Jonathan Sposato

According to the UCLA report, 36.2% of adolescents prefer fantasy over other genres; 63.5% value stories about friendship and platonic relationships over romance; and 62.4% believe that sex scenes are not necessary to advance the plot of TV shows and movies. Each of those totals saw a huge jump (of at least 39%) compared with last year’s study. On the other end of the spectrum, only 7.2% of young people enjoyed movies and TV shows about the rich and famous; 13.9% said they wanted to watch films and series tackling real-life issues that affect society. On the exhibition side, theaters can attract more teens by offering event screenings — encouraging patrons to wear costumes to the show, for example — and offering group discounts for young people

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We need virtual worlds designed to elevate the best versions of ourself -- now more than ever, after yesterday's election. And no not just as an entertaining "escape". Just for starters, they give senior citizens and others deep, immersive social connections which would be difficult for them to create in the real world; they're also a safe haven for LGBT people who want to express their sexual/gender identity through their customizable avatar. Also the successful ones make an incredible amount of money, both for their investors and the grassroots content creators who build businesses from them. My hopefully hopeful take here: https://lnkd.in/gXJ9yCgb

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"In new research, forthcoming in Management Science, we explore the impact gen AI has already had on the labor market by examining trends in demand for online freelancers. Our findings show significant short-term job replacement after these tools were introduced, and that jobs prone to automation, like writing and coding, were the most affected by ChatGPT. Our research also examines how competition, job requirements, and employer willingness-to-pay have changed to better understand how the online job market is evolving with the rise of gen AI. Although still in its early stages, gen AI’s impact on online labor markets is already becoming discernible, suggesting potential shifts in long-term labor market dynamics that could bring both challenges and opportunities."

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Night bought Bottle Rocket Management. Yup, more M&A consolidation amongst talent rep companies! BIG congrats to Chas Lacaillade, BRM’s founder and a close friend of mine. Chas is a shrewd operator, and over the years I enjoyed watching him build a high-performing creator management company. Awesome to see him pick a strategic partner that aligns with his plan for future growth and improved client servicing. RockWater Industries served as financial advisor to BRM. I therefore can’t go into deal specifics due to the NDA between our companies. Let's break it down… ---TARGET: Bottle Rocket Management--- OVERVIEW • Talent management firm for digital content creators • Founded 2015 by Chas Lacaillade • Bootstrapped, no outside capital • Focus on YouTube creators • Reps ~40 talent clients • Based in Austin, TX TALENT HIGHLIGHTS • Austin Evans • BroScienceLife • JerryRigEverything • UrAvgConsumer ---BUYER: Night--- OVERVIEW • Next-gen representation platform for artists • Founded 2015 by Reed Duchscher • 75-100+ team per LinkedIn • Reps 100+ talent clients • Based in Austin, TX BIZ UNITS • Talent - management, focused on digital creators being entertainers and entrepreneurs • Studios - content studio, helps digital creators create and package shows for TV, streaming • Labs - venture studio, pairs operators with creators to build companies e.g. Feastables • Capital - TCG-backed fund to invest in / acquire profitable creator-led businesses • Ventures - early stage venture fund, focused on tech OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS • Reps world’s largest Twitch streamer, Kai Cenat • First manager of MrBeast, helped catapult his growth • Launched Feastables in 2022, est $100M+ 2024 revenue CAPITAL MARKETS HISTORY • 2022 raised an est high 7 to low 8 figures from TCG • 2022 raised $100M from TCG for Night Capital • 2023 bought mgmt co LFM • 2024 bought The Roost Podcast Network ---DEAL DETAILS--- OVERVIEW • Announced 11.25.24 • Deal terms undisclosed DEAL ORIGINS • Night and BRM leadership have known one another for years • Lacaillade and Night President Ezra Cooperstein both worked at Fullscreen, an early YouTube MCN VALUE PROP • Bring a top digital manager into Night’s leadership team • Deliver larger and more exciting opportunities to BRM clients • Scale talent roster and offerings for Night’s brand and client partners • Scale Night’s seasoned digital talent team via BRM team additions • More leverage to recruit more digital-native clients ...I'll write more about the deal in my Friday M&A newsletter, signup link in comments 👇 -- I'm the founder of RockWater. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.

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Everything Water & Music does is quality. #Music professionals in #NYC who would like more education re #AI should attend. #musicindustry #artificialintelligence #business #money #monetization #creatoreconomy

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My Journey: The Pursuit of Credibility and Reality I thought UCLA would be a crucial stepping stone in my pursuit of credibility as a Latina screenwriter. With years of hard work and some excellent credits in the industry, I believed an MFA in Film, TV, and Digital Media would validate my experience and allow me to teach in a university setting what I knew firsthand as an accredited professional writer. Enrolling was fueled by hope; I envisioned a collaborative, nurturing environment filled with colleagues who had industry experience like mine. Instead, I found myself in a program marked by favoritism, mediocrity, and a lack of resources. Professors, wrapped in their own sense of entitlement, spent more time tooting their own horns than mentoring aspiring filmmakers. The result? My work went unsupported and unnoticed, leaving me feeling alienated in a space where I thought I would find community. Graduating with my MFA brought a wave of profound disappointment. I emerged without the professional confidence I once had and—worse still—unemployed. The degree that was supposed to open doors felt like an expensive piece of paper that did little to advance my career. After years of struggling with the fallout from this experience, I reached out to the Department of Education to share how UCLA’s failure to deliver on its promises had detrimental effects on my career. Ultimately, my loans were discharged due to "university misconduct." However, this small victory left me grappling with lingering questions: Where did this leave me, and how would I move forward? Through this process, I realized my journey wasn’t about seeking validation from an institution; it was about reclaiming my narrative. While UCLA failed to provide the credibility I sought, I refused to let it define my worth. I’m carving my own path, driven by the stories only I can tell. My journey continues—authentic, unapologetic, and on my terms—as I remain dedicated to teaching in a university setting, eager to share the lessons I’ve learned along the way and empower future storytellers with the knowledge I gained through years of hard work and experience in the industry.

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How #ugc impacts a game's livelihood is pretty much a given at this point. What #roadblocks are you still holding onto that keeps you from an integrated and complimentary #creatoreconomy that lifts users and #revenue by 20%+? Check out what Larian Studios and the GOTY have to say about it.

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Excellent analysis on how the industry needs to reward its real talent and make their success linked to results . Highly recommended read .

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