1 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcasts featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety. Today's episode 4 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: offers a rare opportunity to bring microphones into the marble 5 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: covered halls of CIA. My Variety colleague Katsey Stephan and 6 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: I talked to not one, not two, but six senior 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: CIA agents about the state of the industry and the 8 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: state of their agency. These half dozen ten percenters to 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: use varieties language for talent, agents represent disciplines across the agency. 10 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: They are stars in their fields, and they all happen 11 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: to be women. The idea for this conversation started months 12 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: ago with my interest in looking at how the purchase 13 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: of ICM Partners has changed CIA. That's seven hundre earned 14 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: fifty million dollar deal was completed three years ago. Next month. 15 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: It's CIA's largest ever acquisition. In twenty twenty three, CIA 16 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: itself saw majority ownership change hands from private equity giant 17 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: TPG to French business mogul Francois Henri Finnelt and his 18 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: Artemis Holding Company. In the last few years, CIA has 19 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: taken steps to show that it is nurturing a next 20 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: generation of agency leaders. It has assembled internal boards and 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: leadership structures designed to expand the scope of its decision makers. 22 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: This comes as CIA has faced some outside criticism and 23 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: some notable defections amid the perception that there's a ceiling 24 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: for high achievers at the agency. Like other large agencies 25 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: and studios, CIA has also historically had a big gender 26 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: gap at the top that is changing and that is 27 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: illustrated by the composition of our roundtable. We recorded this 28 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: on April fifteenth, sitting across from one another on couches 29 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: in a COZYCIA meeting room. Our panelists are familiar names 30 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: to industry insiders. I'll let them quickly introduce themselves. 31 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: Tiffany Ward, Jennifer. 32 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 3: Joel, Lisa Joseph Mattelis. 33 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 4: Maha Dakiel, Urlita Fowler, Lara Sackett. 34 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: Tiffany Ward is CIA Managing Director and scripted television agent. 35 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: Jennifer Joel is a literary agent and co head of 36 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: CIA Books. Lisa Joseph Mettelis is a member of the 37 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: CIA Board and Head of Athlete Brand Strategy and Entertainment 38 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: at CIA Sports. Maha Dakiel is CIA Managing director and 39 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: motion picture agent. Ourlita Fowler is a digital media agent 40 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: and head of Digital Media Lifestyle Talent, and Lara Sackett 41 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: is co head of the Production Department. Women have a 42 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: lot to say about agenty, the entertainment economy, the rise 43 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: of social media creators, and the privilege of working with artists. 44 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: Our free wheeling conversation is coming up after this break 45 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: and we're back. Here comes our lively conversation with six 46 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: top CAIA agents. 47 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 5: Tiffany Ward, Jennifer. 48 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 3: Joel, Lisa, Joseph Mattulis. 49 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 4: Maha Dakiel, Aurlita Fowler, Lara Sackett. 50 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 2: Thank you all so much for joining me and my 51 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: coworker Katsi Stepan, who covers the talent agency business for us. 52 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: We are really appreciative. This is a rare opportunity to 53 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: speak with six senior leaders. We all know the beats 54 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: that the business has really gone through in the last 55 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: couple of years. The pandemic that strikes been a lot 56 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: of change, a lot of contraction, a lot of consolidation 57 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: in the business. See itself had quite a transformative event 58 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: a couple of years ago in purchasing ICM, and so 59 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: it's a great opportunity for us to talk about where 60 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 2: the agency is, where you see the marketplace going. 61 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,039 Speaker 4: What is great about this place in particular is it 62 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 4: was never perfect. Nothing ever is. But what it always 63 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 4: was from the day I got here and continues to 64 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 4: be is it's fertile ground for change, and the people 65 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 4: here can be the drivers of the change. 66 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 6: You don't hit walls here, you know, and when we 67 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 6: do come together. And that's what was so great about 68 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 6: that first early board that spawned this newer board, that 69 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 6: there was a recognition at a certain point that three 70 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 6: or four people could not run this company alone. An 71 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 6: operations committee, as you guys have noticed, has been put 72 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 6: in place in the last several years. When I came here, 73 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 6: you know, expenses were run by one guy. You would go, 74 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 6: it is super nice to him, And that's not how 75 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 6: it's run anymore. 76 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 7: I came to CIA as part of the ICM acquisition, 77 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 7: and so that was in the middle of the pandemic. 78 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 7: So my initial introduction to the motion picture meeting was 79 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 7: on zoom. So it was just all of these little 80 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 7: squares of everybody's face. And it wasn't just when you 81 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 7: were talking about having a voice. Everybody had a voice, 82 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 7: you know, I was seeing a screen of everybody's sort 83 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 7: of equal part in the process, as opposed to sort 84 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 7: of sitting in a room where somebody's at the front 85 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 7: there speaking, everybody else is listening. And then so that 86 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 7: was my introduction to the way that that meeting was 87 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 7: run and the way that people communicated with one another. 88 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 7: And then when Zoom came to an end and we 89 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 7: were in person, to then see the translation of that 90 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 7: Zoom meeting to an in person experience where it's very 91 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 7: much the same. You know, we're sitting around a table 92 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 7: and as many people as can fit in a room, 93 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 7: but it's never just one person speaking. 94 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 8: I think we really benefited from the integration with ICM 95 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 8: because I think that even though as has been referenced 96 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 8: many times, we have a great value system of taking 97 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 8: care of each other, we have a great value system 98 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 8: of working in teams which usually include people from different experiences, 99 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 8: which makes the work better and I think a better 100 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 8: experience for the clients. We are as well as said, 101 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 8: we're perfect, and we're curious about always evolving and getting better, 102 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 8: and sometimes the best way to do that is to 103 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 8: be confronted with a different way of working. 104 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: Here, Katsay steers the conversation to talking about social media 105 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: and the opportunities it creates for artists and how that 106 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: impacts agenting. 107 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 9: Well, I'm so curious how the current state of the 108 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 9: creator economy and how that's factoring into your everyday at TAA, 109 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 9: and also how you view in the scope of the 110 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 9: entire entertainment industry, the creator economy. 111 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 10: The digital industry as a whole is something that it 112 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 10: has been an industry that's been evolving, like literally, it 113 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 10: feels like every two years sort of the rules change. 114 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 10: But I've found that it's always been incredibly exciting. I 115 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 10: think the world between creators who have their digital ecosystem, 116 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 10: their online community, and the world of traditional Hollywood has 117 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 10: been coming closer and closer together. Our point of view 118 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 10: has always been like, we're signing and working with the 119 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 10: best creators, artists, taste makers, and our position has always 120 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 10: been to like connect them to the broader agency. So 121 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 10: for CIA works a bit different than other places because 122 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 10: as a client of the agency, you have a team, 123 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 10: and you have a team from different disciplines, and so 124 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 10: when I think about someone like Eliza Koshi who and 125 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 10: we signed her. We signed her off of Vine because 126 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 10: we saw how incredibly talented, funny sharp she was, right 127 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 10: and she's doing the short form content, and then we 128 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 10: really helped her expand and grow within the entertainment industry. 129 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 10: So she just wrapped a film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I 130 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 10: think her agent team now has like fourteen people on 131 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 10: it across the agency, and she's doing everything from films, television, endorsements, 132 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 10: all while also monetizing her platform. Right now, what we're 133 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 10: seeing is that a lot of incredible IP is being 134 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 10: generated from the YouTube community. So when you think about 135 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 10: late night television right now, if you want to launch 136 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 10: a film, a TV show, an album, you're going to 137 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 10: go on Chicken Shop Date, right Amelia de Moldenburg as 138 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 10: a client of ours, or you're going to go on 139 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 10: to Hot Ones, right. And so that's been incredible. We've 140 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 10: also been seeing clients who've been focused on actually creating studios. 141 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 10: So we represent someone by the name of Darman and 142 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 10: he creates scripted content on his YouTube. 143 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: I'm a big d okay, So. 144 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 10: Dar you know, he has his own studio now, right, 145 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 10: and we've been helping him to expand his businesses both 146 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 10: like online right but also in other areas, and so 147 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 10: I've really been excited for what's happening right now. 148 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: Social media has been a game changer for athletes in 149 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 2: terms of building businesses, building brands. Can you talk about 150 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 2: how much or how little you have integrated social media 151 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: and what they can do in that channel where they 152 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 2: can talk directly to fans. 153 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 3: It's been an interesting ride because athletes are now viewed 154 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 3: as content creators as well. I think when social first 155 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: came out, no one knew what it was or where 156 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 3: it could lead. But what it did was create non 157 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: traditional media platforms and really put the narrative in athletes hands, 158 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 3: where before you would have to get that through traditional 159 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 3: media outlet and so or understanding a player's mindset after 160 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 3: a game, after a big loss or after a big win, 161 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 3: or what are they like you always what happens next? 162 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 3: Well you see what happens next in real time because 163 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 3: they're posting about it. And so I think there was 164 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: a little bit of fear at the beginning when it 165 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 3: came to social media because it's like, okay, it's like 166 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 3: kind of like the wild, wild West, And I think 167 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 3: there were like important lessons to be learned about what 168 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 3: should be shared and how should be shared, some hard 169 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 3: lessons for athletes. 170 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 2: And maybe not every waking thought, not everything. 171 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 3: We don't need to know everything that you're thinking. So 172 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 3: there was some hard lessons to be learned, and I 173 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 3: think as an agency, you know, we had to. It 174 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 3: wasn't a question or thought of being involved, because part 175 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 3: of us is protecting the athlete and educating them in 176 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 3: the process. And so I think over the last few 177 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 3: years you've seen a big shift in that where athletes 178 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 3: are starting to understand that they have a direct connection 179 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 3: to their fans. How can they tell their stories best, 180 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 3: how they can capture the headlines. Athletes aren't going to 181 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 3: traditional outlets anymore. They're breaking the news on their own. 182 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 3: We don't need a press release. 183 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 2: I can just show this, you know. 184 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 3: So it's kind of like it's been really really disruptive, 185 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 3: and even through that, athletes now want to be the 186 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 3: content creators they want. You know, we signed Jesser, who 187 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 3: is a huge YouTube so I don't even want to 188 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 3: like put him in that box of just like a YouTuber, 189 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 3: but like he's built an incredible platform around his love 190 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 3: of the game and his love of basketball, and to 191 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 3: see our star athletes wanting to go hang out with 192 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 3: Jesser it's like you all are. He wants to be you, 193 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 3: you want to be him. So how do we like 194 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 3: pair the two up and make it a win win? 195 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 3: So it's been really interesting and I think for us, 196 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 3: we're going to see a lot more. I think athletes 197 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 3: have realized and recognized their power and recognized that they 198 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,199 Speaker 3: have incredible stories to tell. So whether it's on social 199 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 3: or whether it's through building their own production companies and 200 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 3: media empires, it's no longer just an athlete and what 201 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 3: they do on the court. But I think in every 202 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 3: scenario here, whether they're writing a New York Times bestseller 203 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: or being part being part of a production team or 204 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 3: eping a film, they're touching so many different lanes and 205 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 3: so many verticals. So they are a true multi hyphen 206 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 3: it of talent in all areas and they I think 207 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 3: they've awakened to their power and they own that now. 208 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 11: And also I think to the social point, you know, 209 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 11: we've heard some you know, some artists today have said, Oh, 210 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 11: when I'm auditioning for something, they ask me how many 211 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 11: followers I have on social media? I'm curious for those 212 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 11: of you. 213 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 12: Who are you know more on the TV and film side, 214 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 12: how much is that something that you're paying attention to 215 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 12: when you're going into a deal making process a client's 216 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 12: social following who isn't necessarily in the creator economy. 217 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 10: Early on, it was a little more prevalent because studios 218 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 10: thinking about casting creators almost as it's done as a 219 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 10: and have it be a part of their marketing plan. 220 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 10: But in recent years that's not the biggest factor anymore, 221 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 10: right I also because a big part of what we're 222 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 10: seeing is that if you are on a hitshel if 223 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 10: you're on a hit show on Netflix, you can literally 224 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 10: go from having two thousand followers to two million. 225 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 5: All of our clients are ultimately trying to reach, whether 226 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 5: you call them fans or audiences or readers, they're trying 227 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 5: to make a connection with people who will consume what 228 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 5: they're creating. Social media is definitely one measure that the 229 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 5: buyers of their intellectual property or services use to try 230 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 5: and figure out how much audience or viewers or readers 231 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 5: or listeners they're already bringing to the table. And we 232 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 5: think of it more generally as platform, and the platform 233 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 5: can be your socials, it can be your extent readers 234 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 5: or your extent listeners, but a measure of your ability 235 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 5: to connect with the people who you are ultimately trying 236 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 5: to reach as you create and new art, I think 237 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 5: is certainly one factor that all of our buyers and 238 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 5: all of our businesses have to be responsible in considering. 239 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 5: But I hope that because we are all in creative 240 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 5: businesses to our latest point, ultimately sort of the talent 241 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 5: and the power of the product is the most important 242 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 5: and factor for them to consider. And certainly history is 243 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 5: a guide to a creator and their ability to connect 244 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 5: with with the larger audience. But I think most of 245 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 5: us are in this business because we know that there's 246 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 5: something that is more than measurable or something that is immeasurable, 247 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 5: which is the feeling that we all get when we 248 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 5: watch performance that moves us, or you read something that 249 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 5: changes the way you know you understand the way the 250 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 5: world works, or that you watch a game and you 251 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 5: realize that your heart is fluttering and you have no 252 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 5: stake in the outcome of that particular conversation, but you're moved. 253 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 8: I couldn't agree with Jen Moore, and the only thing 254 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 8: I'll add is that for those of us who are 255 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 8: working in storytelling, and I think there's stories in some ways, 256 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 8: and what all of us do. We came out here 257 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 8: because we were captured somehow by the magic of a 258 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 8: really resonant human story, right. And data is something that 259 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 8: we pride ourselves on having sort of best in class 260 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 8: service around, whether it be social or ratings, you know, 261 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 8: the whole the whole spectrum. And that's important. It's valuable 262 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 8: for us. It's valuable and deal making. It's valuable in 263 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 8: terms of giving our clients some kind of transparent feedback 264 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 8: about performance. But the other part of it is that 265 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 8: there's no algorithm on earth that would have told you 266 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 8: to make adolescens right. It's just magical resonance storytelling. The 267 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 8: more that we can keep, you know, to what to 268 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 8: what Jenna is talking about, which is the common denominator 269 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 8: of just a really resonant, specific, magical point of view 270 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 8: from an artist or artist that comes together in a 271 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 8: serendipitous confluence of events that we all benefit from because 272 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 8: it's human like, that's that's why we're here, you know. 273 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 8: So you have to balance both of those things, I 274 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 8: think to do our job with a level of optimism 275 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 8: and hope and excitement. 276 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: How does that spirit of being innovative and creative put 277 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 2: pressure on you as agents? When your clients are being 278 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 2: more entrepreneurial than ever before, how does that translate to 279 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 2: your work. 280 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 4: I don't really consider it pressure. It's not this pressure 281 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 4: of trying to stay ahead of the clients. It's this 282 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 4: joy and real acceptance of also hopefully being thought leaders ourselves, 283 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 4: pushing the boundaries, challenging systems, looking for different ways of 284 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 4: doing things, leaning on one another in the different divisions. 285 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 4: What are you learning, what are you finding? What patterns 286 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 4: are you seeing? And really helping to business build and 287 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 4: maybe even empire build. Not every single artist wants to 288 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 4: empire build. Sometimes they just want to tell a story, 289 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 4: and we're certainly equipped to do that, but we are overqualified. 290 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 4: Now our job description has expanded so much to being 291 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 4: entrepreneurs ourselves, in house producers and cultural advocates that it's 292 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 4: actually exciting time to be in the agency business because 293 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 4: you see how we're expanding and morphing and understanding that 294 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 4: we have to be all things to all people. Because 295 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 4: artists are so expansive in their thinking, there's an impression 296 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 4: that we represent only stars. We represent people who are 297 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 4: going to be stars, and yes, sometimes we represent people 298 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 4: who are already stars. But the fun and the discovery 299 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 4: of noting somebody's potential and then being a driver of it, 300 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 4: there's really no joy like that. It's maybe akin to parenting, 301 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 4: but just to see somebody grow and go through phases 302 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 4: and the deep history of knowing somebody and being with 303 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 4: somebody for a very long time and being able to 304 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 4: advise them through the highs and lows because obviously nobody 305 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 4: stays on top every single second, and being there when 306 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 4: they fall, and being the one that has you know, 307 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,479 Speaker 4: those of us in this room and all our colleagues 308 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 4: outside this room. Having to have the plan, the optimism 309 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 4: and the creativity to be able to navigate next steps is. 310 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: Exciting. 311 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 4: It's not a pressure, not saying the job it's not 312 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 4: high pressure, but that part of the job is really 313 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 4: actually quite fun. 314 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 11: Some of you have collaborated between production, motion picture and 315 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 11: television that there have been some recent projects that you 316 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 11: guys have really had to come together on. So can 317 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 11: you tell me a little more about how your teams 318 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 11: work together. 319 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 8: Just to draft off of what Maha just said, One 320 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 8: of the things that allows us to feel that joy 321 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 8: and to sort of foster that entrepreneurialism is that we 322 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 8: lean on each other all the time. So just an example, 323 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 8: when Laura came in, you know, along with Ryan, Tracy 324 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 8: and many folks in a division that we hadn't had 325 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 8: right production production, Yes, production, that was something that you know, 326 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 8: for those of us who work in content, we maha 327 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 8: and I hadn't benefited from that for I don't know 328 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 8: the first ten fifteen years of our time here, and 329 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 8: it's been a game changer. Anytime that there's a new 330 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 8: show that is on the precipice of production, we are 331 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 8: able to collaborate with a best in class group of 332 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 8: advocates to say not just well who's writing this and 333 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 8: who will be the stars, but also who's making this right, 334 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 8: and who's great at making it domestically internationally, and who's 335 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 8: collaborated before. It's an incredible advantage, amazing. 336 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 7: Well, I feel the same, and I think when you 337 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 7: see people in physical production, I hear this best in 338 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 7: class a lot, and I think you see a lot 339 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 7: of repeat collaborations because they work well. So people are 340 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 7: working together again and again and they're growing their careers 341 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 7: they see where people have different avenues of creativity and strength, 342 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 7: they pull in other people that they want to keep 343 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 7: working with again and again. And I think so we 344 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 7: have a lot of these artists that have been building 345 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,400 Speaker 7: their careers forever building relationships, but then to have the 346 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 7: strength of the best in class relationships that go on 347 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 7: here to sort of see when these productions are just 348 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 7: an idea, So to know when somebody is talking about 349 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 7: a great book that's about to you know, it may 350 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 7: not even be a book yet, you know, it's somebody's 351 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 7: thought idea. It's an article, it's a book, it's a screenplay. 352 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 7: It's a filmmaker who really wants to collaborate with a 353 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 7: particular actor. It's two actors that want to make a comedy. 354 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 7: Just hearing that the kernels of ideas before they're I 355 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,360 Speaker 7: mean long before they become physical production is I think 356 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 7: both inspiring. When you're talking about you know, how are 357 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 7: we motivated on a daily basis? It does require a 358 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 7: sort of entrepreneurial spirit because now we're seeing all these 359 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 7: different avenues. We're not waiting for a go job, like 360 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 7: here's a go opportunity. It's sort of like all of 361 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 7: these things that are possible, and I think building relationships 362 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 7: earlier on being aware of, you know, particular interests and collaborations, 363 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 7: it's been game changing for us. 364 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: Here, Katsy presses Jennifer Joel about the ever expanding world 365 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: of sourcing literary content for adaptation in other mediums. 366 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 13: Jen adaptation game is so so broad, and I'm so 367 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 13: curious how you even begin to identify what the right 368 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 13: projects are that make themselves right for these adaptations, whether 369 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 13: it's something whether you're sourcing from a book, a stage 370 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 13: show obviously very wide that you're casting. 371 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 2: So how do you sort through all the content that's 372 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 2: out there. 373 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 5: I'm not sure that we're doing a sorting job as 374 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 5: much as we are kind of building the library. And 375 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 5: I think one of the great privileges of the combination 376 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 5: of these agencies is the fact that the library is passive. 377 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 5: We've got decades worth of phenomenal content, whether their books 378 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 5: or their plays, or their podcasts or their kind of 379 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 5: new online content. The fact that we have created so 380 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 5: much excellent content is like a cant It's like a 381 00:22:55,600 --> 00:23:00,439 Speaker 5: candy shore for people to go play. In Great Thing 382 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 5: in particular about a long gest dating project, which a 383 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 5: book is often, but all of these things can be 384 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 5: is that somebody has already put years of thought and 385 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 5: effort into imagining one version of a story or a 386 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 5: world or a series. And to Lara's point, in a way, 387 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 5: it gives sort of a new creator who wants to reimagine, 388 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 5: you know, it's looking for a world to reimagine or 389 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 5: play around, and they're starting kind of way down the 390 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 5: playing field because somebody else has already done that work. 391 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 5: One of the great pleasures of the adaptations game and 392 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 5: an agency like this is that that process can go 393 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 5: both ways. So you are, in fact can go in 394 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 5: every way. You have an author who might imagine that 395 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 5: a piece of content that they've made would be phenomenally 396 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 5: reimagined in the hands of a certain director or a 397 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 5: certain actor, a certain writer, and we have the ability 398 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 5: to make those introductions. The reason that we've had so 399 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 5: much success is that is that we have had the 400 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 5: ability to let the people who make things find new 401 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 5: ways to kind of work together and work off of 402 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 5: each other. 403 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 2: The core film and television business has been through very 404 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 2: you know, the headlines have been cuts and layoffs, and 405 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 2: I do feel like the page turned in January and 406 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 2: after California's horror Show. I do feel like the page 407 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 2: did turn, but I would love your candid thoughts on 408 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 2: whether you're you know you and your clients are feeling 409 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 2: some contraction in the business or is the sense of 410 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 2: contraction do you think overstated? 411 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 3: I think it comes in waves, and so I think 412 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 3: during I mean, at least for sports right now, it's 413 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 3: been great. I mean, our clients are probably making the 414 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 3: most amount of money that they've ever made. It's been 415 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 3: quite insane. Contracts that are going up, media rights that 416 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 3: are going up. But it does come in waves, and 417 00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 3: I think for us as agents, as executives, as an agency, 418 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 3: is really about staying consistent with our clients. And Maha 419 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 3: mentioned something earlier. It is just like being there for 420 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 3: them in the highs and the lows of it, making 421 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 3: them feel confident, making them feel that they're supported through 422 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 3: the process, and really kind of like holding their hand 423 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 3: through it. And I think there's no better feeling than 424 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 3: knowing that, Okay, I might hit a low or something's 425 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 3: not you know, hitting right, as we've all experienced in 426 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 3: the last few years, but knowing that you're part of 427 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 3: a greater system agency representation that's not going to drop 428 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 3: you because you know we're taking hits across the board, 429 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 3: but is really going to be there to support Because 430 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,199 Speaker 3: life is all about ways. What comes up will go 431 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 3: down and vice versa, and so for us, it's also 432 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 3: an opportunity to figure out how to be more creative. 433 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 4: The Hollywood community is a very resilient community because all 434 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 4: the insanely thinkable things that we have faced should maybe 435 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 4: signal that we should just all go home and give up. 436 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 4: And I don't know anybody who wants to go home 437 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 4: and give up. There's something about storytellers, the optimism of 438 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 4: having to create to idate. There's something so beautiful about 439 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 4: that desire to reach other human beings and tell them 440 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 4: that you see them, you feel them, or you want 441 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 4: to show them something new, or you want them to 442 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 4: escape something that they are feeling. 443 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 2: Our Lada. With general economic instability, are you seeing any 444 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 2: contraction among brands? Is there a hesitancy right now? 445 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 10: There is a little contraction with brands we have seen 446 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 10: because of the terroriffts. Some brands have pulled back some 447 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 10: of their campaigns or paused it. But on the other hand, 448 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,479 Speaker 10: we have others that just got offers. 449 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 8: Today. 450 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:01,719 Speaker 10: I think disruption creates opportunity, and so being in digital, 451 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 10: we've always been sort of on this leading edge of 452 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 10: what's next. We're always thinking about how do we help 453 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 10: our clients monetize and expand. And you know, we just 454 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 10: closed a deal for one of our just legendary Balk 455 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 10: Show hosts who has an incredible library that's now going 456 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 10: to become a fast channel. And so it's things like 457 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 10: that that I think, you know, a couple of years ago, 458 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 10: we wouldn't have thought about for our clients, and we're 459 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 10: thinking about that now, and so I see it. I'm 460 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 10: an optimist. 461 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 7: What I found so encouraging is it's not sort of 462 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 7: an either or proposition. I feel like when we were kids, 463 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 7: there were three television networks, and you know, it wasn't 464 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 7: really like are you going to watch this channel or that, 465 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 7: or are you going to watch TV or go to 466 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 7: the movies on the weekend or I love the way 467 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 7: that this whole entertainment business has evolved and that yeah, 468 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 7: it might be a digital proposition, it might be something 469 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 7: in a movie theater, it might be a musician films 470 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 7: a concert, and then you go to the movies to 471 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 7: watch it. Just so many different avenues and I think, 472 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 7: again going back to just being in this building so 473 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 7: many different inspired experts who have these deep relationships. When 474 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,680 Speaker 7: you talk about taking care of your clients and really 475 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 7: being forward thinking on their behalf, knowing what their strengths are, 476 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 7: what their interests are, what their talents are, and then 477 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 7: looking around at all the different avenues that they can pursue, 478 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 7: and them coming to us with the different avenues that 479 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 7: they're thinking about. I just like the fact that nothing 480 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 7: seems contracting to me. It just feels like different opportunities. 481 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 7: It's going to change. We hope that it will evolve, 482 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 7: but it doesn't feel like it's an either or. It 483 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 7: just feels like more opportunities. So I will take ideas 484 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 7: from all of you. 485 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 8: So kind of went last. I think what Maha said 486 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 8: about kindness is first and foremost. You know, it's our 487 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 8: value system, But I think the more we're kind to 488 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 8: each other internally and externally, it really matters. Right now, 489 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 8: the last five years have been really hard for everybody, 490 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 8: no matter what business you're in, and I think the 491 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 8: kindness and the reciprocy of spirit allows people to feel 492 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 8: safe and then they can do their best work. I 493 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 8: think the curiosity of doing new things, like our leader 494 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 8: was talking about. You know that we may not all 495 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 8: be as well burst or immersed in as she might be, 496 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 8: or whatever the area is. Being curious about what's possible 497 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 8: even in dark times is actually the genesis of doing 498 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 8: great things and then believing. I think you said that 499 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 8: it's all worth it right, like it was, like I 500 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 8: think William James correct me said that believe that your 501 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 8: life is worth living, and that belief will create the fact. 502 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 8: And I like to think that believe that entertainment isn't 503 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 8: vital to all of our lives, and our collectible belief 504 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 8: will create that fact and will survive whatever obstacles, whatever 505 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 8: head ones we're facing, will tell magical stories. I am 506 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 8: not a Pollyanna, but I'm a believer. I think we're 507 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 8: all optimist in this room, and I think we're probably 508 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 8: all optimists in the building. 509 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 5: I'll speak of somebody who works in what is probably 510 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 5: the oldest business in entertainment, publishing. Rumors of publishing's demise 511 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 5: have persisted since the invention of the newspaper, when people 512 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 5: wondered why you would ever read a book again when 513 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 5: the information you know was going to be outdated, and 514 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 5: that there was this new form of consuming information that 515 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 5: would be by definition more current. But of course books 516 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 5: are still here. All of the businesses that we that 517 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 5: we work in have survived these sort of eras of change. 518 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 5: When the world is challenged as it is today, I 519 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 5: think there is an even greater imperative for people who 520 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 5: can explain it, who can contextualize what we're living through, 521 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 5: who can provide hope and distraction. It is an incredible 522 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 5: privilege to spend your professional life thinking about how to 523 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 5: do those things. And I think we are all optimists. 524 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 5: I think we have to be optimists. I think this 525 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,959 Speaker 5: place sort of exists to help make the ground as 526 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 5: fertile as possible for people who embrace the privilege of 527 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 5: living a creative life. 528 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 2: Anything else that anybody wants to say. I feel like 529 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 2: we've covered a lot of ground. 530 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 6: I wish listeners could see Lisa's nails. 531 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 2: I have been staring at that. 532 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 6: You can't see them. Thanks, I know, the company of Women, 533 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 6: thank you. 534 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 2: Thank you, thanks for putting up with us here. 535 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: We want to end this episode on an uplifting note. 536 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 1: Here's a lightning round of clips of our guests talking 537 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: about their mentors and formative career experiences. Katsy and I 538 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: want to give our deep thanks to Ourlita, Jennifer, Laura, 539 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: Lisa Maha and Tiffany for the privilege of their time 540 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: and their thoughts. 541 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 4: When I got here, I saw Best Swafford, queen of 542 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 4: the director's agents. Shortly after I got here. He'll whee 543 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 4: Lee came with this Irish accent. She had started in 544 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,479 Speaker 4: a phone booth in Ireland, one of the best origin 545 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:10,239 Speaker 4: stories ever, and had the coolest haircut and would just 546 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 4: tell everybody off all the time in the best, coolest, 547 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 4: sexiest way. 548 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 7: I really had the opportunity to kind of learn by 549 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 7: osmosis and again just having people who are very willing 550 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 7: to mentor who I could ask questions. They would let 551 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 7: me be a part of things I would do, like 552 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 7: is it Monday Yet. 553 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 5: It took me about five minutes of learning the business 554 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 5: and looking around at the landscape to realize that the 555 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 5: two best agents in the publishing business were Biggie Urban 556 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 5: and Uster Newburgh, and that the way that I would 557 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 5: be able to become what I hoped would be the 558 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 5: best version of somebody in this industry was to go 559 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 5: and learn from them. 560 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 10: There have been so many incredible people that have helped 561 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 10: mentor and shape me, people like Christy Habigger and Terry Hanks, 562 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 10: but then also Kevin Vank. 563 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 3: Part of the reason why I even moved here was 564 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 3: Michelle Kid who has always been also a mentor to me. 565 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 3: Anytime I had any issues, that would call Michelle, and 566 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 3: Michelle was the one who really encourage me and say, Lisa, 567 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 3: this is the time. We need more women in our building. 568 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 3: We need more women leaders in our building. 569 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 8: I always felt that my capacity here was my limitation, 570 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 8: which is to say that I always felt with women 571 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 8: like Resa Gertner and Sonya Rosenfeld and Hilda Quilli and 572 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 8: Beus Wolferd who came before me, that I was really 573 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 8: being judged on my ability to be an advocate with 574 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 8: integrity and creativity who fought hard for her clients. And 575 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 8: in turn, I feel like I've been given the space 576 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 8: to try to do that for other women. 577 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review 578 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: at the podcast platform of your choice. We love to 579 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: hear from listeners. Please go to Variety dot com and 580 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: sign up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and 581 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: don't forget to tune in next week for another episode 582 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: of Strictly Business.