Jen Huang, CFA

From the Latest FilmLA Report • Scripted TV production in Los Angeles dropped 99% in Q3 2023 compared to 2022. • FilmLA calls for a significant expansion of California’s $330 million production incentive due to a 20% drop in local filming. • Other jurisdictions like New York, Ontario, Georgia, and the U.K. offer more competitive, uncapped or larger subsidies, putting California at a disadvantage. • Strikes in 2023 and a decline in Peak TV also contributed to a production slowdown. • Global production declines occurred, with Georgia and the U.K. also seeing reduced TV releases. • California temporarily boosted its incentives in 2021, but ongoing state budget deficits limit further expansions. • FilmLA warns California must act to support its entertainment industry or face continued market share losses. FilmLA Seeks 'Vast Expansion' of California Tax Credit (variety.com) https://lnkd.in/gps_6c9A

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First of all, how hilarious would it be if the spin-off was named Kable Town?! Second, what Evan Shapīro is saying that logically they would spin-off ALL the TV assets together makes sense on the surface, but not all TV assets are created equal. NBC & Sports are still hugely valuable to them (Olympics is a gold mine), and to Peacock, the other assets are not. They want to be making content for The Cock, not USA and definitely not ScyFy. But if they keep USA 8 ScyFy, they to have to make content for them even if their ratings decline every day. Third, MSNBC is just a pain in the ass. It’s a massive management distraction because every time Joy Reid or Morning Joe say something crazy - which is every time they go on air - Comcast execs get a flurry of phone calls. So it’s a constant distraction. Which was worth putting up with when the ratings were high and they could make a lot of ad dollars off it. But ratings are in the toilet. The other reason to own a news network is political clout but MSNBC does the opposite, it just pisses people off. They will have much more political clout by retaining NBC News alone. And this is to a large degree an effort to save what’s left of the journalistic reputation of NBC News from the dumpster fire that is MSNBC. Fourth, when I was at Comcast even several years ago, the attitude was that the pay TV business was a low margin business and when people cut the cord, they just bought more broadband and Comcast didn’t have to pay Disney and all the rest their random money for cable nets like ESPN. The reason they got into running their own cable nets was as leverage in negotiations with other cable carriers and the ad dollars on cable TV, neither of which are worth near as much now as they were then. It’s just businesses that are no longer strategically valuable and can probably be run more efficiently as a standalone company without consuming management bandwidth anymore.

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“Warner Music Group has sent a letter to tech companies declaring that its content can only be used to train AI with the music company’s permission. According to Warner’s letter, which can be read in full here, “All parties must obtain an express license from WMG to use… any creative works owned or controlled by WMG or to link to or ingest such creative works in connection with the creation of datasets, as inputs for any machine learning or AI technologies, or to train or develop any machine learning or AI technologies (including by automated means).” Warner’s move indicates that a common strategy could be blossoming amongst the major music companies in their approach to AI, after Sony Music Group sent a letter to some 700 AI developers and digital service providers (DSPs) in May. Sony notified those companies that it is officially “opting out” of having its proprietary content used in the training of artificial intelligence models.” Read the full article for more: #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #WMG #WarnerMusicGroup #Sony #DSPs #NMPA #EU #EuropeanUnion #SonyMusicEntertainment #Legal #IP #IntelectualProperty #Copyright #CopyrightLaw #CopyrightInfrigement #DerechoDeAutor #DroitdAuteur #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz #Creators #Songs #Composers #Songwriters #Artists #Suno #Udio #SoundRecordings #Tech #Technology #GenerativeAi #GeAi

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Calling Investors: Invest in the original Xbox “Duke” controller… I am working with a new gaming peripherals company set to take the world by storm and they are looking for investors to join the team. Founded by Duke Schnepf, son of gaming visionary, and Xbox founder, Brett Schnepf, backed by multiple founding fathers of the Xbox, this company is pushing the boundaries of the gaming peripherals sector. Their journey began with Brett Schnepf, a luminary whose contributions to gaming history are etched in stone. As a founding member of the Xbox console team, Brett's design prowess shaped modern gaming, with iconic creations like the Sidewinder PC controller and the legendary Duke controller. Today, Duke Schnepf carries forth his father's legacy. Upside and a half! In late 2024, a major streaming platform will release a series chronicling the founding of a pioneering gaming console (can you guess which one) and the launch of Duke's ground-breaking products, offering an intimate look at the visionary minds behind this revolution. Looking for investments of $10K, $20K, $50K, $100K, $250, $500K, and $1M. Higher investments with equity shares are available for discussion. We foresee full returns and profits delivered within 1 year. If you're interested in being part of this exciting journey, please get in touch to set up a call ASAP. #Gaming #InvestmentOpportunity #Innovation #GamingPeripherals #TechInvestments #gamedev #investors #angelinvestors #gameinvestor #PEinvestment #AngelInvestment

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Attn #Independent #music companies! Increased consolidation isn’t exactly INDEPENDENT. Rather, it creates a scenario where the #multinational owns even more “independent” #distribution companies, a #royalty calculation company, independent #musicpublishing #administration, (and more!) and as a result of this consolidation, is able to capture and analyze the data of the #indie companies’ clients. Can you say Big Brother? I know of at least one substantial indie label whose biggest artist was poached by their mini-major distributor who had access to their #data. Ouch. Do you really want to pay your #distributor to dilute and potentially reduce/destroy your business? Per the post below, there is an agnostic alternative that doesn’t compromise the #freedom and true independence for independent rights holders and ensures the integrity of your company’s data is protected. And, it saves money as well! #freedomofchoice #moneymatters #business #musicindustry #technology

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During my time at Zynga from 2011-13, cross-promotion on Facebook was a key competitive advantage that basically ensured the successful launch of new games. However, as players shifted to mobile, that advantage significantly diminished. Squad Busters’ impressive 8.8M downloads and $1.1M in revenue on launch day—Supercell’s highest-ever—make me wonder if cross-promotion is back. Despite post-launch retention challenges, Squad Busters attracted 40 million sign-ups in just five weeks. Join us for a Growth Marketing roundtable discussion on Squad Busters’ launch success and hear expert insights from industry leaders Jen Donahoe and Gavin Leung as we explore Supercell’s strategies. Key topics include: • The impact of big-budget ad campaigns • The successful preregistration drive • Launch day results Date: Thursday, September 5th, 2024 (tomorrow) Time: 9 - 10 AM PST Type: Open to anyone Sign-Up Here: https://lnkd.in/gg9Y9CGu

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What if steaming works? “Still, Disney's forecast suggests those headwinds don't necessarily mean streaming will be unsuccessful as a long-term replacement product for cable. Future bundles or consolidation may help mitigate churn. As companies shift their best content to streaming, canceling services becomes less appealing. Disney's results follow Warner Bros. Discovery's strong streaming results on Nov. 7. The company's direct-to-consumer division delivered profit of $289 million, driven by an increase in global subscribers, higher advertising revenue and global average revenue per user. Warner Bros. Discovery's flagship streaming service Max added 7.2 million global customers during the third quarter, bringing its total subscriber base to 110.5 million. The end result may be a media industry that emerges from a rough few years stronger than investors feared.”

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“Sony Music Entertainment is set to acquire the catalog of legendary rock band Queen in a landmark deal worth GBP £1 billion (USD $1.27 billion at current exchange rates). That’s according to Hits, which reported on Wednesday (June 19), citing sources, that Sony Music has emerged as the winning buyer for Queen’s recording and publishing rights, as well as royalties from previous deals with Disney Music Group and Universal Music Group. Disney owns the band’s recorded music catalog in North America, while UMG has a global distribution agreement with Disney. Separately, Queen band members Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon – plus the Freddie Mercury estate – each own equal shares in the company Queen Productions Ltd, which owns the group’s recording catalog outside the US and Canada, Music Business Worldwide noted in a report last year. UMG, as Disney’s distributor, will reportedly retain distribution rights in North America, although Sony will receive the royalties. UMG’s worldwide distribution rights will then transfer to Sony in 2026 or 2027, making Sony Music the sole distributor and owner of all Queen content globally, Hits explained. The deal also reportedly includes name and likeness rights, opening doors for merchandise and other ventures. Meanwhile, Queen’s founding members, May and Taylor, who continue to tour with vocalist Adam Lambert, will reportedly retain control of revenue from live performances.” Read the full article for more: #Queen #SonyMusic #UMG #DisneyMusicGroup #UniversalMusicGroup #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz #Creators #Artists

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“…music copyright valuation continues to grow at an accelerated pace. The global valuation ascribed to music copyright reached $41.5bn, according to industry economist Will Page. This is 14.5% more than 2022. More folks are streaming music than ever before. Vinyl sales are up. Concert ticket sales surpassed 2019’s figures, according to Live Nation. And beneath all of this are the songs, or copyrighted works. Without them, there would be no tours, no vinyl records and no streaming services. Funds that invest in this intellectual property are expected to continue to see a return. But across the industry, this is not the case.” “There are reasons for this - based both on data and perception. Qualitatively, the way the music industry - as a monolith - is perceived continues to be challenged. For example, in BBC’s daily news podcast, Global Story, a report on Taylor Swift referred to the music industry as ‘in crisis’ despite the macroeconomic data arguing otherwise. This is supported by the evidence of burgeoning inequality. While arenas and stadiums celebrate a bumper year, small music venues in the UK suffered their “worst year in a decade” according to the Music Venue Trust. Music education hubs - often the places where music is first created - are being cut by two-thirds in 2024-2025. However, quantitatively, the data reveals a different story. Music listenership is up, according to the IFPI. Revenue collections from CISAC, the international trade body representing collective management organizations was up 28% in 2022. Simply, more music would mean more return, especially for firms that own much of the music that is consumed, such as funds like Hipgnosis, Round Hill or Primary Wave or the three multinationals, Universal Music Group, Warner Music and Sony Music. However, debt is now more expensive, and liabilities are outstripping return. Listening to more music is not enough.” #CMOs #CISAC #IFPI #Artists #UK #RecordingRights #Performers #Royalties #MusicRoyalties #Music #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #Copyright #Copyrights #Songs #Songwriters #Recordings #MusicPublishing #Streams #Streaming #MusicStreaming #LiveMusic #Global #RecordedMusic #RecordLabels #IndieMusic

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Exciting news from Runway! They've just introduced Advanced Camera Control for their Gen-3 Alpha Turbo model, enhancing our ability to direct AI-generated videos with greater precision. 🎥✨ This new feature allows creators to specify both the direction and intensity of camera movements within their scenes, enabling more intentional and dynamic shots. Whether you want to execute horizontal pans to arc around subjects or apply zoom effects to unveil new contexts or narratives, the control is now in your hands. Plus, you can combine various camera movements and adjust speeds to create truly engaging and customized video outputs. Keep in mind, Advanced Camera Control is exclusive to the Gen-3 Alpha Turbo model. To access this feature, you'll need a subscription to Runway's Standard plan, priced at $12 per month. This is a game-changer for anyone looking to elevate their AI-generated content! 🚀

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🎥 Dive into the world of horror filmmaking with an exclusive look at the making of "Terrifier 3" in this insightful video feature!

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Live service updates in a narrative driven expansion? Now I’ve seen it all. The Elden Ring DLC, "Shadow of the Erdtree," received a "Calibration Update" to balance its difficulty. - Despite positive critic reviews, some players found it too difficult, resulting in mixed reviews on Steam. - The new update strengthens early upgrades in the Shadow Realm Blessings system, providing more damage and damage negation earlier on. - The final upgrades in the system are also slightly more impactful. - Future patches will include further balance adjustments and bug fixes. These changes should make the DLC's early stages less challenging.

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Check out the public preview of cineSearch and discover the perfect movie for you with the power of #GenAI.

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Paying out an additional £6 million (approx. USD $7.7 million) in royalties from online services - “UK-based royalty collection society PRS for Music says it will be paying out an additional GBP £6 million (approx. USD $7.7 million) in royalties from online services to songwriters and composers annually, thanks to a reduction in its administration rate. The collection society said it’s reducing its admin rate on multi-territory online (MTOL) royalties by 20% – from a 10% rate to an 8% rate – as a result of the CMO “surpassing its targets, delivering historic distributions and revenues, and becoming a billion-pound society.” Announced at its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) today (June 4), PRS estimates the reduction will see £1.5 million more paid out to members in each of its quarterly royalty distributions starting from October this year.” #PRS #CMOs #UK #MusicRoyaties #Songwriters #Composers #MusicPublishing #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz

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Come learn about Xsolla's strategies to improve your mobile games revenue.

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“Warner Music Group (WMG) CEO Robert Kyncl has come out in favor of a US Senate bill that would crack down on unauthorized deepfakes, arguing that the technology could ruin lives, reputations and businesses if left unchecked. Although many in the music business are embracing AI, it’s also the case that “generative AI is appropriating artists’ identities and producing deepfakes that depict people doing, saying, or singing things that never happened,” Kyncl will tell a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Commitee on Tuesday (April 30). “Through AI, it is very easy for someone to impersonate me and cause all manner of havoc,” Kyncl said, according to his pre-prepared remarks shared with MBW. “They could speak to an artist in a way that could destroy our relationship. They could say untrue things about our publicly traded company to the media that would damage our business.” #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Legal #GenerativeAi #GeAi #Music #MusicBusiness #Musicians #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicLicensing #WMG #MusicVideos #Artists #MusicBiz #Streaming #StreamingServices #StreamingMedia #WarnerMusicGroup #USCongress #USA

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California Production Coalition: Fighting to Keep Hollywood Filming in California. https://lnkd.in/g-BtDZgq Entertainment Partners is excited to be part of the California Production Coalition to ensure California remains THE place to film! California has phenomenal resources and over 100 years of experience in productions. Excited to see this coalition being launched today! It's very important to note, Productions in California bring high-paying jobs and economic activity to every part of our state. And I'm proud to be part of the fight to protect that. Are you ready to join the fight for film, TV, and streaming production in California?   Along with nearly early three dozen film, television, and streaming production businesses and associations have formed the California Production Coalition to advocate for policies that strengthen California’s film industry. It’s a pleasure to be working alongside other businesses to improve conditions for filming in our home state. The group, including members like the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Television City Studios, and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, aims to address declining production activity, which has been slow to recover after the pandemic and last year’s strikes.   Representing prop houses, equipment leasing firms, payroll companies and other service providers, the coalition is focused on expanding California’s film tax credit program. Their first priority: supporting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to increase the annual program from $330M to $750M. This expansion could boost local jobs and revenue, building on the $961.5M in tax revenue and over 110,000 jobs supported by the credit between 2015 and 2020, per the LAEDC.   The coalition, which began organizing last summer, aims to educate policymakers and the public on the benefits of keeping productions in-state. They also advocate for reducing red tape to make California more competitive with rivals like Georgia, New Mexico, Canada, the UK and Australia.   With production volumes down 17% globally and reality TV shoots in Los Angeles declining by 56%, coalition members warn of the economic ripple effects on businesses that rely on a thriving production ecosystem.   The coalition’s mission: ensure that Hollywood’s legacy and economic contributions remain rooted in California, while creating a stronger, more competitive future for the state’s film and TV industry. Entertainment Partners #CaliforniaProductionCoalition #CaliforniaFilmIndustry #TaxCredits #Hollywood #jobs

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What Blair Westlake said re: the Guilds It’s bad and it’s gonna get worse. It’s driving tens of thousands of talented people out of LA and possibly out of entertainment…or will it? Content creation is marketing now. If you’re a brand, you need a content creation capability. Hollywood’s loss is the brand’s gain. But also all this talent isn’t going to just go work at Mickey D’s. It’s going to regroup in places like Austin and Nashville and it’s going to create a more diverse media business in the long term. Big & expensive are gonna lose to small crews empowered with AI and unencumbered by the Guilds. “Unemployment in film and TV in the United States was at 12.5% in August, but many think those numbers are actually much higher, because many film workers either do not file for unemployment benefits because they’re not eligible or they’ve exhausted those benefits after months of not working. As a whole, the number of US productions during the second quarter of 2024 was down about 40% compared to the same period in 2022. Globally, there was a 20% decline over that period, according to ProdPro, which tracks TV and film productions.”

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