As the world emerges from the COVID pandemic and enters the age of streaming, no one can doubt that the entertainment industry is undergoing permanent change. However, few companies prepare for it like Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures.
It will be less American and more youth-oriented, said Silverman, former president of creative development and physical production at Warner Bros. on Thursday. He was speaking to Media Partners Asia Director Vivek Couto at the current APOS conference.
“This whole notion that the United States is going to create content for the world with American actors and directors and only in English is completely outdated,” he said. “Some of the best stories are not done in English. Things like “Gomorrah” from Italy, Korean content, and cartoons are invading English-speaking territories like crazy. “
Silverman envisions that the next global franchises will come from the independent sector. And they will realize their potential by first harnessing the muscle that makes the headlines of Hollywood’s global broadcast structures, and then securing their long-term profitability through streaming.
“To get reach and aggregated niches, streamers do the best. To create global moments, a theatrical exhibition is the best, ”he said.
“’John Wick’ was an independent film distributed by Lionsgate. “Knives Out” is owned by Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman, and when Netflix and Apple tried to buy the second and third installments, they had to pay $ 468 million for two $ 50 million movies, “Silverman said. “The model we really like is the theatrical release, then the sequels on streamers.”
“We started producing content for others in our two and a half years of existence – a great animated film ‘Prince of Port-au-Prince’ at Netflix, TV shows put on at Apple and a big suite of kids’ programming at HBO Max – but what we’re aiming for is launching our theatrical movies division. We’ve just completed another round of funding that will allow us to start building the fire. green to films for the cinema. “
There will be fewer theaters, but Silverman is convinced that the cinema is not going to go away. “Fewer theaters, but the economy will be the same and the experience will be better because the theaters will be a little more crowded. In the United States, there are too many theaters and lower quality theaters have to close. But theaters in general will survive and prosper. “
Streaming, according to Silverman, is the natural home of television shows. “Streamers represent an incredible opportunity if you own the library of, say, ‘The Office’ or ‘Friends’, they can buy the finished product and monetize it for you.”
But juggling the voracious appetite of SVOD platforms and the creative potential elsewhere is a balancing act.
“When we look at the platforms, we see an inverse relationship between professionalism and standards and the opportunity for freelancers. Would you like to have your content on Disney Plus knowing that they are going to handle it absolutely flawlessly and that you will earn 20%? Or, take the other extreme, which is YouTube or Twitch or tons of other platforms where you don’t know what the experience will be, or even if the platform will be there. But if you can make it on YouTube the money for the person who controls the IP [is vastly different], you still own the intellectual property, you have a direct relationship with the public.
In terms of genre, Stampede seeks content that has emotional resonance beyond the transient experience of the initial viewing.
“We are really invigorated by two areas. In the kids’ space you can make a gigantic impact very quickly and a real emotional connection with the audience. Think about the shows you watched as a kid, they have a lasting impact, ”said Silverman.
“The other exciting place is the music projects. Not just movies like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but ideas and projects brought to life by musical artists. That’s why we have projects with Stevie Nicks, Lenny Kravitz and The Chainsmokers. They give you a huge advantage in connecting with the audience.
The company sold around 40 TV shows in its first two years, but it is now an international hub.
“Over the next 12-24 months, we’re trying to do shows in 25 countries. We have this model where we try to make their international own as opposed to local success, help them keep their IPs and everyone wins, ”said Silverman. “The next big hits will not be in English. “
