1 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: guest is Stacy Snyder, CEO of Sister. Snyder has run 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: major movie studios and a well healed independent production company 6 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: over her long career in Hollywood. Now, for the first time, 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: she's working for herself as a partner with Elizabeth Murdoch 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: and producer Jane Featherstone in Sister. The executive who has 9 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,639 Speaker 1: steered Universal Pictures, DreamWorks and twentieth Century Fox is now 10 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: attempting to build a new kind of film and TV 11 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: mouse Trap. Sister has the luxury of resources to finance 12 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: its own development and the luxury of leaders with strong 13 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: track records. Snyder details the story of how she connected 14 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: with her partners and why the company's guiding Prince a 15 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: Bull is to quote curate excellence. Snyder has never been 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: shy about sharing her opinion on industry issues, and our 17 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: conversation touches on her thoughts about what defines a movie 18 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: these days. Snyder is also candid about how she spent 19 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: time doing a quote personal survey end quote after leaving 20 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: Fox in in order to figure out where her passion 21 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: for content should take her next Listen all the way 22 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: to the end to find out what recent biography of 23 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: a movie director inspired Snyder to take a deep dive 24 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: into nineteen seventies movies. It's all coming up on today's 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: Strictly Business after the break. Stacy Snyder, CEO of Sister, 26 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining me today. Thanks, Cynthia, 27 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: it's great to be with you. Well. Stacy, you have 28 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: had a long and very successful career in the content business. 29 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: For early in the movie business, you have been at 30 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: the at the height of major studios Universal and twentieth 31 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: Century Fox. You have been in the trenches as a producer. 32 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: You rant Remorks for a very long time. In October 33 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: of twenty nineteen, you joined forces with Elizabeth Murdoch and 34 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: producer Jane Featherstone to create Sister. Tell us about what 35 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: how that all came together and what you did with 36 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: all of your experience given the chance to start a 37 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: company kind of from scratch and build it your way. 38 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: Tell us what you did from all your experience to 39 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: build the company that you wanted to lead. Um, Well, 40 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: following UM, my time, you know, twenty five plus years 41 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: as a studio executive, and all during that time I 42 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:54,959 Speaker 1: had been the beneficiary of a lot of advice from 43 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: a lot of successful UM, Hollywood UH studio executives, moguls, 44 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: et cetera, and UM. One of them, Barry Diller, had 45 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: famously talked about his time after this leaving the same company, Fox, 46 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: where he spent months and months just surveying the marketplace, 47 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: in the landscape and thinking about where he'd be excited 48 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: to to to plug in again. And UM, I actually 49 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: went to see Barry after my time at Fox, full 50 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: of of ideas and very specific ideas, and he again 51 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 1: reminded me to take the time to to do a 52 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: personal survey and a and a landscape survey. And I 53 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: did that, and I looked at myself almost as if 54 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: I was a sociological experiment considering what this species Stacy 55 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: Snyder felt passionate by. And in that time, UM, I 56 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: just observed my own behavior, and I thought about, you know, 57 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: reaffirming you know, my love for movies. I watched a 58 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: ton of classic films, which I always do, and it 59 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: was nice to know that this art form that I 60 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: had dedicated myself to still meant so much to me. 61 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: I binged on a lot of TV, I read a 62 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 1: ton of books, and I UM I kept company by 63 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: listening to podcasts, you know, which was a brand new 64 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: experience for me. But I found that the intimacy of 65 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: the medium made me feel comforted and and distracted in 66 00:04:54,560 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: the best way. And that time of just personal surveying 67 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: made me realize that stories come from everywhere, and that 68 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: I had been in a system that had by design 69 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: become increasingly siloed while the consumer and our customer was 70 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: doing the same thing I was doing. They were listening 71 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: to podcasts and reading books and and spending time on 72 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: the internet and watching you know, TV shows, sometimes linearly, 73 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: sometimes weekly, sometimes all in one night, and UM and 74 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: I just wanted to break through and be able to 75 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 1: be UM producing enduring content with with great talent, regardless 76 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 1: of the format. What was it that brought you together 77 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: with Elizabeth and Jane? And again, if you could expand 78 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: a little bit about how you built Sister and why 79 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: you put it together in the way that you have, 80 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: But first tell us how you how you connected with 81 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: Elizabeth and Jane. UM. Well, Elizabeth, I knew from my 82 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: time at Fox. UM. Elizabeth um is the primary investor 83 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: in an animation company called Locksmith Animation, and Fox Studios 84 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: was was making their first movie, um Ron's Gone Wrong, 85 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: which is now coming out through Disney UM as a 86 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: result of the Disney acquisition of twentieth Century Fox. So 87 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: Liz and I had known each other in that capacity 88 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: and um just as friends and associates. I'm sure I 89 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: expressed I remember expressing um my belief that the way 90 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: to win in this moment was to create the absolute 91 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: very best dial moving um shows and and films, and 92 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: to be nimble. And there's nothing nimble. There's there's lots 93 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: of great things about big companies in terms of market 94 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: share and swagger, UM, but they tend not to be nimble. 95 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: And all of the restructuring and sledge hammering that one 96 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: needed to do was not interesting to me and and 97 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: UM and Liz was game to think about building a 98 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: studio in a modern way. At the same time, Liz 99 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: had been in business with as a partner to Jane 100 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: Featherstone for years, first at Shine, then at Kudos, then 101 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: its sister Pictures London, a long track record there that 102 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: they had had a long tracker track she is Jane 103 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: has an amazing track record, and they had a long 104 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: history working together UM and so Liz was the architect 105 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: of all of this. She put Jane and I together 106 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: and you know what what was clear is that our 107 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: passion sinked up and our values and our ethos and 108 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: that was essential for the formation of Sisters, that we 109 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: saw the world the same way and UM and we did. 110 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: You know Jane's product, you know her her shows are 111 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: just um they speak for themselves. She produced RNLEDG just 112 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: just one of the most mind blowing you know movies, 113 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: TV shows, pieces of content that I have seen in 114 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: a decade. Was just stuck with me so much. I 115 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: felt the same way. And before that, she did Broadshirt, 116 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: she did um Spooks, she did Flowers. She just has 117 00:08:52,880 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: impeccable taste. She's got an incredible instinct for um powerful 118 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: stories that breakthrough, and she takes big swings and big 119 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: chances UM with with talent. She she um nurtures writers 120 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 1: and directors that have something to say. And so you 121 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: put some existing assets together, did Elizabeth contribute some assets 122 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: and Jane contribute something? So so Jane and Elizabeth contributed 123 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 1: Sister Pictures. It's upon the foundation of Sister Pictures that 124 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: Sister with A Capitalism was founded. So we were we 125 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: were fortunate to have um, you know, a functioning, really capable, 126 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: exciting group of producers in London that had an ongoing 127 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: pipeline of excellent shows relationships in the UK and also 128 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: in Holly Would so that when we decided to to 129 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: open an l A office and then later an office 130 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: in Manchester, we were building upon um a foundation of excellence. UH. 131 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: And we we we UM you know, we're we're fully 132 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: integrated as a company. UM. But Jane and Liz provided 133 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: that foundation. L A offices in l A, London and 134 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: Manchester to me is just very telling about the global 135 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: nature of the content business and the need. I would 136 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: imagine that having feet on the ground in Manchester is 137 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: terrific because you're looking, You're probably finding creativity and emerging 138 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: stars and just a whole pulse of what's going on 139 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: in that culture that you wouldn't get if you're not, 140 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: you know, from being in New York or l A 141 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: or London. So I would imagine, but is there, um, 142 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: what is the uh, what's the connection to Manchester or 143 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: why did you choose Manchester as an office. The connection 144 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: to Manchester was opportunistic. One of our incredible producers, Lucy 145 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: dike um Uh is from there and was able to 146 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: UM produced there and made an argument that there was 147 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: talent on the ground that that that she could source 148 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: from there. Um. But it again going back to the 149 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: value of being nimble and flexible. We're able to have 150 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: UH an idea about where we might base ourselves and 151 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: pursue it, and and being in in the UK gives 152 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: us access not just obviously to other parts of of 153 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: the UK, but to Europe in general. And what we're 154 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: seeing now is that you know, back in the day, 155 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: whereas you might have UM sub redone were subtitled I 156 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: mean Redone, sorry ah, an international show for the the 157 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: American market. Now and Amazon and Netflix and all the 158 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: platforms are making hits out of international shows. You know, 159 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: we all watched Lepan, We all watched Out exactly And 160 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: so having the credit as a as a genuine international 161 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: company enables us to reach beyond just the UK and 162 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: the States into Europe and Israel and South America and 163 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: other places where great where we can find great creators. 164 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,719 Speaker 1: And if I'm not if I'm not mistaken having that 165 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: UK base, especially for your television content, and I'm not 166 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: sure if it's true for movies as well, but there's 167 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: huge copyright advantages if I'm not mistaken. Being based in 168 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: the UK, you are able to buy law, something that 169 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: is not definitely not the case in the US, but 170 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: by law, there are very strict rules in the UK 171 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: about who owns the copyright, who owns the digital's pockets 172 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: if they were And is that I mean, is that 173 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: another reason that other than the obvious with Jane and Elizabeth, 174 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: that also kind of keeps you tethered in London. It certainly, 175 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: it certainly was was an advantage in enabling you know, 176 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: Sister Pictures to flourish and um because there are those 177 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: copyright laws that permit UM, that permit ownership. The advantage 178 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: two Sister Pictures for having an l A presence is 179 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 1: that more and more of the deals these days are 180 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: becoming global, so we're able to um, you know, to 181 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: fish where the fish are. When there are shows that 182 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: make sense, that are based and that can get a 183 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: a commission first from Sky or the BBC that enables 184 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: and permits us to own more rights. That's wonderful. But 185 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: if if there are moments in situations where UM, a 186 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:57,079 Speaker 1: global deal with HBO or or Netflix or Amazon makes sense, 187 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: We're situated UM to do that as well. Let's drill 188 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: down a little bit more. Tell us how you are 189 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: set up for that nimbleness and the ability to move 190 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: between content genres. How does it work? How does development 191 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: work for you guys? Interestingly, I was thinking about this 192 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: this morning. You know, we had a we had an 193 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: early morning staff meeting, which is another one of the 194 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: things that's changed in my life is that, you know, 195 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: my wake up time is their dinner time, and so 196 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: my staff meetings are earlier, and I've become a morning person. 197 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: But during this the pandemic, during the lockdown, UM, what 198 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: happened in a great way is that we're sharing UM 199 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: ideas and strategies with one another on Zoom like this 200 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: much more easily and regularly than I think we would 201 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: have if we had been trying to integrate in real 202 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: time and in real life. UM. But UM, Jane is 203 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: the chief creative officer of the company. UM, we're making 204 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: TV and TV shows and films. You've got We've got 205 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: a broad slate. UM In London and l A and um, 206 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, what I like to think is that when 207 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: they're sleeping, we're working. And when you know when they're sleep, 208 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: when we're working, they're sleeping. And make the most of 209 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: your cycle. We make the most of the twenty four 210 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: hour cycle. And um, and we're small enough and we're 211 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: also all experienced enough to know when tapping into the 212 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: to the mind trust brain trust is critical and important 213 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: and when we can just run run with something. But 214 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: Jane knows everything, um, that that is being developed creatively 215 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: and when she's busy with other stuff. The l A 216 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: office under Kate Fenski's guidance and my guidance is you know, 217 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: fully equipped to keep the projects moving forward. Can you 218 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: talk a bit about how if I understand you, right 219 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: when something comes in the door, do you sort of 220 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: evaluate it as an idea? Do you do you sort 221 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: of instinctively think, oh, this is a movie, this is 222 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: a TV show? Or do you try to leave it 223 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: a little vague and let the idea develop? How do 224 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: you how do you move that nimbleness through the development 225 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: process that can be so rigid. Yeah, you know, we 226 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: we really want to be a place that that talent 227 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: feels seen and heard and nurtured and so often and 228 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: it comes from that decision will come directly from the creator, 229 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: and sometimes it does change, you know. We we we 230 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: like to say that we're platform agnostic. You know, well, 231 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: we we're developing you know, films and TVs and if 232 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: it's meant to be a spoken word poem or or 233 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: or a podcast first, and then you know, a documentary 234 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 1: and then a show. We want to be fluid in 235 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: in all of those mediums. Taffy Brotus, our anchor, came 236 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: to us with an idea that she was sure was 237 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: a series, and after a couple of meetings, she called 238 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: back and said, no, I think this is a movie. 239 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,199 Speaker 1: And then she called back again and said, you know, 240 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: I think it's a series of movies. And I said, 241 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: taff I don't really care. You know, if we're going 242 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: to do a series of movies, the first one better 243 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: be really successful. I will. I will give her that. 244 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 1: I will give you that experienced guidance. And it's the 245 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: first ingredient in the first ingredient. But um, you know, uh, 246 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: whatever the best form for your story is, that's what 247 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: it should be. And a lot of that openness was 248 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: born out of my frustrations from being a lifelong studio 249 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: executive where I had come upon a great book or 250 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: a great article that in my heart I knew might 251 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: be a better TV series, but there was no incentive 252 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: or access for us to, you know, to cross the 253 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 1: rubicon and do it in in in tandem with our 254 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: TV colleagues, right and and I'm probably a lot of 255 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: certain you know, red tape hurdles to even even if 256 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: you wanted to work with a particular writer that might 257 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: be under contract to a TV division totally. I mean, 258 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: I've been in situations where I've had losses say to me, 259 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: you know, when I wanted to work with a let's say, 260 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: a writer who was under contract at a sister TV studio, 261 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: why would we spend money on that when they're when 262 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: they're locked up at the at the TV studio. And 263 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: my attitude was, you know, we should create a kind 264 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:08,159 Speaker 1: of web of of love around really really talented people, 265 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: and when they have moment breaks or ideas that don't 266 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: fit their main um, you know, their main occupation, they'll 267 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: come to us. So that's what we've tried to create. 268 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: Its sister hold on tight, folks, will be right back 269 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 1: with more from Sister CEO Stacy Snyder. And we're back 270 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 1: with more from Sister CEO Stacy Snyder. Would you say 271 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: that in your experience so far in this in the 272 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: excuse me, in your time at Sister, do people come 273 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: in the door, do creatives come in the door with 274 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: a strong sense of this should be a podcast, this 275 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: should be a limited series or is there a true 276 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 1: process of discovery as the idea As you know, scripts 277 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: are owned and ideas are formulated. I guess you've got 278 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: to formulate the ideas before you home the scripts. Every 279 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: each case is different, and each case, each case is bespoken. 280 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: There are certain projects, you know, like the Bag's film 281 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: that that that come in the door, and you know 282 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 1: that this is meant to be a film and it 283 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: will benefit by being a film because it's it's inherently theatrical. 284 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: There's great music and great dance, and it's a global 285 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: story and so you just sort of know this. And 286 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: then there are some stories like the the example I 287 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: gave with Taffy, where you know that we find its 288 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: best form. What's exciting to me is to see how 289 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: the other companies that Sister has invested in have helped 290 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: us in that process. So, for example, we're working with 291 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: Tobias Lynde Home on a limited series about the first 292 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: responders UH to nine eleven, not the event itself, but 293 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: what happened to the people um and their lives following 294 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: the event, and are and Tobias needed some help with 295 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: research and oral histories. And the podcast company that sister 296 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: has invested in, Campside, was perfectly situated with journalists on 297 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: the ground in New York to provide that service for Tobias. 298 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 1: So that that was really fun for me to see 299 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: how the collective can help. You know, we can all 300 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: help each other, right, and your arms, you know, your 301 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: relationships in one area can benefit in areas that you can't. 302 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: You sometimes can't see on the surface, but then they 303 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,479 Speaker 1: but then they come up. Um, I want, how are you? 304 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: Because I understand that if I understand right, sister has 305 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: both pod like development deals and relationships with producers, and 306 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: you also have a true investment arm where you are 307 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: investing in you know, cutting edge companies like Campsite Media, 308 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: which has produced some terrific podcasts that I have that 309 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: I have consumed. And uh, you're also in business with 310 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: spring Hill with spring Hill Partners, the Lebron James's company. UM. 311 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 1: Let me I want to talk to you about the 312 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: investment ARM. But going back to the development UM, how 313 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: are you able to it sounds like you have the 314 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: resources to be able to option things, to develop things 315 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: in house with writers before you go out to shop them. 316 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,640 Speaker 1: I would imagine that's a pretty good advantage you can 317 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: you can work with the property for you have to 318 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: go out and sell it. That was That was you know, 319 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: part of the conversations that Liz, Jane and I had 320 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 1: at the founding of Sister um uh was was cemented 321 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 1: on our conviction that being independent was you know, not 322 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: just luxury but a real competitive advantage UM. And being 323 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: so being able to not only decide internally what the 324 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: best UM format for a project would be film or television, 325 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: but also what the best home would be UM is 326 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: also an advantage and if possible to be able to, 327 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: you know, skip to the head of the line because 328 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: your project is already incubated and formed. So yes, you know, 329 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: we're fiercely independent. We believe that independence is is an 330 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:38,239 Speaker 1: asset to the creators because they have a place that 331 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: where they're paid to incubate and develop their material and 332 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,479 Speaker 1: then when it's ready, and only when it's ready, we 333 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: can go to and find a home that really understands 334 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: their show. There's a lot of room for misunderstandings in 335 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: the pitching process, and you know, I think I've seen 336 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: that firsthand, and I'm sure that a lot of writers 337 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,360 Speaker 1: and directors who might be listening have seen that firsthand. 338 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: Where you think you're pitching one thing and that executive 339 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: has something entirely different in their minds. How has it 340 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 1: in your experience with especially with the rise of streaming 341 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: and and you know, so many shows being bought straight 342 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: to series, not going through the traditional pilot hell development process. UM, 343 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: how has that changed the nature of what you can 344 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: develop and how you sell? And also the impact of 345 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 1: with streamers, so much of your funding does come on 346 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: the come on the front end the studio. The producer 347 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: is not expected, it's not routinely expected to carry a deficit, 348 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 1: which makes it a different economic prospect. As a baseline, UM, 349 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: being fit for purpose means not only that we have 350 00:24:55,400 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: the financial resources to develop internally, but it also means 351 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: that we have the experience to produce the shows that 352 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: we've developed. So the sister team includes not only Liz 353 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: and Jane and myself, but also my colleague Kate Finski, 354 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 1: who was a producer at UCP and Carolyn Strauss, who's 355 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: a legend. Caroline produced Chernobyl alongside Jane, was the president 356 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:29,360 Speaker 1: of HBO and has twenty plus years and has commissioned 357 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 1: you know, every kind of defining HBO show of the 358 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: last twenty some years, from you know, Sopranos to The 359 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: Wire to Game of Thrones, UM and on and on 360 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: and on. You know, we are fit for purpose by 361 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: having incredible producing you know talent within the company. UM. 362 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: We've and because of that, we've been invited onto some 363 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: of the projects that this streamers have where they need 364 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: more producing experience. You know, we've been the beneficiary of 365 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: some things that have come right over the transom in 366 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 1: film and television where the platforms have said we can't, 367 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: we don't have the bandwidth right now to get this going. 368 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: Can you lend you know, some time and resources and 369 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: experience to get this done. So at Netflix, UM, they 370 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 1: very generously invited us onto a couple of their movies 371 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: and UH and invited Jane onto one of their UM 372 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: television shows because we do have the production resources to 373 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: bring to it. So in some situations we are paid 374 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: up front and there's a premium and in some situations 375 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: where provided studio economics because we're we're acting as the 376 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: responsible studio to deliver the show under the terms required 377 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: by the platforms. So again going back to this idea 378 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 1: of being nimble and letting the project determine what are 379 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: um role will be in it. We can be producers 380 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: for higher we can be the studio. We can we 381 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: can generate material that we pay for and bring to market, 382 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 1: and we can pinch hit on projects that the studios 383 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: discovered need more producing heft. You mentioned the movie business 384 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: and Netflix movies. Obviously there's a lot across currents in 385 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: the traditional film world and you know you have had 386 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: such success you grew up in the film world. What 387 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 1: do you what do you think in terms of the 388 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: debate about is a made for Netflix movie a movie? 389 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: Per say? What do you think about the kind of 390 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: what's what we're seeing as the expansion of the platform 391 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: for movies, Although there within the community there is some 392 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: debate about what's a movie with the capital MP What 393 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: do you think about? Uh, that discussion? I think there 394 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 1: there are stories that that have beginning, middle, middles, and 395 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: end and um and should be told in roughly two hours, 396 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: and stories that deserve um or or require uh a 397 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: more leisurely and or or immersive time frame. And so 398 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: that's that's I'm not I'm not a snob about what 399 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: a movie is. Um. I just I think our whole 400 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: team asks ourselves, are we are we padding this to 401 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: make three or four episodes? And and really this story 402 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: should just be grab you by the throat, entertain the 403 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: ship out of you and and and exit stage left. 404 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: Um Or is this story something that you want to 405 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: immerse to yourself in and spend six to eight hours unpacking? 406 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: Is this you know? Is this a story whose elements 407 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: will benefit by a big screen or is this story 408 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: something that feels cozier at home with a blanket and 409 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: you know, a glass of wine or a cup of tea. 410 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: But the bottom line for us entirely is curate for 411 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: excellence because somehow even you know, look, there's so much 412 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: challenge with discoverability and and that that's that's a real issue. 413 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: And in a world of washing content for sure, yes, 414 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: um And also you know every platform has had a 415 00:29:54,040 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: water Cooler show, and so it's possible, and that's what 416 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: we've strived for to be the one that people want 417 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: to talk about. Stacy. You mentioned earlier that you went 418 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: you went while between gigs, that you spent a lot 419 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: of time watching old classic movies. Tell us one that 420 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: stood out to you that really held up. Oh my god, 421 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: they all speak to me all the time, so many 422 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: of them. Um, okay, so we'll look my my My. 423 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: My go to is always UM. You know films are 424 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: the forties. You know, I watched Best Years of Our 425 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: Lives and I watched Sunset Boulevard over and over, and 426 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:41,959 Speaker 1: I watch I Love Old Western Stage Coach and um 427 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: Shane and UM, you know, I just I just don't 428 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: know how you participate in this business if you don't 429 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: have a love for and knowledge about what came before. Um. 430 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: But recently what was super fun is, UM, I read 431 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: Mark Harris's book about Mike Nichols and went back and 432 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: watched all of Mike's films and then did a deep 433 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: dive into the seventies and oh my god, it just 434 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: made my heart full to watch. Um. You know, Who's 435 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: afraid of Virginia Wolf? And you know, uh, Harold and 436 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: Maude again. Oh my god, does that hold up? Yeah, 437 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: it's so great. So um. You know when I'm when 438 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 1: I am in those modes where and I know we 439 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: all feel that way. Sometimes when you go to the 440 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: homepage of one of the platforms, sometimes something will pop 441 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 1: up or you're in the right mode and it's an 442 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 1: easy choice. And other times I find that I spent 443 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: my whole viewing time scrolling feature. And when that happens 444 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: to me, it's a sign to me that I should 445 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: get off the platform just temporarily. I'll go back and 446 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: I go to Criterion and and and and I'll find 447 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: something from the you know, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies. I 448 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: live the eighties and nineties. I don't need to cut back. 449 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: Great um uh but um and and I'll find something 450 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: to just you know, fall in love with again. Thanks 451 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: for listening. Be sure to leave us a review at 452 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts. We love to hear from listeners, and be 453 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: sure to tune in next week for another episode of 454 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: Strictly Business.