this something you 163 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: think you're going to be following for a while now. 164 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, people just started to reach out a little 165 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,719 Speaker 2: bit in terms of their experience of the place and 166 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 2: that kind of thing, and certainly welcome hearing from people 167 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: the bad and the ugly about their experience there that 168 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 2: would be interesting to know about. 169 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: Well, once again, it takes investigative reporters. Gene, thank you 170 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: for being ours. 171 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 2: Thank you. 172 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: Now, Jennifer Moz joins us for a quick tutorial on 173 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: mobile gaming and why it's so lucrative. Jennifer is out 174 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: here on the West Coast to take part in Variety's 175 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: Entertainment and Technology Summit today, where she's interviewing executives from Scopely. 176 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: Jennifer Moz, thank you for joining me. Thank you for 177 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: flying across the country to be part of Variety's and 178 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: in Tech com today. Yes, excited to do it. One 179 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: of the panels that you're going to do today is 180 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: a conversation with Scopely, which is a mobile gaming company. 181 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: Tell me what a unique about their position in gaming. 182 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 3: They make some of the top mobile games. So you 183 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 3: might not know them by name, but you've heard of 184 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: Monopoly Go and you've heard of Pokemon Go. These are 185 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 3: giant games because everyone plays them. If you don't play them, 186 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 3: you know someone who does. They are the number one 187 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 3: mobile gaming company in the US. They have a huge 188 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 3: market share of the gaming industry in general. Because mobile 189 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 3: gaming is so big, it's giant compared to consoles compared 190 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 3: to PC games, because everyone has a phone in their 191 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 3: hands and everyone has the papability to be a mobile gamer, 192 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 3: whereas there are barriers for PC and console, and so 193 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 3: mobile has really opened up what a conversation is surrounding gamers, 194 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 3: and scope Lay is at the center of that because 195 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 3: they're the biggest player right now. 196 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: It's the top of the funnel, right It is the 197 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: thing that brings a lot of people and gets them 198 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: familiar with gaming. What makes it so lucrative and what 199 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: are the capabilities that a company needs to really score 200 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 1: in mobile? 201 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 3: The money comes from many micro transactions. It comes from 202 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 3: buying power ups, It comes from paying a little more 203 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 3: so you can get somewhere faster in a game, you 204 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 3: can advance in levels. There's some controversy surrounding the idea 205 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 3: of hay to play, but in particular scope Lay works 206 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: really hard and makes a message that that's not what 207 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 3: they're trying to do. They've said, we want to make 208 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 3: it you can get as far in this game without 209 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 3: paying any money as you could with paying money. It 210 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 3: just takes longer kind of thing. But there are certain 211 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 3: exclusive items that you can get in game if you 212 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 3: buy them and things like that that add into what 213 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: the revenue is. Mobile games get updates constantly. There's new 214 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 3: seasonal events, there's new tie ins. Monopoly Go has had tons. 215 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: They do a lot of. 216 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 3: Stuff with Marvel and so your in new characters that 217 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 3: can play in the game, and new accessories and things 218 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 3: that you can add into a game to make it 219 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 3: more exciting, more fun and keep you always playing, because 220 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 3: it's not like a console game where you sink twenty 221 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 3: hours into it. You have a great time, but you've 222 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 3: bought the game once you played it through and now 223 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 3: you're done. 224 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: Am I right in thinking that in a mobile game 225 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: you have to continually have some new bells and whistles, 226 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 1: some new things to get people to pick it up again. 227 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 3: Absolutely, especially if you've been playing Monopoly Go for a year. 228 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 3: What keeps you coming back all the time isn't playing 229 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 3: the same game every day. It's new additions to the game, 230 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 3: and I think that is what draws people in in 231 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 3: the first place. If you see that Star Wars characters 232 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 3: are going to be coming up Monopoly Go, you might 233 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 3: jump in. You could have already been playing and that'll 234 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: keep you there longer. But it could be something that 235 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 3: brings a Star Wars fan in who hadn't played Monopoly 236 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 3: Go before. 237 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 1: Do you think that Scopely as a company is known 238 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: in the industry? Are they becoming known because they are 239 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 1: doing some more of these licensing deals for sure? 240 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 3: And one thing that made them even bigger it was 241 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 3: the acquisition of Pokemon Go that came this past spring. 242 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 3: They purchased that game, and I think we've all heard 243 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 3: of Pokemon Go. And one thing that you will notice 244 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: is that that game will have more tie ins from 245 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 3: here on not as well, because a lot of the 246 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 3: people at Scopely, at the highest level, have those partner connections. 247 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 3: A chief revenue officer, Tim O'Brien's from Disney and he 248 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: has those Disney relationships and it really helps when you're 249 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 3: the revenue officer and you were striking those partnership deals 250 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 3: that you know everyone that you're talking to people at Paramount, 251 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 3: that you're talking to people at Warner Brothers who want 252 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 3: to get their stuff in those games. 253 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: What where's the company based there? Are they a couple 254 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: hundred people, a couple thousand, so they're based in Los Angeles. 255 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 3: I think they have a couple thousand employees, but they 256 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 3: also have offices all. 257 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: Over the world. Jenny, thank you for once again illuminating 258 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: the gaming business. I'm very much looking forward to your 259 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: session later today. You can read all about it on 260 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 1: writay dot com. Thank Cynthia. As we close out today's episode, 261 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: I have to pay tribute to Bob Broder. He was 262 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: a lion in our industry. He died September twenty third 263 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: on Roshashana at the age of eighty five. He ran 264 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: the Broder Curland Literary Talent Agency for nearly thirty years 265 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: before it was bought by ICM in two thousand and six. 266 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: Bob represented some of the biggest showrunners and directors of 267 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: his time. He was an encyclopedia of the industry, and 268 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: he taught me a lot about how things work. He 269 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: had a strong sense of fairness. He was a quiet 270 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: but important voice on industry issues with organizations, including the 271 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: Association of Talent Agents. He did not court the spotlight. 272 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: He told me straight up the first time we had 273 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: lunch that the only time he ever wanted his name 274 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: in Variety would be for his obituary. I got him 275 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: to do a story or two over the years, including 276 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: one about the great training program that he set up 277 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: at ICM But the best Bob Broder story I have 278 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: is how he figured into the final episode of Cheers. 279 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: Bob represented the three creators, James Burrows and brothers Glen 280 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: and Les Charles. Bob's craggy profile was immortalized in shadow 281 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: in the closing moments of that final episode. In nineteen 282 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: ninety three, Ted Danson Sam Malone is closing up the 283 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: show's titular bar for the night. When a man walks 284 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: up to its distinctive wooden door hoping to get a drink. 285 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: Malone shouts, sorry, were closed. Wearing a classic Fedora, Bob's 286 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: profile is seen briefly as the spurn patron walks away. 287 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: That bit was an in joke nod to the fact 288 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: that Bob tried hard to squeeze a twelfth season out 289 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: of Cheers, but Danson was ready to move on. Bob 290 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: was a good man. Blessed be his memory. Thanks for listening. 291 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: This episode was written and reported by me Cynthia Littleton, 292 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: with contributions from Gene Mattis and Jennifer Miles. Stick Snicks 293 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: hick Picks. Please leave us a review at the podcast 294 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: platform of your choice, and please tune in Monday for 295 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: another episode of Daily Variety.