1 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of Strictly Business, the podcast in 2 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: which we speak with some of the brightest minds working 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: in the media business today. I'm Andrew Wallenstein with Variety. 4 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: When the new animated series Space Jump premierees later this month, 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: you won't be able to see it on a TV 6 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: network or a streaming service. This show is powered by 7 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: the blockchain, a new style of programming that counts my 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: next guests as pioneers in this relatively new corner of 9 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: the entertainment space. John Attanasio and Luisa Wong are the 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: co founders of the Web three story Studio Toonstar and 11 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: if you want to know what on earth a web 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: three story studio is mist Brown. How we are back 13 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: in John atas you know and so long co founders 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: at two Star. Thanks for coming in, guys. 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 2: Thank you for having as thanks for having us cool. 16 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: So I want to start by noting that, you know, 17 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: sometimes when we hear about these new ventures doing something 18 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: super cutting edge, people make assumptions like, oh, these you know, 19 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: Johnny come late leads to Hollywood are trying to but 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: you both have quite the resume, having worked on major 21 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: franchises at various top studios, like Warner Brothers, Disney dream Work. 22 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: So how did we get here? How did you get 23 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: to this kind of cutting edge stuff? 24 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: You know? The way we got here is that so 25 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: we we met at we met at Warner Brothers, and 26 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: we were in the. 27 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 3: Digital media group there, and we were doing a lot 28 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 3: of work really at the intersection of like technology and 29 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 3: how tech was like impacting storytelling. And we you know, 30 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 3: we saw on this will sort of like you know, 31 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 3: rewind back to like early days of Web two, and 32 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 3: we saw what was like we're actually on the team 33 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 3: that we were talking about the benefits of like YouTube 34 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 3: and sort of this new world and ecosystem where you know, 35 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 3: creators could directly connect with communities and tell stories. And 36 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 3: so you know, that really opened our eyes to like, 37 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 3: you know, this idea of that storytelling and the way 38 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 3: you know, creators and fans connect was was changing. 39 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: Uh. 40 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: And I think the other thing that we noticed. 41 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 3: Was that when we looked at the world of animation, 42 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 3: it still really felt like this a bit of like 43 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 3: a private club. I mean, in the sense of it, 44 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 3: it felt like it was the same people, whether it 45 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 3: was like writers, showrunners, you know, voice talent, and and 46 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: we didn't see enough you know, new new storytellers, whether 47 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 3: it was like you know, new ideas, new new concept, 48 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 3: or just diversity of storytellers. And it was and that 49 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: was always weird to us because like, you know, we 50 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: were just like you know, we we call ourselves children 51 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 3: of Saturday Morning cartoons. 52 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: Uh, you know, we just we just love the medium 53 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 2: of animation. 54 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 3: We know how powerful it is in terms of being 55 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 3: a story you know telling medium, but also how powerful 56 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 3: it is in terms of building you know, franchise I P. 57 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 3: And it just was weird just that more people didn't 58 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: have access to to the medium. 59 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: Uh. 60 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: And so I think you kind of combined those two 61 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 3: things of like what was happening you know in sort 62 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: of Web two with this idea of like you know, 63 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 3: sort of unlocking animation for a new breed of storytellers. 64 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 3: And that really was the inspiration for starting tune Star. 65 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 3: And that was you know, we got the enough you know, 66 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 3: courage to leave the corporate nest and and and start 67 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 3: the company. And at the highest level, like that's that's 68 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 3: our mission is to build you know, original entertainment I P. 69 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 3: Using you know, we started out in Web two. Now 70 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 3: we're using Web three, using new forms of technology to 71 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 3: do it and really unlock you know, unlock animation for 72 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 3: a new you know, a new generation of storyteller. 73 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: Well, I know it takes courage, but it also takes investment. 74 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: And so Luisa, how are you guys able to get 75 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: some pretty big investors to come in and back world this. 76 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean we so we have. We have some 77 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 4: you know, pretty notable investors. Uh were our lead investor, 78 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 4: Founder's Fund. We also have Snapchat as an investor, Great 79 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 4: Craft and Baron Davis also one of our investors. And 80 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 4: you know, like we really among others. Yeah, and I 81 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 4: think we really you know, it was it really took 82 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 4: like building these like proof of concept cases to be 83 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 4: able to like go out and demonstrate and show that 84 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 4: you know, this is this is a category of like, 85 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 4: you know, how do you build this like tech stock 86 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 4: to be able to produce things in animation very quickly 87 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 4: and be able to you know, district viewed that out 88 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 4: into the marketplace. And at this time, at the at 89 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 4: that time in which we were raising, you know, it 90 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 4: was very Web two centric world. And so we we 91 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 4: basically built we self funded the kickstart to building the 92 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 4: tech stock to then show that we had the technology 93 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 4: to be able to do this like quick turn animation, 94 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 4: and we ended up distributing all of these like little 95 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 4: vignettes in Instagram, in Facebook and and and I think 96 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 4: that's kind of like where it really really started to 97 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 4: you know, kind of demonstrate that, wow, there's an appetite 98 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 4: for original animated content shorts in social media. And then 99 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 4: at the time too, there was Musically, right the pre 100 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 4: TikTok too to the world Musically, and we actually built 101 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 4: as part of our tech stack this like live streaming 102 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 4: animated live streaming technology, and we had this blue chicken 103 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 4: named Poppy who ended up being this you know, very 104 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 4: big muser as they call them. And we had a 105 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 4: live show on Musically that was getting you know, over 106 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,679 Speaker 4: one hundred thousand concurrent viewers you know on the show 107 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 4: at the time, and that was that was huge And 108 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,559 Speaker 4: and I think that really kind of like moved us 109 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 4: into you know, like a lot of notice. And that's 110 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 4: really kind of where we had our first round of investment. 111 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was like the that was like really the Yeah, 112 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 3: that was like the the moment where venture you know 113 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 3: that that yeah, that really took us you know, started 114 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 3: the venture path and it was that you know o 115 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 3: g her name, did you? 116 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, Poppy. So her name was Poppy and. 117 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 3: She was you know, she was one of the first, 118 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 3: she was one of the first animated influencers in social media. Uh, 119 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 3: and just she took off and and I think that 120 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 3: I think that really helped. It helped validate our thesis 121 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 3: of you know, hey, there there is you know, you 122 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 3: can build these characters direct with communities in you know, 123 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 3: using technology and sort of new forms of storytelling. And 124 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 3: then I think to see the kind of audiences we 125 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: were getting, you know, not only loving the character, but 126 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 3: interacting with the character in different ways. And again at 127 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 3: that point it was like primarily through through social media. 128 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 3: I think that really was a point where everyone's like, yeah, this, 129 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 3: there's something there. 130 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. 131 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: So now we've got the background down. Let's fast forward 132 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: to today where you know, later this month your is 133 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,119 Speaker 1: it third web three series is coming out in form 134 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: of space Junk. So how did you get from this 135 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: sort of social media driven model to what you're doing now, 136 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: which sounds pretty different? 137 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? 138 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 3: No, I mean so it's it's like, I think for us, 139 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: like the way we talk about it is that there 140 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 3: were things that we learned in the in the like, 141 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 3: there were things that we learned and I think, uh, 142 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 3: you know, capabilities and and you know, expertise, these competencies 143 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 3: that we honed in the Web two world that are 144 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 3: you know, very applicable to Web three. I think, you know, 145 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 3: probably even more so potentially in Web three than they 146 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 3: were in you know, in Web two and social media. 147 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 3: And I think, you know what happened is like, you know, 148 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 3: we we we built this this you know, this production 149 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 3: engine that you know can do high quality animation very quickly. 150 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 2: We have you know a lot of you know, we 151 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: have had a lot of. 152 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 3: Reps building communities directly and large you know, these are 153 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 3: large communities and on social media and they're highly engaged communities. 154 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 4: Uh. 155 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 3: And so we had that, you know, that part of 156 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 3: the expertise. And then I think, you know, enter Web 157 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 3: three and you know, we'll give you know, give a 158 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 3: lot of you know, credit to to me Lacunas in 159 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: our team because we saw, you know what they did 160 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: with with Stoner Cats. So Stoner Cats that was actually 161 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 3: the that was the the first animated UH series in 162 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 3: Web three. 163 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 2: We were the you. 164 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 3: Know, and basically we came along partner with me La 165 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 3: and then and her team, and we were part of 166 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 3: their second animated series and we you know, we added first, 167 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 3: like we actually we were The Gimmicks is the first 168 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 3: community driven animated series in Web three, which is a 169 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 3: little bit different than than Stoner Cats. But we just 170 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 3: saw what they were doing with that project and we're like, wow, 171 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 3: this is like, you know, such a great idea in 172 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 3: terms of like this new this new way to get 173 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: fans involved in helping you know, being part of IP, 174 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 3: but also this new sort of form of distribution where 175 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 3: you can, as a creator have more control over your story, 176 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 3: over your IP, you have ownership over that. And to us, 177 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 3: that was like, you know, that was very much aligned 178 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 3: with sort of our DNA and our thesis when we 179 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 3: launched the company. And again when we launched, Web three 180 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: didn't exist, but we saw you know, and again this 181 00:09:57,679 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 3: is rewind this is two years ago that we we 182 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 3: connect did with them, uh, and so we're like, oh, 183 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 3: this is great. We pitched Mila and thankfully, you know, 184 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 3: she and her team came on board as you know, 185 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 3: co producers for the project. 186 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 2: And that's that's. 187 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 3: Really you know, how how our our journey and Web 188 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 3: three started. But I think sort of beneath all that 189 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 3: was just this idea of like, yeah, these things that 190 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 3: we've built are a great fit for Web three, and 191 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 3: in fact, I think they position us, you know, they're 192 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 3: even you know, they even position our company to do 193 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 3: I would say, sort of next level type ipel ip 194 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 3: building that we couldn't you know, that we couldn't do 195 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 3: in Web two. And so I think that's I think 196 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 3: that was probably it where it's like, yes, this is 197 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 3: a thing where it's just a great fit for what 198 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 3: we've built. And then we built, you know, over i'd say, 199 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 3: over the last two years, built very deep Web three 200 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 3: tech dev capabilities. So those are those are things around 201 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: building protocols on blockchains, and you know, we built a 202 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 3: social layer for the Gimmick, which was you know, we've 203 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 3: we've been told was the for social layer and Web 204 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 3: three and those are all sort of like tech dev 205 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 3: capabilities that we've spent you know, the last two years 206 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 3: building out. 207 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: Okay, so now let's pump the brakes for a second 208 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: and give the most explain it to my audience, like 209 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: their six explanation of what we even mean here in 210 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: terms of you know, a Web three powered piece of entertainment. 211 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,679 Speaker 1: I know you've got the community layer and all that, 212 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: but I'm six years old, deuisa, Explain to me how 213 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: you know, I'm assuming Space junk isn't as simple as 214 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: oh I watch it on streaming service X or TV 215 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: network Y. So starting with where do I access this show? 216 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: And what are the things that make this different than 217 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: what I might see on a linear network. 218 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 4: Sure, so in order to access the show, you simply 219 00:11:55,720 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 4: go to the website Space Junkies dot xyz and when 220 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 4: you're there, there's actually a button that says episodes, and 221 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 4: you click on that and you'll be able to watch it. 222 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 4: It's not gated, so our projects are not gated, so 223 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 4: you do not actually need to own a token in 224 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 4: order to simply enjoy the show. So you would be 225 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 4: able to enjoy the show just like you would be 226 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 4: able to on television. You just go to the website. 227 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: I don't pay, I don't know, do I watch ads? 228 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 4: No, Okay, it's there. So just so that experience I 229 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 4: think will feel very familiar. You just go to that 230 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 4: website and you'll be able to watch the episodes. And 231 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 4: so that's, you know, very simple. So the next step 232 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 4: is if you're like, hey, I love this show. Now 233 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 4: I'm interested in exploring, like, so what does it mean 234 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 4: to become part of the community. So when you think about, 235 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 4: you know, again the reference point of like how people 236 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 4: usually consume their shows, they're like, oh my god, I 237 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 4: I love you know, I love I love Harry Potter 238 00:12:57,840 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 4: not not a show but a movie. But okay, so 239 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 4: I love Harry Potter and I'm such a fan. Now, 240 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 4: you know, as a fan, I start to seek out 241 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 4: other experiences in that, you know, in that particular you 242 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 4: know IP and so that's you know, that's what we've 243 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 4: built into that website is come watch the show, you 244 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 4: love the show, you enjoy it. Well, okay, there are 245 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 4: other experiences. Now go deeper, and the going deeper will 246 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 4: be we invite you to come create with us. Like 247 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 4: what we what we know to be the case in 248 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 4: these a lot of these shows or like franchises, is 249 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 4: that people love to be able to, you know, come 250 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 4: in and you see like fan fiction being created. Well 251 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 4: we've and that's usually kind of like this like secondary 252 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 4: layer that everyone kind of does on the side. Or 253 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 4: maybe they'll like you know, go to other like apps 254 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 4: or community boards and they'll just kind of do it 255 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 4: on their own. Well, in this case, we've built that 256 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 4: right into the actual experience. It's like, if you love it, 257 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 4: come grab a token, come into the behind the scenes 258 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 4: type of like experience layer. And now what do you 259 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 4: get access to? You get access to a lot of 260 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 4: you know, discussions from creators and the people who voice it, 261 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 4: you know, like the get to see like the making 262 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 4: of And you also have the ability to create your 263 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 4: own stories, create your own backstories to the token that 264 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 4: you hold, because each token has you know, basically a 265 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 4: unique set of attributes that you know invite you to 266 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 4: now create a story with it. 267 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: But also monetization is coming in here. You are purchasing 268 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: the n f T. 269 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 4: Yes, you're purchasing the n f T, and that almostly 270 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 4: it's your past to have all of these other activities, right, 271 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 4: so you're you're able to create and for that, for that, 272 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 4: you also have the ability to jump into things like 273 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 4: we the activities that some of them are a contests 274 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 4: to be able to have your stories like voted on 275 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 4: in the winners of that you know contest will be 276 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 4: able to have their stories or their characters invited into 277 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 4: the main show. And that they'll be able to voice 278 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 4: a character in the show and be a part of 279 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 4: an episode and get IMDb credit in a production that 280 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 4: you know stars John Heater, that stars Tony Cavallero. Like, 281 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 4: that's a pretty cool entry point into an industry where 282 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 4: it's pretty difficult to break in and to just simply 283 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 4: have like you're name listed as part of the production 284 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 4: in this you know, in this real you know show. 285 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: Now, is this the kind of thing because you know, 286 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: obviously you're not alone out there, although not to crowded 287 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: a space either in terms of people doing this kind 288 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: of thing. But from what I've read and seen, uh, 289 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: sometimes this model has to do with you, the viewer 290 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: who has bought an NF Do you now have an 291 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: ownership stake in this show? And is that this kind 292 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: of model? 293 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 2: No? 294 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 4: Actually, so it's not an ownership stake in the show. 295 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 4: So we're not we don't position this as you're not 296 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 4: becoming an investor in the show. The show is fully funded, 297 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 4: it's being produced, it's you know, the show's existence does 298 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 4: not depend on the NFT holders to come in so 299 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 4: that we pool enough resources in order to make the show. 300 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 4: This is really more like this is really like becoming 301 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 4: this like VIP fan base that has all sorts of 302 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 4: these like you know, really great perks in it. Right, 303 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,479 Speaker 4: So it's like like joining the Soho house, Right, There's 304 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 4: there's some great perks of like you get access to 305 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 4: this really great environment. You know, there's some concerts that 306 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 4: are attached to it, you get to the the So 307 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 4: it's really like that, It's like this, if you love 308 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 4: the show, will come and be kind of like this 309 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 4: next layer of a fan a supporter, and you own 310 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 4: this token, and for this token, you really get to 311 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 4: go deeper into the creation process. Being a part of 312 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 4: the show. There are you know, like benefits of maybe 313 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 4: being able to you know, see things that maybe normally 314 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 4: you would see at like a comic con panel, Like 315 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 4: that's sort of like more direct interaction with creators really 316 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 4: and and outside sort of even being able to vote 317 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 4: on where the story goes. These are all ways in 318 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 4: which you know, like that you know, the fandom, the 319 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 4: VIP fandom sort of like interacts. 320 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 1: So the bottom line is you are basically getting this 321 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: greater level of engagement than you would ordinarily. 322 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 5: Yes, when we come back and we'll talk a bit 323 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 5: more about how this model works, will be back with 324 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 5: John Atanasio and Zula. 325 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 1: We are back at the co founders of the web 326 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: three story studio toon Star to getting into an interesting 327 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: business model. Uh John, So, now that I know that 328 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: I as the viewer, the fan and not an owner, 329 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: I'm curious from the toon Star perspective, are you the owner? 330 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: Are you the creator? Which how do you make money? 331 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, so yeah, from from an so a toon 332 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 3: Star we are the owner along with you know, whoever 333 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 3: you know is participating in the project. So you know, 334 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 3: in the case of space Junk, it's you know we 335 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 3: we we own it along with you know, John Heater 336 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 3: and Tony Cavallero and and Dominic Russo, who's the creator 337 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 3: of the world. 338 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: He's from he did work Aholic. 339 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 3: Yeah so yeah, so he he he created Workaholics and 340 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 3: so he and and he's the creator of space Junk. 341 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 3: Uh and and so you know the people that are 342 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 3: you know, owners in that i P. 343 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 2: Or have you know a stake in that i P. 344 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,959 Speaker 3: That's that that's you know, how we we've structured it. 345 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 3: Now there there is this other sort of aspect to 346 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 3: it where and you know this is I don't you 347 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 3: know too abstract of a concept. But we we like 348 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 3: this notion. 349 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 2: Of like we we talk a lot about like this 350 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,120 Speaker 2: idea of like nature versus nurture. And there's a little bit. 351 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 3: Of this idea with like you know, the like these 352 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 3: tokens or n f T s where it's like there's 353 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 3: like a rare you know, you get to saying and 354 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 3: it's like rare, and it's like how rare is it? 355 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 3: And that determines its value and that's okay, And that's 356 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 3: a that's a fine sort of like you know concept. 357 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: That's how most people understand the n f T market. 358 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 3: Exactly exactly, that's how most people think about it. But 359 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 3: but you know, and that's fine. And like you know, 360 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 3: when we when we do stuff, there is inherent rare. 361 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 3: You know, at least in the gimmicks the way we 362 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 3: did it, there was inherent rarity in you know, some 363 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 3: of the you know, the NFTs had like a you know, 364 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 3: different types of rarity. But there's this other aspect. We 365 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 3: really like it, and it's really like the nurture part 366 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,719 Speaker 3: of it, and the idea there is like you know, 367 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 3: allow the community, through your effort, through your creativity, through participation, 368 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 3: you actually can can become part of the world, and 369 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 3: and that's through something that you've done, So it's not 370 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 3: a lot like, that's not a lottery ticket. That's actually 371 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 3: you know, work and creativity that you've you've contributed to 372 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 3: the community. And we like that idea, and that's what 373 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 3: we did with the gimmicks. That's the same thing we're 374 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 3: doing with Space Shunk, where it's like you you have 375 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 3: that you have that token, you can actually work your 376 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 3: way in to the main canon. Because if you write 377 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 3: a backstory or you create fan fiction that the entire 378 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 3: community loves enough to vote you as like the coolest thing, 379 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 3: then we'll actually bring that into the core canon of 380 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 3: the world. And now all of a sudden, you do 381 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 3: have a piece of of you know, what's being created. 382 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 3: So it's it's basically we've created this opportunity for the 383 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 3: community to earn their way in to sort of the 384 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 3: core cannon. And we just love that concept because it 385 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 3: is like, you know, it's not just again, it's like 386 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 3: it's through people's sort of effort and merit, and it's 387 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 3: also through like these really cool and different ways to participate, 388 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 3: which we just think, you know, we just feel like 389 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 3: audiences today behaviors changed, and there's an expectation to engage 390 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 3: more with content and stories and participate in different ways. 391 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 3: And that's certainly, you know, prevalent in younger generations, but 392 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 3: I think that's also you know, older generations have sort 393 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 3: of learned that too a lot through sort of like 394 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 3: have been trained through social media. But we see that 395 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 3: as a trend, and I think for us, it's like, 396 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 3: all right, how do we sort of lean into that 397 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 3: and give the community those kind of you know, those 398 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 3: kind of opportunities. 399 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: So I get what you're saying in theory, going back 400 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: to the economics of what you're doing. I wonder, when 401 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 1: you're hatching brand new IP and you're doing it at 402 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: a place that is not a destination like a streaming service, 403 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: how are you able to get enough people in the 404 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: tent to experience all this to make this profitable. 405 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, So, so a couple of things. I think, you know, 406 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 4: where we have so our our tech stack does enable 407 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 4: us to create and produce at a much lower, much 408 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 4: lower cost cost basis. So so that in and of itself, 409 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 4: just from an economic standpoint, puts us in a little 410 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 4: bit of a different category in terms of we're not 411 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 4: looking at an episode costing millions of dollars, right, So 412 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 4: that's that's definitely you know, that benefit. And so that's 413 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 4: really kind of like I guess, you know, like our 414 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,719 Speaker 4: our sort of like how we're able to make it 415 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 4: work where you don't need to have millions of eyeballs 416 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 4: on a piece of a piece of content is just 417 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 4: simply you know, it's as simple as that it does 418 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 4: not cost us as much as you would in the 419 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 4: traditional sort of like model. And so and then yes, 420 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 4: you have you know, the n f T paying members 421 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 4: of the n f T base that are you know, 422 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 4: going to be you know, buying into it and and 423 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 4: contributing to that, so that you know, obviously then becomes 424 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 4: a revenue model. Then the other then the other side 425 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,719 Speaker 4: of it is that you know, creating that sort of 426 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 4: like community there are you know, now you have like 427 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 4: a very avid fan base in which brands become interested 428 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 4: in being able to come and be you know, sponsors 429 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 4: of like say specific shows or like you know, having 430 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 4: product placement in there. So the economic model isn't significantly 431 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 4: different in terms of like, hey, there are these advertising models. 432 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 4: Now it looks a little different in Web three because 433 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 4: you have a smaller base, but avid fan base that 434 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 4: also has direct reach. And because of the lower cost structure, 435 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 4: now you're able to really kind of shape and look 436 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 4: at like the economic model of how you make this work. 437 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 4: Isn't all of a sudden this like huge behemoth that 438 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 4: has a lot of sunk cost structures that will then 439 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 4: you know, sort of say that that was kind of 440 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 4: the big hurdle and animation in the past. It's like 441 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 4: to green light anything, you sort of have to work 442 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 4: through that you know, Excel spreadsheet and say all right, 443 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 4: I got to make sure to hit X in order 444 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 4: to even clear that profitability threshold to say yes, I'm 445 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 4: going to do this you know episode or do this series. 446 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 4: That's you know, changed for us significantly because of the 447 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 4: tech stact that we've built and because of now you 448 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 4: have these different ways in which you have monetization where 449 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,719 Speaker 4: you can you know, you have merch that you have 450 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 4: avid fan base that has much higher conversion. Right, so 451 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 4: you have conversion when you look at the broad base 452 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 4: of like you know, the the TV sort of like shows, 453 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 4: well you have millions of eyeballs and maybe you're converting 454 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 4: one percent to buying a T shirt that looks significantly 455 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 4: different when you're talking about a web based NFT enhanced project, 456 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 4: because these guys are such huge fans, like you're, you're 457 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 4: basically going for you do you have a million casual 458 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 4: fans or do you have you know, ten thousand rabbit fans? 459 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 4: And that's kind of the dynamic that we're now looking 460 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 4: at and really kind of reshaping how we think about fandom, 461 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 4: how we think about economic models of these like you 462 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 4: you almost become like these like pockets of like smaller 463 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,199 Speaker 4: businesses that are built around these like ips that have 464 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 4: the potential of even of scaling, but smaller is still sustainable. 465 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: And how do you sell John someone you know, like 466 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 1: someone creative from Workaholics? Do you join you on this? 467 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: What's the incentive there? Yeah? 468 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 2: I mean you know so I think. 469 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 3: You know, part of it is, you know, the the 470 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 3: there there are sort of like trends in Hollywood right 471 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 3: now that that I think make it, you know, honestly 472 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 3: make it easier. One is that you know it's you know, 473 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 3: and you can see especially what's you know, sort of 474 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 3: happening now. There are a lot of productions that you 475 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 3: know are getting you know, canceled, halted things you know, 476 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 3: will sit in development for extended periods of time. It's 477 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 3: just getting harder and harder to get something made in 478 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 3: the traditional system. 479 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 2: You know. 480 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 3: I think another part of it is, you know, there's 481 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 3: there's a control and ownership aspect to it as well, 482 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 3: because if you know, say you are able to you know, 483 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 3: sort of get something at least maybe in a development, 484 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 3: a lot of times you might lose creative control, you know, 485 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 3: the the ownership that you know, the real ownership that 486 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 3: you have, and what you created, you know, might not 487 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 3: really be commensurate for, you know, what you probably should 488 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 3: get for create being you know, uh you know a 489 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 3: you know, a like a hit, a hit concept. And 490 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 3: so I think those I think those trends are you know, 491 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 3: now you've got storytellers and creators that are you know, 492 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 3: honestly challenge frustrated, and they're looking for other ways to 493 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 3: get stories made, get their stories told, have the control, 494 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 3: have ownership, And honestly, I think it's a pretty you know, 495 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 3: I don't know, but we're obviously but you know, we're biased, but. 496 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: I think it's it's a fairly easy, you. 497 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 3: Know, sort of like pitch because it's like listen, we're 498 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 3: you know, here's a way to go do this. And 499 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 3: then the other part of it, I think, you know, 500 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 3: if you talk to people that have worked with us, 501 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 3: they you know, I think one of the things that 502 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 3: we're proud of is that, like they'll say, hey, like 503 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 3: stuff happens, stuff gets made. 504 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:53,439 Speaker 2: And I think that's probably one of. 505 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 3: The themes if you you know, if you were to 506 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 3: talk to you know, all the creatives that we've worked with, 507 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 3: it's like, yeah, they stuff's happening, Stuff's getting made. In 508 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 3: like you think about that and it's such such a 509 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 3: basic concept. It's it's but that's how things should happen, 510 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 3: like things should get made, things should you know, progress, 511 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 3: because that's the business, you know, that we're in. 512 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 1: That's also let's not forget we're sitting here having this 513 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: conversation during the first week of the writers strike. Frustration 514 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: is probably at a maximum. And I'm this is not 515 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:30,399 Speaker 1: a joking question. Does those does that create a market 516 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: circumstance that helps you, guys, because people are going to 517 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: be looking for opportunities or are you end in by 518 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:37,880 Speaker 1: the strike somehow or. 519 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 4: I mean, I think, you know, it's where I think 520 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 4: that you know, for us, we've always sort of you know, 521 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 4: been the place where we're like if creators like want 522 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 4: to create and they want to you know, make stuff 523 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 4: like where where we say where the place to come 524 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 4: and be like you won't you have an animated idea 525 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,239 Speaker 4: like like come and talk to us because you know 526 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 4: we're we're going to be producing and we're going to 527 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 4: be moving things forward. Because I think that you you 528 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 4: talk about the frustration that happens, and you know, like 529 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 4: the strike is obviously a very serious matter and it 530 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 4: you know, has a lot of implications and and I 531 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 4: think like if you talk to Dom, one of the 532 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 4: things that you know, like he's, uh, you know he 533 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,719 Speaker 4: said to us, like you know, more than a few times, 534 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 4: is like like it's unbelievable. You come into this industry 535 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 4: as a writer and you hear stories like he tells 536 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 4: the stories, and you know, like other folks that we've 537 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 4: worked with have told the stories. Like the thing that 538 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 4: is that that you never expect that you that you're 539 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:49,479 Speaker 4: very quickly like surprised by, is that you spend a 540 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 4: lot of your career waiting. You're waiting for your you know, 541 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 4: your year years for your series to you know come 542 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 4: out of development in which you're just you know, kind 543 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 4: of like long stretches of times of like oh, we're 544 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 4: going to meet and we're going to talk about like 545 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 4: maybe making the show, and then we're gonna we're going 546 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 4: to pause and wait again, and you know, there's like 547 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 4: just more consideration and so you spend so much time 548 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 4: just waiting to see if something's going to happen. And 549 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 4: so you know, for us, we're like writers strike or 550 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 4: no writers strike. Who we are as a company is 551 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 4: like we're not We're not sitting and waiting because our 552 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 4: inherent DNA and I guess this is the benefit of 553 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 4: being really you know, our DNA is like we're we're 554 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 4: tech and creative, but we are still a tech company. 555 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 4: And as a tech company, the thing that you don't 556 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 4: get with a tech company is like you can't as 557 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 4: a tech company sit and wait. It's like you have 558 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 4: to build stuff. You have to put it out there. 559 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 4: And you know this you know, very tech centric thing 560 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 4: is like you got to iterate, right, you got to 561 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 4: put it out and you're going to iterate and you're 562 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 4: going to make the next version. You're going to make 563 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 4: the next version of the product. And that's really part 564 00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 4: of the tech DNA that we have that's moved into 565 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 4: our creative process, in our creative collaborations is that you 566 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 4: can't wait to make stuff. And that's really kind of 567 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,719 Speaker 4: like for us with or without the writer strike. At 568 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 4: the end of the day, it's like, if you're a creator, 569 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 4: who who you see like speed is important to you 570 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 4: and you want to put your product out there, and 571 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 4: you want your stories to be made and stories to 572 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 4: be told like we we should be we we you 573 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 4: should be having a meeting with us. 574 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: I'm curious to get your sense of the NFTE marketplace 575 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: right now, particular to it being also a place for entertainment. 576 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 1: It feels like, you know, we've in the past twelve 577 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:44,479 Speaker 1: months gone on quite a roller coaster rider NFT's worthy 578 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: hottest thing. Yeah, and then that roller coaster came way down, 579 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 1: maybe coming a little bit back up again. But you know, 580 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: it kind of raises the question for me, like is 581 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,640 Speaker 1: the you know, are you attaching yourself to a distribution 582 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: system that, for all its theoretical ram as, the market 583 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: may not necessarily ever pan out in the way that 584 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: you think it will. 585 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 2: Absolutely, you know, absolutely, you're right. 586 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 3: I think there's there's it's it's almost an image, it's 587 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 3: an image makeover. I think in general that like n 588 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 3: f T S and and web threes need partly because 589 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 3: I think the associations and and you know, like you know, 590 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 3: I'll say, like, this is not just a Web three thing. 591 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 3: This is like you know, we saw certainly what happened 592 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 3: with ft X, but you know, there's a banking you know, 593 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 3: you know, s VB was a different that's separate from 594 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 3: web you know, parts of it separate from Web three. 595 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 2: So there are things that just happen. 596 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 3: Where you have bad actors in general, right, like you 597 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 3: look through the history of of anything, and you're always 598 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 3: going to have bad actors. 599 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 2: Web three is no different. 600 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,840 Speaker 3: Like there are bad actors clearly, you know, cast cast 601 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 3: a little bit of a you know, certainly a haze 602 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 3: on on on the potential. But but but I think, 603 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 3: what what people and this is what we what we're 604 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 3: trying to do because I think, you know, because we 605 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 3: are you know, we're committed to We're committed to Web three. 606 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 3: We're committed to you know, AI technology, and for us, 607 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 3: we believe in it and we believe in its potentials. 608 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 3: And because we are you know, hopefully trailblazing and pioneering 609 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 3: some some cool new stuff. Then it's incumbent on us 610 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 3: to help educate and and sort of carrying matches like 611 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,479 Speaker 3: what does this really mean? And I think the challenge 612 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 3: for web three today is that, you know, people don't 613 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 3: know what it really means, or they they've gotten caught 614 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 3: up in like, oh, it's an asset that I flip 615 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 3: and it's you know, it's all about like speculation, and 616 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,040 Speaker 3: and they don't understand the utility of what web three 617 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 3: is and how Web three really can sort of elevate storytelling, building, characters, 618 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 3: community experiences, all those things, and that that that is real, 619 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 3: that's real potential for Web three. But you know, I 620 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 3: don't think anybody really understands that. And I think the 621 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 3: problem is we're also getting caught up in like terms, 622 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 3: and we're talking about it to too technically, and it's 623 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 3: like put all that stuff aside, like let's just talk 624 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 3: about and like you know, and again, like Luisa and 625 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 3: myself are our background, you know, is entertainment. It is 626 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 3: working at you know, studios, and we've been fortunate to 627 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 3: work on some you know, giant you know franchise ip 628 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 3: it's about the story, it's about the characters, it's about 629 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,359 Speaker 3: the creators, the people behind it. Make it about that, 630 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 3: and then have Web three be you know, sort of 631 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,239 Speaker 3: the backbone to this and that shouldn't be the headline, 632 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 3: but it it should be there, and if you lean 633 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 3: into it, it's going to create all sorts of possibilities. 634 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 3: But I don't think that should be the focus of 635 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 3: the narrative because it's just you know, it's it's it's 636 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:42,319 Speaker 3: I think it's over complicating things and. 637 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 4: I think, you know, like the thing that just uh, 638 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,239 Speaker 4: you know, we said, don't talk about the technical. I'm 639 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:50,359 Speaker 4: going to talk about the technical for a minute. I'm 640 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 4: going to talk about the technical for a minute. There's 641 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:57,840 Speaker 4: there's NFTs and then there's Web three, right, so you 642 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 4: have like we're excited by the Web three you know, 643 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 4: technology and infrastructure and what it's going to do for 644 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 4: for distribution, for you know, for production, for for you know, 645 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 4: story creation. Because at the end of the day, like 646 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 4: I guess, you know, like I'll give an analogy like 647 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 4: when you have or an example, not an analogy, but 648 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 4: like if you are a fan base of like anything 649 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 4: that's out there, like you know, usually like these uh, 650 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 4: these big projects. They usually have like, oh, these like 651 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 4: fan experiences that they create, and it's usually like, you know, 652 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 4: an agency creates a fan experience and it's great and 653 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 4: people are like, oh, this is so exciting, so fun. 654 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 4: And then when you know, kind of like the movie 655 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,320 Speaker 4: inherently sort of like you know, goes out of theaters 656 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 4: and you know, moves into different cycles of that. You know, 657 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 4: what happens to that fan experience because that's usually being 658 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 4: run by an agency that's been tasked to create this 659 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:59,280 Speaker 4: sort of like you know, other experience to go along 660 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 4: and the companion of the release of the movie. Well, 661 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 4: you know, the studio stops paying the bills, and then 662 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:07,759 Speaker 4: the agency is like, okay, cool, Well we're done with 663 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:11,359 Speaker 4: that experience, and then it's probably either shut down or 664 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,240 Speaker 4: they just kind of like leave it there and it's 665 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 4: in some like digital wasteland. And as a fan, what happens. 666 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,880 Speaker 4: It's like, well, if I really love this experience and 667 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 4: I've invested time and let's say the story creation you know, 668 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 4: our story creation portal was part of that experience, Well, 669 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 4: if the agency shuts down or stops you know, managing it, 670 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,120 Speaker 4: it basically just kind of sits there. And flound just 671 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,360 Speaker 4: and I'm like, as a fan, well, what if I 672 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 4: spent five, ten, twenty one hundred hours creating this and 673 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 4: I really loved it, and all of a sudden, it's like, wait, 674 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 4: it amounted to nothing. And to us, it's like we 675 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 4: also have to really kind of think about our responsibility 676 00:36:54,320 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 4: to what fans invest in the experience, because even if 677 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 4: they don't give you a ton of money, the thing 678 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 4: that they're also giving you is a lot of time 679 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:10,919 Speaker 4: and attention. And that is what Web three is going 680 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 4: to inherently change about. That is like that in the 681 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 4: Web three ecosystem won't go away, can't go away because 682 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 4: of smart contracts. So even if somebody is like, okay, 683 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,400 Speaker 4: I'm not actively administrating anymore, you don't need someone actively 684 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 4: actively administrating it because it is now powered by a 685 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,360 Speaker 4: smart contract and it will not go away. It's just 686 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:34,160 Speaker 4: it's forever locked and automated, so that if a fan 687 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:37,840 Speaker 4: wants to forever have that experience, they can. And that's 688 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 4: the beauty of it is like it's like as long 689 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 4: as there's a fandom around it, it will self perpetuate 690 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 4: and it won't go away. It's not like this marketing 691 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:49,360 Speaker 4: vehicle that then all of a sudden like oh, bills 692 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 4: get bills stopped? Well, okay, no, now it's digital wasteland. 693 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 1: So I want to get a sense of what your 694 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:01,640 Speaker 1: long term vision is here for not just your company, 695 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 1: but for Web three Entertainment. So in other words, are 696 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 1: you guys counting on a world where Web three takes 697 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: over and the old distribution models crumble? Or no, you know, 698 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 1: Web three will just be sitting there alongside everyone else 699 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: and it'll be one other thing you do. I just 700 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:22,360 Speaker 1: how how how much cool later am I drinking? 701 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 2: What's the level of right? 702 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 4: It's not you know, like I it's never going to 703 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 4: be something that's going to like you know, like it's 704 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:35,760 Speaker 4: not about like destroying like old institutions or it's it's 705 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,800 Speaker 4: it's always going to be this like it's additive. 706 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean I think it's like I think 707 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:46,879 Speaker 2: it's complimentary. I mean we're we're we're seeing it as 708 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:47,800 Speaker 2: a as. 709 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:56,360 Speaker 3: A springboard you know for original you know, original ideas. 710 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,080 Speaker 2: For you know, new diverse creators. 711 00:38:57,560 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 3: Also you know, for creators that have had success and 712 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:03,919 Speaker 3: truditional that you know, want to do something original, because 713 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,319 Speaker 3: I think that's the other part is like you know, 714 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:09,000 Speaker 3: your your earlier question of like how like why you know, 715 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 3: why are we able to sort of like work with 716 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:12,719 Speaker 3: some of you know, like the amazing you know sort 717 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 3: of like creators and talent that we are. I think, 718 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 3: you know, another reason is like there there is like 719 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 3: you know, prequel, sequel, reboot, fatigue and and you know 720 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 3: this and you know and again like we come from 721 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:28,280 Speaker 3: that world and understand why that is happening, but doesn't 722 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:30,720 Speaker 3: change the fact that's that's that's the state of play. 723 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:34,000 Speaker 3: And and so if everything's a prequel, sequel, reboot, where 724 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:36,439 Speaker 3: do I go with my original idea? And I think 725 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:38,759 Speaker 3: that's what we're seeing Web three as like here here, 726 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 3: hopefully is the birthplace, the springboard for original ideas, original 727 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:46,840 Speaker 3: IP again you know, new diverse storytellers also you know, 728 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 3: traditional folks that have had a lot of success and 729 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:50,839 Speaker 3: use that as a springboard. 730 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 2: Uh, you know, to Luis's point, you get. 731 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:55,799 Speaker 3: Your you know, your rabid fans are in there, they're 732 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 3: sort of building the IP and then from there, it's 733 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:00,839 Speaker 3: absolutely complimentary to why couldn't it. 734 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,720 Speaker 2: Then go to a streamer eventually? 735 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:05,279 Speaker 3: Why couldn't it you know, become a film and I 736 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:08,960 Speaker 3: think I think that traditional system is complementary to to 737 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 3: Web three. 738 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 2: I don't. 739 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:11,359 Speaker 3: I don't think it's an either or, And I do 740 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:15,200 Speaker 3: think future state you're you're gonna see, you know, much 741 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 3: more of a fluid. You know, you're gonna you're you're 742 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,200 Speaker 3: gonna see much more of a fluid sort of like 743 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:24,360 Speaker 3: relationship between you know, traditional and Web three. 744 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: I don't want to skip the fact that another distinction 745 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:29,640 Speaker 1: about Space Junk is you are going to have the 746 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 1: first character voiced entirely by an AI voice generated software. 747 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 1: Which sounds great, but let's what exactly does that mean? 748 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:44,759 Speaker 1: Is this character writing its own dialogue or speaking your 749 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,879 Speaker 1: dialogue that you've written? How does that work? 750 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:47,479 Speaker 5: Yeah? 751 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 2: So I'm sorry, Andy, I'm afraid I can't do. 752 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: That those who don't know what I had to continue. 753 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:05,920 Speaker 4: So, Yes, the character's name is well Becca, and so 754 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:10,840 Speaker 4: in the show she is performing the lines that have 755 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 4: been written by by by Dominic Russo and so so 756 00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:20,040 Speaker 4: in in the show itself, she's uh she's fully uh 757 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:24,439 Speaker 4: AI generated voice. So this is there's a distinction. There's 758 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,680 Speaker 4: you know, the voice cloning technology where it's based on 759 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 4: somebody's performance, and then there's you know, full AI voice generation, 760 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 4: so you know, kind of literally created in a lab. 761 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:39,439 Speaker 4: So she's performing, she's performing the lines and she's she's 762 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 4: an AI actor and yeah, so that's her sort of 763 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:48,040 Speaker 4: in the show. Now outside of the show are our 764 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,120 Speaker 4: social media is actually being run by well Becca, and 765 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 4: the social media post and the social media interactions that 766 00:41:55,680 --> 00:42:00,920 Speaker 4: are being had is actually completely generated through AI engines. 767 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 2: And then there's the well and then May the creative 768 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 2: co pilot. 769 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 3: Yes, so the other the other you know, I think 770 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:09,759 Speaker 3: really cool thing about well Becca is then you know, 771 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 3: so those are you know, those examples are on you know, 772 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:16,160 Speaker 3: sort of on the production side, but then we're also 773 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:17,439 Speaker 3: using well Becca. 774 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:21,359 Speaker 2: On the community facing side, where she's going to be. 775 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:26,040 Speaker 3: Essentially your creative co pilot. So if you're in the 776 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 3: community and you want to go, you know, write a 777 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 3: rite fan fiction for a character or a concept within 778 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 3: the Space Junk universe, you're going to go to well 779 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,560 Speaker 3: Becca and she's going to help you come up with 780 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:42,840 Speaker 3: you know, fan fiction. So now you know again, so 781 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:45,360 Speaker 3: she sort of becomes like you're you know, your your 782 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 3: your yeah, your creative assistant, your creative co pilot to 783 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,880 Speaker 3: help you make make things as as a community. 784 00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:56,319 Speaker 1: Member at the risk of falling off the cutting edge here, 785 00:42:57,040 --> 00:43:00,480 Speaker 1: I have to ask, so where we stay and now 786 00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:02,479 Speaker 1: at you know, the beginning of a whole new era 787 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,040 Speaker 1: when it comes to AI, generative AI, what it can 788 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:08,760 Speaker 1: mean to the creative process. My guess is you guys 789 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:12,360 Speaker 1: are thinking a lot about this stuff. Do you have 790 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: at this early sense of the game, what you think 791 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:17,760 Speaker 1: this will mean for your company or the industry at large? 792 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:27,440 Speaker 4: We're we're super big question, We're super excited. Yeah, I mean, 793 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:30,400 Speaker 4: so we've been We've been for a long time actually 794 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:36,240 Speaker 4: using AI in in the production pipeline through machine learning. 795 00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:39,640 Speaker 4: So and then this is you know, this is our 796 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:44,360 Speaker 4: first foray into a more community facing experience. And and 797 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 4: then obviously as like an actual performer in a show, 798 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:53,040 Speaker 4: the way that we see AI and and you know, 799 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:54,920 Speaker 4: kind of everything that we sort of do so far, 800 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,759 Speaker 4: as like AI is a great tool for creators, for 801 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:04,959 Speaker 4: you know, for people in the creative industry, because it's 802 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:09,399 Speaker 4: a way to be able to supercharge a lot of 803 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:13,160 Speaker 4: like idea creation, being able to help you you know, 804 00:44:13,640 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 4: generate proof of concepts to just even see like, is 805 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:18,320 Speaker 4: this a direction that I want to take with something. 806 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:23,320 Speaker 4: So so for us, we're super super excited by now 807 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:26,600 Speaker 4: it feels like the ability to you know, get even 808 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:30,880 Speaker 4: more creative and to experiment with things that maybe you 809 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:34,720 Speaker 4: know might have taken us you know, weeks can be 810 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:39,800 Speaker 4: synthesized in days, and we're excited by you know, you 811 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:44,680 Speaker 4: take creators. It's like, hey, creators have like so many 812 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:48,040 Speaker 4: ideas that all of a sudden they can sort of say, hey, 813 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:51,359 Speaker 4: like what does this idea look like? Like, please synthesize 814 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:54,480 Speaker 4: it for me. And now what AI does is like 815 00:44:54,560 --> 00:44:59,680 Speaker 4: it helps you kind of get fifty sixty seventy percent there. 816 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 4: It's never going to be able to you know, like 817 00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:04,680 Speaker 4: we've all seen the headlines, right it's like, oh, it's 818 00:45:04,719 --> 00:45:07,799 Speaker 4: going to write the next you know, succession. It's not. 819 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:08,960 Speaker 4: It's not. 820 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:10,560 Speaker 3: But I think and I think that's like that I 821 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:12,640 Speaker 3: think that is the misconception because it's not like listen, 822 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:14,480 Speaker 3: AI is not a button you hit and out pops 823 00:45:14,480 --> 00:45:17,919 Speaker 3: Harry Potter. Like that's just that's not you know, that's 824 00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 3: not how it works. But but it is this like 825 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:24,799 Speaker 3: it really is this like great tool assistant, you know, 826 00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:27,360 Speaker 3: creative copilot. I think that is a good sort of 827 00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:30,719 Speaker 3: like way to think about it. That does supercharge you 828 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,880 Speaker 3: as a creator, and when you see what comes out, 829 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 3: it does it can do a good, good portion of 830 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,040 Speaker 3: the heavy lifting and you know, to Luise's point, maybe 831 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:43,000 Speaker 3: get you forty fifty sixty percent there, but then the rest, 832 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:46,840 Speaker 3: you know, if you if you really want quality output, 833 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:49,839 Speaker 3: something that fans are going to like love, and you know, 834 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:51,960 Speaker 3: like you want to interact with you're gonna have to 835 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:52,560 Speaker 3: You're gonna have to. 836 00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:53,359 Speaker 2: Lean in and do that. 837 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:56,920 Speaker 3: Like that's just that's the human element. But it is, 838 00:45:57,040 --> 00:45:59,239 Speaker 3: you know, a combination of both. It does like and 839 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:01,040 Speaker 3: we you know, to this point also like we've been 840 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:03,680 Speaker 3: using it on the production side for years and there 841 00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:06,480 Speaker 3: are some some it's been really it's been really helpful. 842 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:09,600 Speaker 3: And I think that you know, I think longer term 843 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:12,520 Speaker 3: it is going to create new opportunities. Now, I think 844 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:14,080 Speaker 3: there's also part of where people are going to have 845 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:17,400 Speaker 3: to rethink what they do and there's going to be transformation. 846 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:19,880 Speaker 3: There's going to be transition there, there's no doubt. But 847 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:21,879 Speaker 3: I think longer term there are going to be new 848 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:25,319 Speaker 3: sort of like opportunities that that are created by this. 849 00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:27,239 Speaker 3: But it's just gonna be a matter of like thinking 850 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:28,920 Speaker 3: about things differently. And I think the hope is like 851 00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 3: it's it's going to free up people to be more creative, 852 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:35,080 Speaker 3: like like spend your time on things that are you know, like. 853 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:38,480 Speaker 2: Original artistry or like pure creation. 854 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:42,080 Speaker 3: And that's where hopefully people can spend their time and 855 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:44,719 Speaker 3: you know spend you know, yeah, spend more of their 856 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:49,160 Speaker 3: their their their their work on on those kinds of activities. 857 00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:53,400 Speaker 1: Well, there's a lot of quite a ferment on the 858 00:46:53,440 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 1: innovative side of Hollywood these days, and you guys are 859 00:46:58,160 --> 00:47:02,960 Speaker 1: clearly playing in this playground space. Junk starts May nineteen. 860 00:47:03,160 --> 00:47:05,200 Speaker 1: If you want to check out the future of entertainment, 861 00:47:05,239 --> 00:47:08,680 Speaker 1: get in early, get an NFT. Thank you John Eluisi 862 00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:11,440 Speaker 1: for coming in today, Thank you having thanks a lot 863 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:20,720 Speaker 1: for having us. This has been another episode of Strictly Business. 864 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:24,040 Speaker 1: Tune in next week for another helping of scintillating conversation 865 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:26,799 Speaker 1: with media movers and shakers, and please make sure you 866 00:47:26,840 --> 00:47:30,319 Speaker 1: subscribe to the podcast to hear future episodes. Also leave 867 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:33,160 Speaker 1: a review in Apple Podcasts and let us know how 868 00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: we're doing.