1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: M Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties podcasts featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: Variety senior writer Matt Donnelly, and this week we welcome 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: Jason Richmond and Kia kiati In, co heads of the 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: Media Rights Group at United Talent Agency. Jason and Kia 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: scour the world for books, long form journalism, podcasts, and 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: individual life rights to find source material for new movies 8 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: for your next streaming obsession. The books may not seem sexy, 9 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: but in a world where Rees Witherspoons Hello Sunshine sells 10 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: for nearly a billion dollars, media rights are at the 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 1: center of the old and new Hollywood deal economy. Please 12 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: enjoy our discussion about the supreme power of the suburban 13 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: book Club, how media rights kept the agencies alive during 14 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: the pandemic, and the future of comics. I think a 15 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: lot of people generally, and also I would say in 16 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: Hollywood some extent um don't know really just how deeply 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: effective and responsible media rights is for populating our content pipeline. Um. 18 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: And also sort of you know the risk of being dramatic, 19 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: but there's a bit of sort of like kingmaker status 20 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: and play here because you are among the people who 21 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: decide what sort of worlds and stories are coming next UM, 22 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: and the market dictates to you, you know what those are. 23 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: I feel like we actually have to dictate, you know, 24 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,279 Speaker 1: to the market, you know what what the new trends 25 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: are in a in a way, and so you know, 26 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: it really starts. You know, media rights is a is 27 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: a new term that we you know, UM branded our 28 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: group a few years back because you know, we used 29 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: to be known as the Book Department or Book to Film. 30 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: It just became limiting in terms of UM the forms 31 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: of intellectual property that we work with. But you know, 32 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: we really help guide UM the lives of authors and 33 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: journalists and UM life story rights holders, podcasts, any form 34 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: of intellectual property that we think could be exploited UM 35 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: for film and television adaptation. UM. That's also growing in 36 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: terms of you know, the the growth that we're seeing 37 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: in the unscripted world across the documentary space, in terms 38 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: of us taking you know, long form narrative articles and 39 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: turning them into podcasts and then they turned into hit 40 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: TV shows. So UM, it's a it's a broader encapsulation 41 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: of UM. The large amount of intellectual property that we're 42 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: working with and consuming on a daily basis, and then 43 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: finding the right home and the entertainment landscape. Well said here, 44 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: you want to add you think that No, I think 45 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: that's perfectly said. I mean, I think, you know, we 46 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 1: we have a lot of partners in our work, and 47 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: many of those partners are h are publishing agents, UM. 48 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: Sometimes they're you know, the podcasts hosts that we represent UM, 49 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: and and sometimes they're the real life people whose life 50 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: rights you know, we're handling. UM. And then on the 51 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: other side, you know, we have partners that are producers, filmmakers, actors, writers. 52 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: Did you guys even begin to estimate how much of 53 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: film and television people see are actually based on publishing 54 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: in terms of fiction non fiction? Well, I think it's 55 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: it's hard. It's harder just on publishing because I think 56 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: I think, um, we did some stat that like of 57 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: the like five top grocery movies since two thousand, like 58 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: twelve of them were based on underlying material UM. But 59 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: you know, I think it varies from year to year. 60 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: I think also the amount that are driven by comic 61 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: book properties. And you know, if you look at d 62 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: C and Marvel and um, you know, back to you know, 63 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: the fairy tale tale world in terms of how you know, 64 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: Disney is looking to kind of you know, annoint and 65 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: control their own i p. Even though some of it 66 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: may not actually be controlled by them, um necessarily. I 67 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: mean I think that we we kind of view it 68 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: as a kind of broader, broader landscape in terms of 69 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: the intellectual property that we're working with. Beyond you know, 70 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: just debut novelists. We work with a number of states 71 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: and publications and um um things of that nature. UM. 72 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: But I would say, you know, just just growth rise wise. 73 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,799 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's super vibrant um for what we do. UM. 74 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: You know, I've been at the company for I think 75 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: eleven and a half years now, and you know when 76 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,799 Speaker 1: I started, we were you know nine in the future 77 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: film world and you know the explosion and TV. You know, 78 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,239 Speaker 1: it really has been you know, not only the golden 79 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,679 Speaker 1: age of television, but the golden age of media rights 80 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. Um and uh it's been 81 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: it's been really exciting for us to um, I think 82 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: really kind of annoying to these these new voices are um, 83 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: you know, in the entertainment landscape and the lip who 84 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: are breaking out in the literary world as well. UM. 85 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: But for us, you know, we're reading and consuming things 86 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: so so early. Um when there are things are selling 87 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: off of book proposal or early manuscript, and so it's 88 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 1: really incumbent on us much of the time to um 89 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: really embraceing and um highlight those voices and um uh 90 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: shepherd them into the film and television world. UM a 91 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: new Yeah. My next question is going to be how 92 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: how much more explosive as the yebrant to us your 93 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: work has has been since the streamers came. It's it's 94 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: been a dramatic rise in in in volume and in 95 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: terms of the appetite of the streamers have UM in 96 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: addition to the competitive nature of you know, when you 97 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: have a bunch of new buyers coming into the landscape, 98 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: what that does to the traditional buyers and how reactive 99 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: they are. So I do think that the UM the 100 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: addition of all these other platforms into the Hollywood ecosystem 101 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: in general has created UM, you know, more need for 102 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: I P. I think you've seen Netflix acquire certain uh 103 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: comic book companies and and make deals. UM we for example, 104 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: represent a comic book company called Boom and Uh, you know, 105 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: they have a first look TV deal at Netflix. And 106 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 1: we recently sold UM a comic of theirs called Berserker 107 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: that they co created with Kiana Reeves in an auction 108 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: to Netflix, and and pretty much every studio we took 109 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: that too, was was bidding on it. So I think 110 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: that it's created an appetite not only to UM buy 111 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: the IP, but also to align with the people that 112 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: are creating UM the I P. Many of these companies 113 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: have hired literary scouts to come in house UM and 114 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: work as their literary coordinators to be able to scout 115 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: material UM. And so we've seen, you know, quite an 116 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: uptick UM that not to mention the uptick the pandemic 117 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: has caused, you know, which you know, at the beginning 118 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: the pandemic, when everything was shut down, people were at 119 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: home UM, reading manuscript, listening to podcasts, veraciously consuming UM, 120 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, the intellectual property because they couldn't be out 121 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: in the field making things. Obviously, now people have kind 122 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: of returned to production UM, but there was quite an 123 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: uptick during the beginning part of the pandemic when everybody 124 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: was home isolating. It was just funny because I think 125 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: I think as as as you know, production shut down 126 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: and people were like, you know, wondering what they were 127 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: gonna you know, how they were going to spend the 128 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: rest of their their you know, work days moving forward. 129 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: You know, we were just out of our minds busier 130 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: than ever, um because it was almost as if people 131 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: um uh learned how to read again and just discovered 132 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: books as like this, you know this really really wonderful 133 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: new technology. Um. But um for us, you know, we 134 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: just embraced it and you know, hit the ground running, 135 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: you know when we were sent sent home to you know, 136 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: restart our work lives, you know, right into the pandemic. 137 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: So you know, I think we were really proud of 138 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: our group. But also you know, at an agency, we 139 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: became kind of the hub and kind of the busiest 140 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: um um vertical in a lot of ways. And now 141 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: you guys are gonna sign that brother's Graham account, right, 142 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: let's suck that everything. Is that all those public domain 143 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: titles are what's just came through. I think Gatsby just 144 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: came through public domains. And there's like forty forty projects 145 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: animated movies. Oh my god. UM. So to your point, 146 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: I love the idea of people rediscovering UM, rediscovering the 147 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: technology of books in the pandemic UM. But I think 148 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: in the past I would say even six to eight months, 149 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: but really in the past two years, you know, it's 150 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: consolidation sort of like just completely groups our entire industry. 151 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: I think that that's been another sort of spotlight on 152 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: put into the spot let or intellectual property, especially as UM. 153 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: You know, investors seem to be moving away from physical 154 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: assets like Superhero studio at theme park and investing more 155 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: in the idea of something a bit more ephemeral, like 156 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: like your like your media rights savvy. I mean, I 157 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: think Hello Sunshine is a sort of some people a 158 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: crazy example of how how powerful the space can be UM. 159 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: You know, and without asking you to weigh in on 160 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: the on the material of the deal. You know, some 161 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: people are divided people into either you know, nine or 162 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: a million dollar book club or or she'll be the 163 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: next group. UM. But when you see something like that 164 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: come across your desk, is it's not just sort employ 165 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: your mind that this is the power you can leverage 166 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: for mine lets? Yeah, I mean I think to me, 167 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,599 Speaker 1: I think what that points to really is UM a 168 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: return to quality UM I think if you look at 169 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: the productions that Hello Sunshine has been associated with, and 170 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: you know, Jason, you should definitely talk about the project 171 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: that you you had with them, little fires every where. 172 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: But you know, when you think about, UM, what that 173 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: deal signifies to me, it's really a return to quality 174 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: because the output from them has been such high caliber productions. Material. UM. 175 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: You know, all of the elements, whether it's casting, directors, 176 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: you know, are really a plus. And I think in 177 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: this world where there is so much content, like what 178 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: what helps something elevate to the top? Well, you know, 179 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: I I remember when I was starting out of the industry, 180 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,439 Speaker 1: I was very skeptical. I thought, you know, oh, it's 181 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: all about who you know and and and that's how 182 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 1: things get made is because you know someone someone's nephew. 183 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: But you know, as as as as another agent once 184 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: told me, the cream will rise, and so we've seen 185 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: UM because of a proliferation of how much material is 186 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: getting made. The best content is what people want. And 187 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,119 Speaker 1: if you have a company that's consistently able to identify 188 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: that UM based on underlying intellectual property, UM, they're going 189 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,599 Speaker 1: to create value. And I think you're gonna see a 190 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: lot of other companies kind of modeling themselves on that 191 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: model UM and really you know, striving to have you know, 192 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: the best taste or really to feel a specific niche 193 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: shouldn't be the best in a certain niche. UM. So 194 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: I think you're going to see proliferation of of of 195 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: those kinds of of of companies. I totally agree. I 196 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: mean I I also I feel that you know, in 197 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: my and also my personal experience with them, you know, 198 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: they do the work and and they have great taste, 199 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: great taste in books. UM. You know a lot of 200 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: which UM have our clients of ours as well, UM. 201 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: But you know, you know my experience working with them 202 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: and putting little fires everywhere together. You know, I had 203 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: given a galley of the book to Lauren new stadder 204 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: UM right as she had started UM working UM as 205 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: as Reese's new film and TV head UM. And you 206 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: know she read the book over the weekend and Monday morning, 207 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 1: Reese had an email into Celeste in box, so you 208 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: know they had they both did did the work there, 209 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: and you know it showed and made the decision to 210 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: go with them, you know, in partnering up to UM 211 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: create the wonderful adaptation that it became so much easier 212 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 1: because they really embraced and UM and I think understand 213 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: authors and in a great way and also understand storytelling. UM. 214 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: But you know, she their book club, you know, is 215 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: on fire. If you look at the New York Times 216 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: bestseller list, it's dominated by the picks that um, that 217 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: She's made, and there are a lot they're just really 218 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: good books. UM. So you know, I think it's great. 219 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: It's been really really wonderful to be honest, for the 220 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 1: book world and the fiction world in general and for 221 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: what we do because, um, it's really highlighted and broken 222 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: a lot of new voices. UM. And I think I 223 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: think in terms of fiction adaptation, it's provided a lot 224 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: of opportunity and runway for um, you know, discovery of 225 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: these these new voices, and you know a lot of 226 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: just really terrific adaptations across the film and television landscape 227 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: as well. To your earlier point tasting about about some 228 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: of the more core portendities and and and the tech 229 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: companies hiring literary scouts. That that's me has sort of 230 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: been one of the most interesting things in the past year. 231 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: How sort of competitive they seem to be internally with 232 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: each other. About sort of coopin land that next author. 233 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: I heard a rumor that Disney world Wide Publishing is 234 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: launching an adult label, meaning just a straight down the 235 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: middle mainstream fiction label, UM, to try to get into 236 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: some of that Netflix action, because you forget, you know, 237 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: not not everything is a little fire. This isn't Virgin 238 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: River based on a book series which is like they're 239 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: runaway Summer pandemic it Netflix. Yeah, now, big best selling 240 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: book series. UM. But you know, I think that there 241 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: there have been a lot of those that have been 242 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 1: you know, discovered, I think in the film and television 243 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: landscape that have been and you know, giant titans UM. 244 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: You know previously, you know, we've had UM just a 245 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: total bonanza with UM representing Ellen Hilder Hilderbrand who you know, 246 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: as you know, has been writing to number one New 247 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: York Times bestsellers a year and you know, I think 248 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: people have really rediscovered her UM throughout the pandemic as well. UM, 249 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: her readership has just exploded. And you know, on top 250 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: of that, you know, on the film and television side, 251 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: we've made countless number of deals. They've just been kind 252 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: of flying off the shelf because I think It's a 253 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: perfect way to escape and um, you know, I think 254 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: people would love to be off in Nantucket, um with 255 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: a drink in their hand and you know, um showing 256 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: down on lobster so um and talking about love and 257 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: in relationships. You know, I'm finding love throughout so you know, 258 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: I think the the trends kind of ebb and flow. Um. 259 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: But I think it's been exciting, um with the focus 260 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: being on you know, these authors and and their readership 261 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: and how we can uh. I don't know. I think 262 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: the streaming opportunities have provided so much more opportunity than 263 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: you know, than you know if they had before. I 264 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: think I think probably ten years ago, Virgin River would 265 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: have been like a two hour Lifetime movie and now 266 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: you have a big, big hit series on Netflix. Don't 267 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: go away. We'll be right back with more from U 268 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: t A s Jason Richmond and Kiya ki Audien, And 269 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: we're back discussing the booming business of Hollywood media rights 270 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: with U T A Agents Jason Richmond and Kiya ki Audien. 271 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: It feels like the one And if I'm missing any 272 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: I know you guys will tell me. It feels like 273 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: the one space. Maybe that this kind of adaptive work 274 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: has been faltering, as like the big you see Awards 275 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: Baby feature Ensemble inventized, you know, theatrical release because I 276 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: think like some of the recent tries, I know, the 277 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: Goldfinch didn't really work out for Warner Brothers. Um. Uh, 278 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: you know, I think I get that Christie's doing this 279 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: fine for a couple of people, But I like it's 280 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: interesting how the one space where it is probably most 281 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: native to the most consumers, um, it's not really playing 282 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: there right now, which is how do you feel about that? Um? Well, 283 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's a matter of format, because 284 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: I do think sometimes, you know, cramming a big literary 285 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: adaptation into a two hour film maybe doesn't make the 286 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: most sense. Um. And I do think that, Um, you know, 287 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: there are times where you know, maybe we forget that, 288 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: you know, Greta Gerwigs Little Woman was you know, based 289 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: on a book as well, and and and they they 290 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: still can work and um, certainly, UM, you know you 291 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: have to kind of take a look at what um is. 292 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: You know, you look at what the Rebirth of Stephen 293 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: King and and all of the you know, projects that 294 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: are coming from his books. UM. I do think that 295 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: you know, it's a matter of format, and I think 296 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: people have to be much more um a tune to Okay, 297 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: this would actually work better as a limited series, This 298 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: would work better um as a as a as a 299 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: you know, ongoing series and having um, those walls break 300 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,199 Speaker 1: down a little bit. As Jason was talking about earlier, 301 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: I think is one of the keys to having success 302 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: with with an adoptation. Wasn't media rite a bit of 303 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: a bell weather for you guys in terms of letting 304 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:40,959 Speaker 1: people know the deal market wasn't dead while we were 305 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 1: all so uncertain about our futures. Absolutely. I mean we 306 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: feel like, you know, it took us probably a week 307 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 1: to get our bearings um being at home. UM, but 308 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: then we kind of hit the ground running and um, 309 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: you know it felt like it was kind of you know, 310 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: bidding more after bidding more. UM. So you know, we 311 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: absolutely embraced it and and felt like it just hasn't 312 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: really led up since. Um in a lot of ways 313 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: and generally really encouraging to see people being willing to 314 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: invest so much in development, right. Absolutely, I think that 315 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: they were taking chances on you know, you know, you know, 316 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: wildly cherished novelists too. You know, you know, brand new 317 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 1: voices that you know, have been having a moment. It 318 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,360 Speaker 1: was really fun for us. You know, someone that I've 319 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,679 Speaker 1: represented for for many many years who has finally, finally 320 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: kind of broke out and had a moment. UM got 321 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: a nothing named Charles you whose novel published. You know, 322 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: it was one of my last trips actually before um 323 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: we were sent home. I was out in New York 324 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: for a book launch event for Interior Chinatown, which came 325 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,959 Speaker 1: out at the end of January. UM. He did an 326 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: event with Celesting and UM. You know, the book got 327 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: some really really terrific reviews and then you know, we 328 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: start submitting it, um, you know, right afterward, and it 329 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: was just people coming out of the woodwork for for 330 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 1: you know, a novel that I absolutely loved but was 331 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: you know, very inventive in its form and was partially 332 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: in screenplay and UM and pros and religious kind of 333 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 1: played with that. UM. So the adaptation wasn't um necessarily 334 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: just like it didn't jump out out at you. UM. 335 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: But he's just had such a wonderful moment and so 336 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: that's been really great to see. Um. You know, the 337 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: the entertainment entities out in the world really kind of 338 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: embrace his his voice and stature, and UM, we've been 339 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: able to make some other you know, really exciting new 340 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: new deals for him. UM. You know, after on the 341 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: heels of that as well, tell me that about sort 342 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: of the non traditional UM, the areas in your department 343 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: you were mentioning. UM, you guys are increasingly getting into 344 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 1: well obviously journalism, but unscripted podcasts. Can you talk a 345 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: little bit about how that rounds out your portfolio, UM, 346 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: and how sort of is that it's being presently relied 347 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: on as well for creative adapted Absolutely. UM. I do 348 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:19,199 Speaker 1: want to touch on one thing, Jason said, because I 349 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: do think you know, something you mentioned in his last 350 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: response about kind of um adapting something like I It 351 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: made me think of Nomad Land UM, which was a 352 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: nonfiction book that our colleague Jasmine Lake was representing UM 353 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: and obviously went on to great success. UM. I think 354 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: people are also maybe approaching you know, adapting literary material 355 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: in a new way, UM, and bringing a twist to 356 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: it and and and and finding a way to kind 357 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: of make it fresh. And whether you know, we look 358 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: at things like Queen's Gambit or Bridgetain. I think that 359 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: the way literary material is adapted. UM is also evolving, 360 00:20:56,359 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 1: so so but moving you know, forward to something like podcasting. 361 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: You know, we've represented UM this American Life and Cereal 362 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: UM for over fifteen years. And you know we've seen 363 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: because we were at the center of it when um 364 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,199 Speaker 1: uh you know, when that boom took off UM and 365 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: with you know, season one of Cereal or um Uh, 366 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 1: you know, kind of the the emergence of of of 367 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: of the podcast as underlying material. You know, we've been 368 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 1: at the center. The Shrink next Door, for example, UM 369 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: is another podcast that are and we have a pot 370 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: dedicated podcast group as well. And a lot of the 371 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: I p that we UM receive also comes from podcasts 372 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 1: that they've gone out and and partnered with companies like 373 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: Wandering on UM and so there's there's immense growth there UM. 374 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: And again there's two businesses there. One is the ancillary 375 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: business of the film and television that you know comes 376 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: from those podcasts, and the other is the podcast business itself. UM. 377 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: The same with comic book business. We talked about Boom UM. 378 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: You know Boom Comics. They have a robust and sellery 379 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: business in both film and television, but also they're the 380 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: number three comic book publisher behind DC and Marvel. UM 381 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: and and you know, we're seeing all these other areas 382 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: that are that are really having explosive growth UM. And 383 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: they're finding ways of growing, whether it's in unscripted UM 384 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: or in other categories. UM. It seems that that the 385 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: boundaries that have existed between fiction, nonfiction, UM, TV, film, 386 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: all of these boundaries are are breaking down. And that's 387 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: certainly too UM a creator's advantage. I've been really pleasantly 388 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 1: surprised to see how uh the consumer is engaging with 389 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: scripted podcasts. That was really unsure about that one. UM. 390 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: I thought it was sort of like just a flash 391 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: in the pan, Like you know, talent sitting at home, 392 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,239 Speaker 1: they need a job in the pandemic, so we'll do 393 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: like an old school audio series. But they seem to 394 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: be really working. UM. And I wonder sort of do 395 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: you think that prospective buyers out there are looking to 396 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: sort of take them to the next level? Do you 397 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: think that the scripted series would then letting those two 398 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: TV and grow. And I'm just curious what you think 399 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: the future of Battle Places. Yeah, I mean I think 400 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 1: we saw it, you know, take off with Gimlet having 401 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,199 Speaker 1: Homecoming and you know, you know that turning into you know, 402 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: the the successful Amazon series that they had. UM. You know, 403 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: we have very established authors. You know, we work with 404 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: Eric Larson, who you know, you know, storied on fiction writer, 405 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: best known for Devil in the White City. He has 406 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: his first foray into fiction. Actually it's been released next 407 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: month as an audiobook. UM. Only that's a ghost story 408 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: called No One Goes Alone that we're um out on 409 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: submission on the film and television front right now. Actually, UM, 410 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: that's creating a lot of excitement. UM. And it's it's 411 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: something that you know was only going to you know, 412 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: live in that space, UM and in the audio space, 413 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: which you know, I think I think it's really exciting, 414 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: UM for you know, an author that's only worked in 415 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,719 Speaker 1: print and only worked in print nonfiction UM for this 416 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: long to be you know, trying his hand at something new. 417 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: That's definitely shaking things up. And I know publishers are 418 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: definitely looking to find ways of um you know, um 419 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: brace basically bridging voices from print into audio. You know, 420 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: I think there's been such a boom in you know 421 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: an audio book downloads as well. UM, So there I 422 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: think it's created a lot, a lot of new opportunity 423 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: that kind of bridges the gap between you know, both 424 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: you know, the scripted fiction podcast world and also you know, 425 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 1: uh audible audiobook. You know, we're listening, we're reading, we're 426 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: reading while listening if you will, so so they UM. 427 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,640 Speaker 1: And you know, speaking of consolidation, I think a couple 428 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: of years ago my time, you might be all messed 429 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: up because of the for me to pandemic triangle. UM. 430 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: But you know, when someone like Liz Gabbler joined Sony 431 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: Pictures and I think broke here and it was the 432 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: publishing deal with Simon and Schuster, it might be totally 433 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: we also have to re record this HarperCollins, Harbercolos, Yes, um. 434 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: And obviously Elizabeth Gabler has a long track record of 435 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: successfully adapting books in two movies. But I wonder do 436 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: you think the publishing houses might become an increasing target 437 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: for confer acquisition, um, considering just the moment that they're having. 438 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I think, you know, in speaking also from 439 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: experience and dealing with three thousand, which is list of people, 440 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 1: are you know outfit Tony and HarperCollins? Um. You know, 441 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: we we made a really great deal for UM. Uh 442 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: this book by Kevin Wilson called Nothing to See Here 443 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 1: that UM we sold the new Statter and Weber to 444 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:07,199 Speaker 1: Elizabeth and the deal was really innovative because it you 445 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: know that it happened to be in an Echo book, 446 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 1: which was an imprint of HarperCollins, and so you know, 447 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: the publisher was able to say, we will actually chip 448 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: in some ad dollars um to promoting the book. And 449 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: so you know, I think that UM as part of 450 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: the film deal, I think that you know, they're also 451 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: optioning a lot of material that isn't necessarily under the 452 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: HarperCollins banner. But when it works and you're able to 453 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: kind of create that sort of synergy, you get the 454 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: added benefit of it. You see that with you know, 455 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: Viacom and S and S. But you know S and 456 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: S is going away kind of or we'll see what 457 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: We'll see what happens there with with that merger. So UM, 458 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,640 Speaker 1: you know, I think that we try to just take 459 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: advantage of the opportunity that is also going to you know, 460 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: provide an even greater billboard for our authors for their 461 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: their literary books. As Yeah, one thing one thing to 462 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: remember is you know, the publishing companies don't actually own 463 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 1: the film and television rights, and so the publishing company 464 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: becoming a target for acquisition because it's a source of content, 465 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: I think isn't necessarily the right UM way to look 466 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: at it. And I think, in fact, you know, one 467 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 1: of the things that UM has become a bit of 468 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: a controversy are publishers or you know, newspapers or magazines 469 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: trying to lay claim to the rights that their authors have. 470 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 1: And I think, you know, we saw this big dust 471 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: step with the New York Times and Paramount UM happen 472 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: over them the game stop UH story, And I think 473 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: we've seen you know many kind of UH publishers or 474 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: outlets kind of trying to overreach and and and take 475 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,640 Speaker 1: rights that are really created by and should remain with 476 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: the authors UM. And so that's that's something that I think, 477 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: you know, we we certainly are keeping an eye on 478 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: and wanting to you know, you know, where we can 479 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: protect our creators UM and advise them as these big 480 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 1: corporate entities try to lay claim on their ideas and 481 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: their ability to to find the right places to to 482 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 1: to exploit the rights that they you know, kind of 483 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 1: inherently create when they come up with an idea or 484 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: when they find a story and track down a story, 485 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: work incredibly hard for years and years to break a story. 486 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: There are things you can driff from the headlines um, 487 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: almost every single week, especially the past year, that that blend, 488 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: it blends its up to the cinema. That's also like 489 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: some of the best parts of our jobs because you 490 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: never know when that story that all of a sudden 491 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: is getting shared all over social media, landing your inbox 492 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: for representation as well, and so you get become some 493 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: of the most exciting parts of our job in that 494 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: narrative non think and space as well. Um. You know 495 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: those sorts of timely stories where they involve complicated life 496 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: rights holders and deals, um, that I think make the 497 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: best sorts of adaptations for film and television. You know, 498 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: it becomes it becomes an exciting part of our job 499 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: because you know a lot of people ask us, you know, 500 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: how does every day look? And some of the time 501 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: you get like a special gift dropped in your inbox 502 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: at eight am, and that changes the the entire kind 503 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: of direction of your week. Um. As well, we have 504 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: to be kind of we have to be nimble. Um, 505 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 1: but you know, I roll with those those fun opportunities. 506 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Is there one you guys are shooting on right now? Like, 507 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: what's your zola? Right now? There's ala. We're representing this 508 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: really fun piece um uh. We have the Boston Globe 509 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:55,719 Speaker 1: about uh the fire festival of of overnight sleepaway camps 510 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: um about a camp in New Hampshire was shut down 511 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: after six days for basically the you know the all 512 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: the campers rebellying against the staff and the staff quitting 513 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,959 Speaker 1: and um, you know it was. It's a it's a 514 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: wild fun story that we feel like it's a really 515 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: um special kind of contemporary film as well we're putting together. 516 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review 517 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: at Apple Podcasts. We love to hear from listeners, and 518 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: be sure to tune in next week for another episode 519 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: of Strictly Business